*3 reasons why Lauren Alaina just might win “American Idol”*

We’ve been predicting the finalists for nearly three months, and, as always, the future seems clear. Blue-eyed teen heartthrob Scotty McCreery from Garner, North Carolina seems like a cinch to win Season 10 of “American Idol”.

The reasons are plenty—more young southern males have won “American Idol” than any other demographic, and the number of southern male runners up is also high. Yet, history dictates that Lauren Alaina might just have a shot at winning the Season 10 title:

Reason #1: Though southern men represent the top winning demographic, southern women are a closesecond. Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, David Cook, and Kris Allen comprise four of nine “American Idol” winners and are all from the south. Yet southern women Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, and Carrie Underwood make up a close second; Lauren Alaina could even things up.

Reason #2: Two of the four female winners so far beat out southern male contenders in the finals. Kelly Clarkson beat fellow southerner Justin Guarini and Carrie Underwood beat Bo Bice. Neither Fantasia Barrino nor Jordin Sparks went up against a southern male in the final.

Reason #3: Underdogs sometimes do well. Scotty McCreery has sailed through the competition wholly unscathed, never having been named among the bottom two or three. Sympathy for “wild card” or underdog competitors has often seen a boost in support for contestants. If Lauren Alaina is seen as a distant second to Scotty McCreery, such an image may come to her rescue just in time.

Yet, for every reason Lauren Alaina just might be able to pull off a win, there is at least one other strike against her. For one, most “American Idol” voters are young girls whose teen hormones may dictate favor for a male contestant. And, to many, Lauren Alaina, who fared better than most, may not seem like an underdog at all.