Saturday’s LSU-Alabama matchup carries a little extra weight, because the calendar is about to take it away.
After this season, the Tigers and Crimson Tide won’t meet in 2027, a byproduct of the SEC’s move to nine conference games and the new permanent opponent setup. For LSU, that means Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Arkansas in the first four-year rotation that started this season. For a series that has been a fixture since 1964, the pause stands out.
That’s especially true in Baton Rouge, where Alabama has long been a familiar visitor and a frequent winner. The Crimson Tide lead the series 58-27-5, including a 30-10-2 edge in Baton Rouge. They’ve won three straight overall and six of the last seven at Tiger Stadium.
The teams meet again on Saturday at Tiger Stadium in a top-15 showdown, with No. 9 Alabama (6-2, 4-2 SEC) facing No.
15 LSU (6-2, 3-2 SEC) at 2:30 p.m. on ABC. It’s the fourth meeting between the programs since 2022, and the last one went LSU’s way - a 32-31 overtime win in Baton Rouge.
That history is part of why Lane Kiffin sounded so blunt about the series losing a year on the schedule.
“I think that’s just sad,” Kiffin said of the annual LSU-Alabama rivalry taking a hiatus after Saturday’s game. “Not a criticism, but all decisions come down to money.
But it’s all sad in the big picture of things. A lot of people wish things were like they were.
But it’s where we are.”
Kiffin knows this matchup well. He went 3-0 against LSU while serving as Alabama’s offensive coordinator from 2014-16, and he’s aware of what the game has meant across the SEC for most of this century.
From 2005 through 2019, LSU and Alabama produced six top-five meetings, including the No. 1 vs. No. 2 clashes in 2011 and 2019, both won by LSU.
During that same stretch, the teams also played eight top-10 games.
There’s also a different feel to this one because of the kickoff time. LSU has hosted Alabama at night in Tiger Stadium the last seven times the teams have met in Baton Rouge, but this year’s game is set for the afternoon slot. The SEC and ABC passed on a night kickoff in favor of Georgia-Ole Miss later in the day.
Kiffin had a little fun with that part of it.
“So, have breakfast earlier Saturday,” Kiffin said. “Start drinking earlier.
Go to bed early Friday night. I’d like to see the city shut down at 10 p.m.
Friday, so everybody can get ready.”
The schedule wrinkle doesn’t end in 2027. LSU will play at Alabama in 2028, then skip the matchup again in 2029. After that, the second four-year rotation begins in 2030, though the league could still adjust things before then.
One LSU storyline remains less clear heading into kickoff: Whit Weeks. The team captain and top linebacker is reportedly back in practice this week after breaking his leg - the fibula between the knee and ankle - in the Texas A&M game on Sept. 26 and undergoing surgery. He has missed LSU’s last four games, though he did travel to Auburn on Oct. 24 before last week’s open date.
Kiffin didn’t offer any update on his status.
“I don’t have any injury updates for you,” Kiffin said.
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LSU Just Landed An Elite Big With Huge Long Term Upside
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Young pointed to his trust in LSUs coaching staff and the chance to develop sooner against stronger competition as key parts of his decision. For the Tigers, it is another sign that the pitch is resonating with top talent, and another reason this class is starting to look like one that could shape the programs future well beyond the next season. [Read more 🡒]