Bama Central

2025 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 9: LSU

The Tigers lost to Alabama in both years of the Jalen Milroe era. BamaCentral dives into this season's matchup.

Will Miller

Nov 9, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) calls for the ball against the LSU Tigers during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) calls for the ball against the LSU Tigers during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
In this story:

One of the tests Kalen DeBoer passed during his first year as Alabama's head coach was beating LSU last November. The Crimson Tide dominated a game that many approached the season with expectations that it might lose, instead winning 42-13 on the road.

This year's tilt between the two sides will look vastly different. The Crimson Tide has a new quarterback. The Tigers do not, and head coach Brian Kelly is fine with that particular positional carryover since Garrett Nussmeier is one of the best in the country.

There are indeed two different teams that will be facing off this November. LSU has won this rivalry game only twice since 2012 (its last win prior to that was 2011); on one of those two occasions, it had arguably the greatest team in college football history.

Jalen Milroe had his ups and downs as the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback, but defeating the Tigers never seemed to bother him. That task now falls to Ty Simpson, at least for now, since all indications are he remains in the lead among the battling prospective Alabama signal callers for 2025.

Offense

The Tiger offense goes through star quarterback Nussmeier, one of the top signal callers in the sport this year. A Heisman Trophy favorite, the son of former Alabama offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier was unable to get much done in last season's meeting. Having a player of that caliber behind center, along with receiving weapons like Aaron Anderson (an Alabama transfer) and newcomer Barion Brown (a former All-American at Kentucky), eases the sting of losing multiple offensive linemen from a talented group to the NFL Draft. Caden Durham (SEC All-Freshman Team) will anchor the backfield; he led the team in rushing in 2024.

Defense

LSU's defensive unit will have one thing going for it before its players even step on the field November 8: Jalen Milroe, who tormented the team for two years in a row, is now with the Seattle Seahawks. It will also get star linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. back; the two-time All-SEC player tore his ACL last September and did not play against Alabama. Other contributors include fellow linebacker Whit Weeks, who logged 125 tackles last fall. The defensive backfield was young in 2024. With added experience, plus the addition of blue-chip cornerback recruit DJ Pickett, that group could be dangerous.

Schedule

The Tigers face some of their toughest tests away from vaunted Baton Rouge, but they do get rivals Florida, Arkansas and Texas A&M at home. The road games with the heaviest impact on paper are Clemson (August 30) and Alabama. LSU will have had a bye prior to facing the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, but the same goes for DeBoer's squad. Both sides will be rested.

Outlook

LSU expects to be one of the teams competing for a playoff spot, but like any good team, challenges on the road make it a tough task. Unlike a number of Power Four teams, the Tigers scheduled a fairly rare true out-of-conference road game against another high major. That contest will shed early light (or, otherwise, dim it) on the team's prospects; the unforgiving SEC schedule that follows is ripe with opportunity for quality showings regardless of the week-one outcome. LSU has one of the best groups of transfer players in college football, supplementing an already good roster with high-quality talent.

The Game

Date: November 8, 2025

Time: TBD

TV: TBD (Night window, 5 p.m. CT to 7 p.m. CT)

Location: Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium

Series history: Alabama leads, 57-27-5

Last meeting: Alabama won 42-13 in Baton Rouge, greatly thinning what was initially a raucous crowd over the course of the game. For the second season in a row, Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe had a standout performance against the Tigers, rushing for four scores.

The Team

Coach: Brian Kelly, fourth season, 29-11 record at LSU

Offensive coordinator: Joe Sloan

Co-offensive coordinator: Cortez Hankton

Defensive coordinator: Blake Baker

2024 record: 9-4 (5-3 SEC)

2024 rankings: 25th in total offense, 61st in total defense

Returning Starters:

Nine (four on offense, three on defense, two on special teams)

Players to Watch:

QB Garrett Nussmeier, WR Aaron Anderson, LB Harold Perkins Jr., CB Ashton Stamps, CB DJ Pickett

Top Newcomer:

Brown was a 2023 All-American and twice an All-SEC honoree with Kentucky, making the All-SEC First Team last season. However, early enrollee Pickett appears set to shake up the cornerback room as a former five-star prospect and make his presence felt immediately on that side of the ball.

Biggest Question:

Can Garrett Nussmeier live up to the hype and be the best quarterback in college football?

The School

Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Founded: 1860

Enrollment: 39,672

Nickname: Tigers

Colors: Purple and gold

Mascot: Mike the Tiger

The Program

Last time beat Alabama: 2022

Last time won SEC: 2019

National championships: Four (1958, 2003, 2007, 2019)

Playoff Appearances: One (2019)

Conference championships: 16 (12 in the SEC, three in the SIAA, and one in the SoCon)

Bowl record: 30-24-1

Last season missed bowl: 2020

Heisman trophies: Three (Billy Cannon, Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels)

2025 NFL Draft

  • OT Will Campbell
  • TE Mason Taylor
  • OT Emery Jones
  • DE Sai'vion Jones
  • DE Bradyn Swinson
  • OG Miles Frazier
  • OG Garrett Dellinger

The Schedule

August 30: at Clemson
September 6: Louisiana Tech
September 13: Florida
September 20: Southeastern Louisiana
September 27: at Ole Miss
October 11: South Carolina
October 18: at Vanderbilt
October 25: Texas A&M
November 8: at Alabama
November 15: Arkansas
November 22: Western Kentucky
November 29: at Oklahoma

This is the ninth story in BamaCentral's summer preview series of all 12 regular season opponents for Alabama football in 2025. Ensuing stories will be published throughout June and early July.

See Also:

manual

Published
Will Miller
WILL MILLER

Will Miller is the primary baseball writer for BamaCentral/Alabama Crimson Tide On SI. He also covers football and basketball. Miller graduated from the University of Alabama in December 2024 with experience covering a wide array of sports.