LSU and Alabama meet for the final time on Saturday night as SEC West divisional foes, as the conference is getting rid of the divisional format starting in 2024 — due to conference expansion that will see the SEC add both Texas and Oklahoma.
For the foreseeable future, this will serve as the final time the annual rivalry game will be broadcast on CBS, as the network’s contract expires after this season with the conference. This Saturday’s game will be the 10th primetime meeting on CBS in the series since 2011.
LSU is 5-12 overall against the former head coach Nick Saban but interestingly enough, three of those five victories have come in Tuscaloosa. The Tigers won 41-34 in 2007, 9-6 in overtime in 2011, and 46-41 in 2019.
Kickoff is slated for 6:45 p.m. Saturday and you can listen to all the action live on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.
BEATING BAMA TWICE
With a win on Saturday, Jayden Daniels would join rare company in LSU football history as only the third quarterback to defeat Alabama twice in their careers. The other two? JaMarcus Russell and Tommy Hodson. Daniels led the Tigers to a dramatic 32-31 overtime win over the Crimson Tide last season which was LSU’s first victory over Alabama in Tiger Stadium since a 24-21 victory in 2010. Russell meanwhile started and defeated Alabama three times (2004, 2005, and 2006), while Hodson accomplished the feat twice (1986 and 1988). LSU is also looking to win back-to-back games over Alabama for the first time since 2010-11. LSU won 24-21 in Tiger Stadium in 2010 and then followed that up with a 9-6 overtime win in Tuscaloosa in 2011, the latter being dubbed “The Game of the Century.”
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Through eight games, LSU’s offense has 67 plays of 20 yards or more. The Tigers’ 67 plays of 20 or more yards leads the nation and are followed by USC (54), Ole Miss (52), UCF (50) and Washington (50). The driving force has been quarterback Jayden Daniels, who leads the nation in total offense (386.8), passing touchdowns (25), pass efficiency and yards per attempt (11.5). Former Comeaux-Southside High star wide receiver Malik Nabers meanwhile leads the nation in most 20-yard plays with 23. Alabama’s defense meanwhile has held its opponents to 20 points or less in seven games. The lone exception was a 34-24 loss to Texas.
ANOTHER TOP 15 MATCHUP
The highly touted matchup between Brian Kelly’s Tigers and Saban’s Crimson Tide is the second-straight season that both teams enter the game ranked in The Top 15. LSU enters the game ranked No. 13 in both The Associated Press Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll. Alabama meanwhile sits at No. 8 in both polls. The annual game also marks the 23rd meeting that at least one team is ranked in the Top 25 and it’s the 18th time since 2002 that both teams meet as Top 25 opponents.
SERIES RECORD: Alabama Leads 55-27-5
Last Five Meetings:
2022: LSU 32 – ALABAMA 31-OT
2021: ALABAMA 20 – LSU 14
2020: ALABAMA 55 – LSU 17
2019: LSU 46 – ALABAMA 41
2018: ALABAMA 29 – LSU 0
STAT LEADERS
LSU
Jayden Daniels: 163-of-223, 2,573 yards, 25 TD, 3 INT
Logan Diggs: 105 carries, 611 yards, 6 TD
Malik Nabers: 56 receptions, 981 yards, 9 TD
Greg Penn III: 52 tackles (19 solo), 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT
Damian Ramos: 11-of-13, Long of 48
Alabama
Jalen Milroe: 99-of-153, 1,617 yards, 13 TD, 5 INT
Jase McClellan: 122 carries, 569 yards, 4 TD
Jermaine Burton: 23 receptions, 508 yards, 5 TD
Dallas Turner: 34 tackles (17 solo), 11 TFL, 8 sacks
Will Reichard: 15-of-15, Long of 51