Lane Kiffin enters LSU’s only bye week of the regular season with a welcome chance to catch his breath, but the break comes with an uncomfortable backdrop. His teams have not exactly turned bye weeks into a magic formula, and Alabama has been especially difficult for him in those spots.
That matters now because LSU needs the pause. The Tigers have been dealing with injuries to key players like Whit Weeks, Trey'Dez Green, who recently returned, and others.
An extra week should help, at least on paper. The bigger question is whether it helps Kiffin’s team in the kind of game that can tilt a season.
The history is not especially comforting. Kiffin’s teams are 9-6 after bye weeks, and against Alabama in those games he is 0-3.
This LSU group has already been through a demanding SEC slate. The Tigers lost to No.
12 Ole Miss in Week 3 and No. 9 Kentucky in Week 6, but they also logged some strong results.
They beat then-No. 15 Mississippi State 31-0, though Mississippi State was missing its starting quarterback and running back.
They also handled then-No. 23 Texas A&M 35-6 and beat Auburn 38-17, even though Auburn was unranked after knocking off then-No.
1 Georgia.
Alabama’s side of the equation is a lot cleaner when it comes to the bye-week trend. Kalen DeBoer’s teams are 8-0 after byes, including 4-0 with the Crimson Tide.
The Tide have had their own mix of tests against ranked opponents. They beat No.
9 Kentucky 45-17 and then No. 16 Mississippi State 56-23, but they also dropped games to No.
3 Georgia 17-20 and No. 16 Tennessee 10-26 in back-to-back weeks before the bye.
Against unranked SEC opponents, Alabama has taken care of business, including wins over South Carolina 49-18 and Texas A&M 31-20.
There is still a lot on the line for both teams. Alabama and LSU are both alive in the SEC Championship race, with Alabama holding the edge at 4-2 compared with LSU’s 3-2 mark. The teams are ranked third and tied for fourth in the SEC, respectively.
They are also both still in the hunt for the FBS playoffs. The Nov. 7 meeting could push the winner closer to that goal, though the picture remains loose enough that even a three-loss team still has a shot.
For LSU, the challenge is straightforward: use the bye week, get healthier, and find a way to finally break through against a ranked opponent, especially with Alabama carrying the better post-bye track record into the matchup.
In Other News...
LSU May Be Weighing A Surprising Lamar Brown Role Change
Lamar Browns Instagram post has added a little intrigue to LSUs roster picture, because the freshman defensive lineman appears to be hinting at a possible move to the offensive line. Brown has mostly been used on the defensive side this season, and his playing time has been limited, which makes any potential shift worth watching as the Tigers continue sorting out where young talent might fit best.
LSU has not officially confirmed any position change, and for now Browns future remains in the realm of possibility rather than announcement. Still, a switch like this would be notable for a player whose early college role has not yet fully settled, and it gives the Tigers another personnel storyline to monitor as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Got A Stunning Title Vote Before Alabama Week
Nick Saban rarely hands out compliments lightly, which is why his latest national title pick turned heads around Baton Rouge. With LSU sitting at 6-2 and No. 15 in the rankings, the former Alabama coach pointed to the Tigers as a sleeper candidate to win it all, citing a team that has paired strong scoring with a defense that has done its part. Six of LSU's wins have come by 20 or more points, a sign that when the Tigers are rolling, they can separate from opponents in a hurry.
The timing makes the endorsement even more interesting with Alabama coming in at 6-2 and ranked No. 10 for a matchup that already had plenty riding on it. Saban did flag quarterback Sam Leavitt's turnover issues as a possible obstacle, a reminder that LSU still has questions to answer before any championship talk gets serious. Still, getting that kind of vote of confidence from Saban just before Alabama week adds another layer to a game that was already going to carry plenty of weight. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces An Early Recruiting Test In A Battle Fans Will Notice
The early stages of B.J. LaFells recruitment already have a familiar LSU feel to them. The son of former Tigers receiver Brandon LaFell, the 2029 prospect has picked up offers from LSU and Notre Dame, along with other programs, and the Tigers are leaning into a pitch that combines family ties with a long track record of developing NFL receivers.
For LSU, this is the kind of battle fans will notice because it reaches beyond the usual recruiting chatter and into legacy territory. Notre Dame gives him a national alternative with its own appeal, and the process is still just beginning, with coaching relationships and development opportunities likely to matter as much as any school name on the offer sheet. [Read more 🡒]