LSU and Alabama are both heading into this matchup with their secondaries under strain, and the injury list on both sides has already forced some shuffling.
Alabama has been hit hard in the defensive backfield. Nick Sherman went down with a season-ending injury in the offseason, and cornerback Zabien Brown left the Tennessee game with a lower-body injury. Brown was listed as questionable against LSU.
“There’s a lot of different pieces and guys have had to move around, even in this last game,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said about the state of the defensive backs on the team. “Guys who had to step in, the what ifs on the sideline that were happening with who we had on the footaball field last week against Texas A&M…it was getting interesting,”
LSU has dealt with its own losses. Safety Dashawn Spears tore his ACL against Ole Miss, and that injury triggered a major change in the defensive game plan. In the offseason, cornerback Aidan Anding also suffered a season-ending injury, further thinning the depth chart.
The result is a weekend test that could put both backfields under the microscope.
“We’re just working hard in practice covering, there’s gonna be a lot of coverage obviously,” Safety Ty Benefield stated when asked about what the backfield has been doing in preperation. “And just working on doing your job, doing you 1/11th, not trying to do too much, not trying to do too little, just doing your job,”
On paper, LSU appears to have the edge. The Tigers are giving up just 16 points per game and 172.8 passing yards per game.
Still, with both Keelon Russel and Sam Leavitt showing they can stretch the field, this one may come down to which secondary holds up best when the pressure rises.
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 🡒]