BATON ROUGE – LSU and Alabama have played some memorable games in the last decade and Saturday’s matchup between the 14th-ranked Tigers and fourth-ranked Crimson Tide has all of the makings of what could be another classic contest between the two Southeastern Conference heavyweights.
Kickoff is set for 7:10 p.m. in what has long been a sold out Tiger Stadium. There will be 102,000-plus in Tiger Stadium with another 20,000 to 25,000 fans expected on campus for tailgating and other activities.
The game will be televised on CBS in primetime marking the fourth straight regular season meeting between the teams on the network and in primetime. Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Allie LaForce (sideline reporter) will call the action on CBS.
The game will also be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network with Jim Hawthorne, Doug Moreau and Gordy Rush on the call.
LSU, winners of three straight, is 7-2 overall and 3-2 in league play following a 10-7 win over then-No. 3 Ole Miss in its last outing two weeks ago. LSU remains mathematically alive in the SEC Western Division race but must win out in order to have a shot at advancing to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.
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Alabama, whose only loss was to Ole Miss, has climbed to No. 5 in the College Football Playoff standings and controls its fate in what is the rugged SEC Western Division. The Crimson Tide, who are coached by former LSU head coach Nick Saban, stands at 7-1 overall and 4-1 in league play.
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GameDay Info #14 LSU (7-2, 3-2 SEC) vs. #4 Alabama (7-1, 4-1 SEC) Saturday, Nov. 8 GameDay Forecast Times of Interest 8:30 a.m. 5:10 p.m. In-Game Recognitions: Pregame 1st Quarter: 2nd Quarter: Halftime: SEC Network Replay |
LSU has won nine of the last 15 games with the Crimson Tide dating back to 2000 when the Tiger program turned the corner to what has been the best stretch of football in school history. Les Miles, who is 5-5 against the Crimson Tide, is the only coach in school history to beat the Crimson Tide five times.
Last year, Alabama broke open a tight game at halftime to win 38-17 in Tuscaloosa. Two years ago in Tiger Stadium, the Crimson Tide put together a late drive to post a 21-17 win over the Tigers.
Saturday’s game will pit an Alabama defense that is ranked first in the SEC against the run, allowing just 78 yards a contest, against an LSU offense that has thrived on its running game in recent weeks. LSU has rushed for 567 yards in wins over Kentucky and Ole Miss. The Tigers are among the leaders in the SEC in rushing with 225.7 yards per game.
Alabama is allowing just 14.0 points and 277.2 total yards per game. The Crimson Tide has given up just two rushing touchdown this year.
“It’s going to be a great challenge,” Miles said of facing the Alabama defense. “Our offensive line, tight ends, fullbacks, they are going to have come with their lunch pail ready to go work. This is as good a defense as we’ll face all year. Their front seven are really good and they have a tremendous secondary.”
The Tigers will look to its stable of running backs – led by true freshman Leonard Fournette – along with what’s been in recent weeks a dominant offense line, to set the pace on offense. On its game-winning drive against Ole Miss, LSU ran the ball on 12 consecutive plays before Anthony Jennings hit tight end Logan Stokes on a 3-yard TD pass for the victory.
Fournette leads the Tigers with 657 yards and seven touchdowns. Seniors Terrence Magee (418 yards, 3 TDs) and Kenny Hilliard (416 yards, 6 TDs) join Fournette to give LSU one of the best backfields in the SEC.
Jennings, a sophomore, will make his 10th career start for the Tigers as he’s posted an 8-1 mark as a starting quarterback during his brief LSU career. Jennings, who has led LSU to four fourth quarter comebacks during his career, has connected on 72-of-144 passes for 1,190 yards and eight TDs this year.
His top target is that of sophomore Travin Dural, who has caught 27 passes for 676 yards and seven touchdowns. True freshman Trey Quinn (16 rec., 190 yards) and Malachi Dupre (11 rec., 257 yards, 4 TDs) are both reliable targets in the passing game for LSU.
LSU’s defense has shown steady improvement over the past three weeks as the Tigers have given up just three touchdowns and three field goals on opponents’ last 37 possessions dating back to the Florida game. As a unit, LSU is allowing 15.9 points and 318.1 total yards per game. LSU leads the SEC and ranks among the national leaders in passing yards allowed at 158.4 a contest.
The Tiger defense will try to shut down an Alabama offense that’s scoring 36.5 points and averaging 508.9 total yards per game. Senior quarterback Blake Sims has thrown for 2,034 yards and 15 touchdowns with just three interceptions. His top target is that of Amari Cooper, who is considered the top receiver in the country with 71 receptions for 1,132 yards and nine TDs.
T.J. Yeldon (618 yards, 5 TDs) and Derrick Henry (530 yards, 4 TDs) lead the Alabama rushing attack.
“I like how we are progressing on defense,” Miles said. “Our defense is a strong group that seems to have gotten better each week. The key for us is to play like LSU. We have great respect for the Alabama offense. We’ll be challenged.”
One advantage for LSU on Saturday night is Tiger Stadium, a place where the Tigers have posted a 46-4 record in night games under Miles. LSU has also won at least one game against a Top 10 opponent in Tiger Stadium in each of the past five years.