EA Sports College Football 27 sees Saturday night in Tiger Stadium going LSU’s way in a big way.
In the game’s simulation of No. 14 LSU vs.
No. 5 Alabama, the Tigers rolled to a wire-to-wire 46-24 win and controlled the matchup for nearly the full 60 minutes.
LSU piled up 590 yards of offense and still left points on the table after settling for four red zone field goals. Alabama managed just 303 total yards, got to third down only three times successfully, and watched quarterback Keelon Russell take six sacks.
The simulated result leaned heavily toward LSU even with all five of Alabama’s questionable starters on the field.
Sam Leavitt was the headliner. The LSU quarterback completed 30 of 41 passes for 373 yards and a touchdown, and he also ran for 102 yards and a score on nine carries.
That marked his sixth straight game completing at least 71% of his throws. Leavitt said on Tuesday that he feels 100% for the first time since injuring his hamstring thanks to the bye week, and the simulation clearly treated him like a fully healthy playmaker.
His biggest burst came on a 73-yard touchdown run, part of LSU’s 217 rushing yards on 36 carries. Dilin Jones added 49 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, while Harlem Berry chipped in 37 yards and a score on six attempts.
LSU also got a strong day from its receivers. Winston Watkins Jr. bounced back in a big way after posting 40 yards or less in four of his last five games, finishing with 129 yards on eight catches. Tight end Trey’Dez Green added four catches for 44 yards in his second game back from a knee injury.
Jackson Harris got the Tigers started with an 11-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, and he finished as LSU’s leading receiver with 10 catches for 97 yards. Alabama answered with a 38-yard field goal from Conor Talty before LSU began stretching the margin.
Scott Starzyk connected on a 28-yard field goal early in the second quarter, Berry scored four minutes later, and Ryan-Coleman Williams briefly swung momentum back with a 79-yard punt return. LSU closed the half with field goals of 33 and 38 yards from Starzyk to take a 23-10 lead into the break.
The third quarter belonged to Jones. He scored twice on 1-yard runs as LSU’s defense kept the Tide bottled up and pushed the game out of reach.
Starzyk added another 31-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter, making it 39-10 with 13 minutes left. Alabama got a 2-yard touchdown run from Kevin Riley, but Leavitt answered with his long scoring run before Russell added a 15-yard touchdown run in garbage time.
Alabama’s ground game never got going. The Tide finished with 64 rushing yards, their third straight game under 70 on the ground as a team. Russell carried 18 times for 2 yards, and Daniel Hill led the backs with 39 yards on 10 attempts.
Russell finished 19 of 30 for 239 yards with an interception to cornerback PJ Woodland. Alabama’s passing game had moments, but it still lacked efficiency. Coleman-Williams was held to four catches for 40 yards, while Lotzeir Brooks caught five passes for 71 yards and Rico Scott had four receptions for 72 yards.
On defense, LSU safety Jhase Thomas led the team with seven total tackles. Jordan Ross was a problem off the edge, posting two sacks and a third tackle for loss among his five tackles. Princewill Umanmielen, TJ Dottery and Dominick McKinley each added a sack, while Deuce Geralds and Tylen Singleton combined for another.
Before LSU’s bye week, Umanmielen, Ross, Leavitt and cornerback DJ Pickett all picked up rating boosts. Umanmielen is now a 92, just one point behind the Tigers’ top-rated players, Green and left tackle Jordan Seaton, who are both 93. Leavitt is next at 91, Pickett sits at 89, and Ross is now an 87.
EA Sports CFB 27 gives LSU the edge in the overall team ratings, 88 to Alabama’s 86. The Tide do have the highest-rated player in the matchup, though, in safety Bray Hubbard at 94. Cornerback Zabien Brown follows at 92, and Coleman-Williams is tied with EDGE Yhonzae Pierre at 91.
The simulation also lines up against LSU’s season-long track record in the game. The Tigers are 8-1 in EA Sports CFB 27 simulations, compared with their real-life 6-2 record.
In Other News...
TreyDez Greens Alabama Outlook Could Change LSUs Passing Attack
LSUs passing game has a familiar Week 10 wrinkle as TreyDez Green comes into the matchup with his production tied closely to both health and the opponent across from him. The tight end has been part of the Tigers aerial plan, but the combination of injury risk and a difficult defensive matchup has made his receiving outlook a cautious one in DFS circles, where the expectation is for him to stay below a modest yardage threshold.
For LSU, that kind of projection matters because Greens role can shape how the passing attack is distributed elsewhere, especially if the Tigers need to lean on other options to move the ball. It is the sort of situation that can quietly alter a game plan before kickoff, and it leaves the bigger question hanging over how much of LSUs offense will flow through the tight end if the matchup turns as expected. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Will Feel Major Alabama Game-Day Changes This Weekend
With Melania Trump set to attend Saturdays LSU-Alabama game, LSU is bracing for a much different scene around Tiger Stadium than fans are used to. The school said it will have increased traffic, additional security checks and new tailgating restrictions in place for the matchup, all part of the buildup to a high-profile visit that also includes an on-field honor during the game.
The appearance is tied to the launch of a $5 million endowment for the Fostering the Future scholarship fund, giving the weekend an added layer beyond the usual SEC stakes. LSU has also formed a Football Tailgating Steering Committee to guide future game-day planning and help oversee safety measures, a sign that this weekends changes could shape how the program handles big events going forward. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces A Season Defining Test With Everything Starting To Tighten
With LSU ranked No. 14 and Alabama coming to Baton Rouge as the No. 5 team in the country, Saturday has the feel of a checkpoint game for both playoff rsums. The Tigers have spent the week talking through the challenge in front of them, with quarterback Sam Leavitt and coach Lane Kiffin both addressing the matchup during media availability, and the stakes hardly need much embellishment at this point.
The timing only adds to the pressure, because this is the kind of November stage where rankings, perception and staying power all start to tighten. LSU also has another program drawing attention on campus, with womens basketball coming off recent performances and an upcoming game that will include a halftime honor for Angel Reese, but for the football team the focus is squarely on whether it can handle one of the biggest tests left on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]