The LSU offense and defense both have a few pieces that could make life difficult for Alabama on Nov. 7, and the Tigers will need all of them in the 91st edition of the rivalry game.
Junior linebacker Davhon Keys has already become a central part of LSU’s run defense while Whit Weeks is out. Over LSU’s last three games, Keys has piled up 28 total tackles, with 14 of them coming solo.
That production matters because LSU’s run defense ranks sixth in the country, and Alabama hasn’t exactly been steamrolling people on the ground. The Crimson Tide managed only 122 rushing yards combined against Tennessee and Texas A&M.
Keys will also be asked to help slow down a Tide offense led by the highly mobile quarterback Keelon Russell.
Trey'Dez Green is another name LSU needs to have ready for a big stage. After missing four straight games with a knee injury, the tight end returned against Auburn and posted 50 yards on five catches, plus a touchdown.
In four games this season, Green has 19 receptions for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns. Even with the missed time, he still ranks fourth on LSU in total yards and second in yards per reception.
Against Alabama, his size and ability to create yards after contact could put pressure on the Tide’s pass defense.
Then there’s Sam Leavitt, whose outing against Auburn gave LSU a much-needed spark. He helped produce 432 yards of offense and delivered a career-high 388 passing yards on 32 completions.
That performance stood out because Leavitt had struggled with accuracy through his first six games, and at one point he led the FBS with 8 interceptions. He hasn’t thrown one since LSU’s game at Kentucky, and now he’ll try to keep that momentum rolling against Alabama.
Leavitt and Russell are both being talked about as Heisman candidates, and LSU will need Leavitt’s patience in the pocket, especially against a defense that has trouble with passes over the middle.
LSU and Alabama enter the matchup banged up, with injuries affecting key players on both sides of the ball. With the SEC Championship and playoffs on the line, these three Tigers could go a long way toward deciding whether LSU can finally beat Alabama for the first time in three years.
In Other News...
LSU Awaits Huge Recruiting Test As Tension Builds Around Will Wade
The next major recruiting swing for LSU basketball arrives Thursday, when five-star 2027 guard Reese Alston is expected to make his college decision. The Tigers are in the mix alongside Kentucky, Louisville, Tennessee and Wichita State, giving LSU a real chance to land one of the most coveted young guards in the country and add another high-end name to its future backcourt plans.
Reese Alstons recruitment, though, has carried an extra layer of intrigue because of the public comments from his father, former NBA guard Rafer Alston, about LSU coach Will Wade. With those tensions hanging over the process, the Tigers are waiting to see whether the appeal of the program outweighs the noise around it, and Thursday should provide a clear answer on just how strong LSUs position really is. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Heads Into Alabama Week With One Big Edge And One Concern
The bye week gives LSU a little breathing room before Alabama comes to Baton Rouge on November 7, and the early read from the oddsmakers says the Tigers have earned some respect. Vegas has LSU favored by 3.5 points with a total of 52.5, which reflects how competitive this matchup is expected to be and how much this game could hinge on which version of LSU shows up after a week off.
Health, though, remains the lingering question. LSU has spent much of the season managing injuries, and while some players are making their way back, others are still uncertain for the Alabama game. For a team heading into one of the most important weeks on the schedule, that mix of improvement and uncertainty may end up mattering as much as the line on the board. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Playoff Hope Now Comes Down To A Brutal SEC Debate
The playoff math around LSU is already getting weird in the kind of way that tends to happen when the SEC starts beating itself up. FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt floated a scenario in which the Tigers could still reach the 2026 College Football Playoff even with three losses, comparing the seasons volatility to 2007 and pointing to a path where November changes everything. In his view, LSU would handle Alabama and Tennessee, while Kentucky would stumble twice, leaving the Tigers positioned to slide into the No. 11 seed.
What makes the discussion even trickier is how much the selection process may end up rewarding timing as much as record. If LSUs losses come early and its best head-to-head results land late, the Tigers could be judged very differently than another team with the same number in the loss column. It is the sort of SEC debate that can feel absurd in September and absolutely central by the time the bracket is drawn. [Read more 🡒]