It’ll be do or die in Death Valley on Saturday.
The LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide come into this week’s matchup with 6-2 records after coming off of a bye week. The Bayou Bengals most recently lost on the road to Texas A&M 38-23 while the Tide went into the off-week feeling good after shutting out Missouri 34-0 at home.
The first College Football Playoff ranking was revealed earlier this week, and LSU was ranked 15th, while Alabama was ranked 11th.
Kickoff for this Top-15 matchup inside Tiger Stadium is set for 6:30 on Saturday, November 9th. The LSU pregame show will begin at 4:30 and it all can be heard on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette 104.1 Lake Charles.
PLAYOFF HOPES
Saturday’s matchup highly affects both program and their chances of making the College Football Playoff.
In previous years, only four teams made the playoffs, and teams with two losses never had a chance of making the tournament. Starting this year, the playoffs were expanded to 12 teams, giving teams like LSU and Alabama a chance to make it to the dance.
The issue is that whoever loses this game can kiss their playoff chances goodbye. The winner would still be in the driver’s seat of making the 12-team playoff but the expectation is that a three-loss team has next to no chance of getting in. It would take a miracle and so much chaos at this point for the committee to even consider the losing team in the playoff discussion.
RUN GAME
The ground game for both teams plays a major factor in Saturday night’s contest.
LSU hasn’t been the most proficient at running the football for most of the season, averaging a hair over 115 yards per game. On the other hand, Alabama hasn’t been its usual self either, allowing almost 145 yards per contest. This aspect of Saturday’s game is more of weakness vs weakness rather than strength vs strength.
On the other side offensively, quarterback Jalen Milroe is a key factor for the Crimson Tide. The junior tore up LSU’s defense last season, rushing for 155 yards and four touchdowns as the Tide defeated the Tigers 42-28. As of late, Milroe has rushed as often or effectively, recording 50 or fewer yards on the ground in the last four games.
DISCIPLINE
Penalties and miscues could be all the difference in Death Valley. Alabama has uncharacteristically been undisciplined this season, tallying 69 flags accepted on them for 633 yards (79 yards per game). LSU has slightly fewer with 57 penalties for 437 yards (54 yards per game).
The Tiger will need to stay in their lanes all game long. They no longer have star linebacker Harold Perkins to potentially play the QB spy role so it’ll take a group effort by all LSU defenders to keep Milroe and Alabama’s running game at bay and force the Tide to beat them through the air with players such as standout freshman receiver Ryan Williams.
SERIES RECORD: Alabama Leads 56-27-5
Last 5 Meetings:
2023: ALABAMA 42 – LSU 28
2022: LSU 32 – ALABAMA 31
2021: ALABAMA 20 – LSU 14
2020: ALABAMA 55 – LSU 17
2019: LSU 46 – ALABAMA 41
STAT LEADERS
LSU
Garrett Nussmeier: 208-333, 2,627 Yards, 20 TD, 9 INT
Caden Durham: 73 Carries, 397 Yards, 6 TD
Kyren Lacy: 41 Catches, 618 yards, 6 TD
Bradyn Swinson: 8 Sacks
Whit Weeks: 74 Tackles (38 Solo)
Zy Alexander: 2 INT
Damian Ramos: 13-of-17 Field Goals, Long of 48, 27-of-27 PAT
Alabama
Jalen Milroe: 137-203, 1,937 Yards, 13 TD, 6 INT
Jam Miller: 71 Carries, 450 Yards, 7 TD
Ryan Williams: 35 Catches, 702 Yards, 7 TD
Que Robinson: 4 Sacks
Jihaad Campbell & Deontae Lawson: 66 Tackles (38 and 31 Solo)
Keon Sabb, Domani Jackson & Malachi Moore: 2 INT
Graham Nicholson: 4-of-6 Field Goals, Long of 47, 37-of-37 PAT
