Alabama walks into Tiger Stadium on Saturday afternoon with plenty hanging over this one. The Crimson Tide and LSU both arrive with two losses, and this matchup sits right in the middle of a crowded Week 10 slate with SEC race implications and College Football Playoff consequences attached. It is also, of course, Alabama and LSU - which means the stakes already feel bigger than the standings say.
If Alabama is going to leave with a win, it starts with Keelon Russell. LSU’s defense has been one of the SEC’s better statistical units, but quarterbacks have found openings against it.
Trinidad Chambliss put up 363 passing yards and three total touchdowns against the Tigers earlier this season, and Kenny Minchey also had a strong outing in LSU’s other loss. Alabama needs the version of Russell it saw against South Carolina and Mississippi State, not the one that showed up against Georgia and Tennessee.
The other side of that quarterback equation cuts the opposite way. If LSU is going to win, Sam Leavitt probably has to be the guy driving it.
The Tigers have beaten Alabama only twice in the last 16 meetings, and both of those wins came with eventual Heisman quarterbacks leading the way - Joe Burrow in 2019 and Jayden Daniels in 2022, with Daniels winning the award the following season in 2023. Leavitt has the numbers to make that kind of impact, sitting second in the SEC with 2,173 passing yards and tied for the conference lead with 25 total touchdowns.
He has also added 324 rushing yards, giving LSU a quarterback who can hurt defenses in more than one way.
But Leavitt’s turnover issues remain a major swing factor. He has thrown eight interceptions and lost a fumble, and three of his nine turnovers have come in LSU’s two losses. That opens the door for Alabama’s defense, which has been dangerous enough to produce game-changing plays and defensive touchdowns.
Tiger Stadium itself is another hurdle. Even though this is a rare non-night game there, the building still carries real weight in a game like this.
Alabama has also had penalty issues, averaging 7.1 per game overall and 9.3 on the road, which ranks tenth-most away from Bryant-Denny. In the loss at Tennessee three weeks ago, the Crimson Tide were flagged 10 times for 68 yards, and they have had at least eight penalties in all three road games this season.
If starting center Racin Delgatty cannot play, that problem gets even worse.
Then there is Lane Kiffin, and Alabama’s long-running edge in that matchup. Kiffin is still searching for his first win over the Tide, entering this game 0-5 against Alabama.
He went 0-4 against them at Ole Miss and had previously lost to Alabama while at Tennessee. This may be the most talented team he has brought into the matchup, but the history still belongs to Alabama.
That said, LSU has one more card to play: its pass rush. The Tigers have 34 sacks on the season, lead the nation in sacks per game and sack percentage, and are powered by Princewell Umanmielen, who ranks fifth nationally and second in the SEC with 8.5 sacks.
Jordan Ross and Deuce Geralds have five sacks apiece as well. With Alabama dealing with injuries up front, LSU’s pressure could become a major problem and tilt the game in the Tigers’ favor.
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Alabama Fans Should Be Watching This Spain Park WR Closely
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Spain Park also made the cut, thanks to Barrett Price and quarterback Nash Davis, a tandem that has become worth tracking for more than just local bragging rights. Price has been actively recruiting and already has offers from multiple colleges, which makes his profile especially interesting for Alabama fans keeping tabs on in-state pass catchers and the next wave of offensive talent. [Read more 🡒]
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Alexander also had strong connections elsewhere during that recruiting stretch, with friendships that included Charles Woodson and Randy Moss, which helped make the process more personal than purely football-driven. Even so, Alabama ultimately won out, and Alexander made clear that the decision came down to more than just fit on the field, with Michigan lingering as the school that came closest to changing his path. [Read more 🡒]