The spotlight in Baton Rouge is already blazing on Alabama and LSU, but Paul Finebaum says one man may be carrying the heaviest load of all when the Crimson Tide and Tigers meet in Week 10.
No. 5 Alabama heads to Death Valley to face No.
14 LSU in a game that has quickly turned into a survival test for both teams. With each side sitting on two losses, Saturday’s matchup has taken on the feel of a must-win if either program wants to keep its SEC title and College Football Playoff hopes intact.
Finebaum, speaking during Saturday morning’s edition of SEC Nation, made it clear he believes Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb is the figure under the brightest heat.
“This is a referendum not so much on Kalen DeBoer, but on everybody’s favorite subject Ryan Grubb,” Finebaum said. “I interviewed Pat Smith yesterday, the local talkshow host at WTLS, and he said that the calls this week on his show have pretty much been that if Ryan Grubb screws this game up like he did the Tennessee Game, there will be moving vans sent to his house by midnight. That’s how serious the Alabama fans are taking what is happening later here today.”
Grubb has drawn heavy criticism for his work as Alabama’s play caller this season, with fans and analysts pointing to him as a major reason for the team’s recent struggles.
If the Tide offense stumbles again against LSU, the pressure on Grubb figures to spike even further. In that case, DeBoer could be pushed into a difficult decision involving his longtime friend and assistant, all in an effort to calm an impatient fan base.
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LSU Alabama Showdown Has One Extra Baton Rouge Twist Fans Should Know
LSUs Saturday night showdown with Alabama already had all the ingredients of a major SEC event, with both teams entering Tiger Stadium at 6-2 and carrying College Football Playoff implications into Baton Rouge. The first rankings of the season only sharpened the stakes, turning a familiar rivalry into a game with a national spotlight and a lot on the line for the Tigers in front of their home crowd.
Melania Trump is expected to attend, adding an extra layer of attention around the stadium and prompting enhanced security measures for the occasion. For LSU fans, it means the biggest home game of the year will come with the kind of logistical buzz that usually accompanies a presidential-level visit, right alongside the football pressure that comes with hosting Alabama. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Suddenly Has Another Big Alabama Availability Concern
LSU is still dealing with a familiar late-week injury headache as it prepares for Alabama, with linebacker Whit Weeks remaining doubtful and tight end TreyDez Green now listed as questionable because of a knee injury. The Tigers have already been forced to navigate a string of season-ending injuries, so the availability report has become a major part of the buildup to one of the SECs biggest matchups.
Alabama, meanwhile, got a cleaner update on its side of the ledger, upgrading receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams and center Racin Delgatty from questionable to probable. For LSU, the concern is less about one name than the cumulative effect of missing pieces, especially with Weeks still trending the wrong way and Green not yet certain to go. [Read more 🡒]
TreyDez Greens Alabama Outlook Could Change LSUs Passing Attack
LSUs passing game heads into Week 10 with one of its most intriguing variables tied to TreyDez Green, whose availability and effectiveness could shape how the Tigers attack through the air. The tight end has become a player worth monitoring not just because of his role, but because his status can alter the way LSU distributes targets and builds its game plan against Alabama.
For DFS purposes, the read on Green is cautious, with projections leaning to the under on his receiving yardage because of both injury risk and a difficult matchup. If LSU has to adjust without him or limit his workload, it could push more of the burden onto other pass catchers and change the rhythm of an offense that already has to be sharp to keep pace in a high-stakes SEC setting. [Read more 🡒]