LSU spent Saturday night in the same old place: staring up at Alabama, watching the game slip away, and dealing with the kind of loss Tiger Stadium has seen far too often in this series.
The final score was 31-13 Crimson Tide, and by the time the last few minutes were ticking off the clock, the stands were thinning fast. In a strange bit of timing, someone in the LSU press box or stadium operation cued up The Killers’ “Mr.
Brightside” over the PA system, a song that ended up fitting the mood all too well. Brandon Flowers’ words landed like a punch line for a crowd that had already taken enough:
“… I just can’t look
“It’s killing me
“And taking control …”
Alabama fans had their own soundtrack, and they made sure LSU heard it. The Crimson Tide were celebrating another win in Death Valley, their seventh in the last eight trips to Baton Rouge. Under the current SEC scheduling setup, this was the final annual meeting in the series that has run since 1964, which means Alabama won’t be back in Tiger Stadium until 2030.
For LSU, that’s probably a relief.
The day began with a bright sky and a full stadium, but it ended the way too many of these games have ended for the Tigers: with Alabama in control and LSU left to sort through another painful defeat. Nick Saban is no longer on the sideline, but that hasn’t changed the result.
Kalen DeBoer is now the problem for LSU, and he improved to 3-0 against the Tigers. Lane Kiffin, meanwhile, is still looking for answers of his own.
LSU’s first-year coach is now 0-6 combined against Alabama during his time at LSU and Ole Miss.
Kiffin didn’t lean into the idea that the SEC had put the game in the daytime to soften LSU’s edge.
“It is where we are,” Kiffin said after the Tigers dropped to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in the SEC. “We have to go back to work. We can’t sit around and feel bad.”
The numbers made the loss look even stranger. LSU outgained Alabama 457-285, and Sam Leavitt threw for 380 yards while Keelon Russell finished with 206. But the Tigers couldn’t turn that yardage into enough points, especially once they got near the goal line.
Eight LSU drives reached Alabama territory, and four got all the way to the red zone. The Tigers still came away with only 13 points.
They missed all four fourth-down tries, missed a field goal and threw an interception. That kind of waste usually comes back to bite you, and it did here.
LSU did briefly wrestle control of the game. Late in the third quarter, the Tigers finally moved ahead 13-10 on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Dilin Jones with 2:44 left in the period. At that point, Tiger Stadium had life again, and LSU had a chance to make Alabama chase the game.
Instead, the Tide answered immediately. On the first play of the next series, Russell hit Rico Scott on a sideline route, and Scott turned it into a 57-yard catch-and-run to the LSU 18. Four plays later, Russell found Josh Ford alone in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 36 seconds left in the quarter, putting Alabama back on top for good.
LSU entered the fourth quarter down only 17-13, but the finish was brutal. The Tigers went turnover on downs, punt, turnover on downs and turnover on downs the rest of the way, and they also muffed a punt. Alabama closed with punt, touchdown, touchdown, punt and victory formation.
The Tigers lost the turnover battle 2-0 and the sack battle 4-2, and they were left with another familiar result against the opponent that has caused them so much misery. Texas comes to Tiger Stadium next week, and LSU still has a path to the College Football Playoff if it can win out against the Longhorns, Tennessee and Arkansas. But on this night, all of that was buried under another Alabama win in Baton Rouge.
In Other News...
LSU Suddenly Has Another Big Alabama Availability Concern
LSU is still dealing with a thin margin for error heading into its matchup with Alabama, and the latest availability report did not do the Tigers many favors. Linebacker Whit Weeks remains doubtful for the game, while tight end TreyDez Green is listed as questionable because of a knee injury, adding more uncertainty to a roster already missing several players on season-ending injuries.
Alabama, meanwhile, got a cleaner update on its side of the ledger, with receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams and center Racin Delgatty both moved from questionable to probable. For LSU, the concern is less about one injury and more about how many moving parts remain in flux this late in the week, especially against a rival that is trending in a more stable direction. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Get A Huge Boost For Alabama At The Perfect Time
The timing could hardly be better for LSU. Tiger Stadium is set to host Alabama in a Week 10 SEC matchup after a bye week for both teams, and the Tigers appear to be getting a key piece back in tight end Trey'Dez Green after his injury absence. For an LSU offense that can use every available weapon in a game of this size, his return adds another layer to a matchup that already carries plenty of weight.
LSU's defense will also have a chance to lean into one of its biggest strengths against an Alabama quarterback who has taken plenty of punishment this season. Keelon Russell has been sacked 22 times, and the Tigers have built a reputation around getting after the passer. With both teams still chasing playoff positioning, this one in Baton Rouge has the feel of more than just another SEC showdown. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Have Several Week 10 Games Worth Watching Closely
Week 10 brings a slate that should keep LSU fans glued to the scoreboard even before the Tigers take the field, with several matchups carrying real weight for the playoff race and the national rankings. Utah-BYU, Texas-Missouri, Ohio State-Oregon, Georgia-Ole Miss and Miami-Notre Dame all have something at stake, whether it is a chance to improve a resume, protect a spot near the top of the poll or survive a tricky conference test that could reshape the postseason picture.
For LSU supporters, the appeal is not just the quality of the games but the ripple effect they could have on the road ahead. Injuries to key players and the way each team handles those absences could matter as much as the matchup itself, especially with so many contenders clustered together and every result carrying extra weight. By Saturday night, the Tigers may have a clearer sense of which teams are separating themselves and which ones are about to make the playoff conversation even messier. [Read more 🡒]