Alabama at LSU: watch, picks, odds for what looks like a CFP elimination sport

It’s all the time an enormous deal when Alabama and LSU play one another, which is why School GameDay might be making yet one more journey to Baton Rouge for this sport. This yr’s encounter between the Crimson Tide, who’re slight highway favorites, and the Tigers isn’t any totally different from previous ones in that it’ll affect the postseason.

The discrepancy, nevertheless, is that No. 11 Alabama (6-2, 3-2 SEC) and No. 15 LSU (6-2, 3-1) have already got two losses on their resumes and are wanting up at loads of groups within the convention. So it’s fairly easy — win on Saturday night time to maintain your SEC Championship Recreation or School Soccer Playoff hopes alive.

Each the Tide and Tigers are coming off a bye, so they need to be comparatively wholesome and have had loads of time to arrange. There are additionally many statistical similarities on each side of the ball, so the drastic variations might be the important thing.

On offense, loads of consideration might be paid to quarterbacks Jalen Milroe and Garrett Nussmeier, however the operating video games are what bear watching. Whereas Alabama’s floor assault hasn’t been prolific towards SEC competitors (141.4 yards per sport, eighth within the convention), it nonetheless dwarfs LSU’s manufacturing.

The Tigers are averaging lower than 100 dashing yards per convention sport, together with a measly 24 yards on 23 carries of their 38-23 loss to Texas A&M two weeks in the past. And don’t overlook that Milroe ran wild (155 yards, 4 touchdowns) towards LSU final season.

Neither protection has been that stingy this season, though statistically talking, each models have carried out properly towards the go, recording extra interceptions than landing passes allowed in SEC contests. The distinction, as soon as once more, might be what occurs on the bottom.

The Tigers surrendered 242 dashing yards to the Aggies, the second time they’ve allowed that many in SEC play (South Carolina, 243 on Sept. 14). The Crimson Tide gave up 214 of their Oct. 19 highway loss to Tennessee.

Alabama has dominated this collection not too long ago, successful 11 of the previous 13 conferences, however LSU was victorious the final time this sport was performed in Demise Valley.