Breaking Down Alabama's Strengths, Weaknesses, & 1 Thing That Could Upset LSU

The relationship between LSU and Alabama is changing. In the 2010s, it was big brother Bama beating up on LSU, even with both teams typically at the top of the rankings.

In 2026, there's a lot of questions that need to be answered for either squad during the first few weeks of the season. LSU's floor is a little lower than Alabama's, but the Tigers' ceiling is higher.

Alabama made the College Football Playoff in 2025, but the team wasn't without its flaws. Alabama had a horrible rushing attack, and still made it to the quarterfinal round, where the team was blown out by the eventual national champion, Indiana.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has never won less than nine games as a division one head coach, if you excuse a 3-3 shortened season in 2020 at Fresno State, so the Tide are most likely going to be successful this year. This is how they stack up.

Alabama's strengths

Edric Hill tackles Harlem Berry in a 2025 game | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Throughout the Nick Saban era, Alabama teams were known for discipline, ruthlessness and an overmatching physicality. The athleticism of DeBoer's 2026 team is reflective of some of Saban's teams.

The Crimson Tide are having a quarterback battle between redshirt freshman Keelon Russell and redshirt junior Austin Mack, though it seems Russell will pull away. No matter who is on the field against LSU, Alabama will be putting a top-of-the-line athlete out there.

The fact that Alabama didn't go for a quarterback in the transfer portal only shows the internal confidence in Mack and Russell. The latter is a rising star in the SEC who has been featured on the cover of Men's Health for his athleticism and top-tier game sense and mentality as a quarterback.

But the athleticism is also seen in his wide receivers, Ryan Coleman-Williams, Cedarian Morgan and Lotzier Brooks. If this group can mesh well with its starting quarterback, it can be a top receiving group in the conference.

And for the defense, the defensive line is going to bring power from the inside and put pressure on LSU's center and guards. The edge room is a little more suspect, but will likely still keep LSU busy.

Alabama's weaknesses

Lotzier Brooks missed a catch against LSU in 2025 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The best thing LSU could do for itself is let Alabama fail in the rushing front as it did in 2025. Last year, Alabama had the second-worst rushing attack in the SEC, only 0.13 yards ahead of LSU.

That speaks volumes to how strong Alabama's other parts of the ball are, but also how much the rushing attack needs to be fixed to make a deeper run. The Crimson Tide will have five new starters on the offensive line.

While this game won't take place until Nov. 7, Alabama will probably still have some kinks in the offensive line, which can make it penetrable in both pass rush and run stoppage. LSU's defensive line doesn't jump off the paper as a whole, but edge Princewill Umanmielen does.

If he and the rest of the defensive group can play at 100%, they will make the trip to Death Valley miserable for Alabama's front five.

This could lead to an upset against LSU

Aaron Anderson gets flipped in the air by an Alabama defender in 2025 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alabama's defensive back unit is good enough to hold LSU to only one or two scores if the Tigers can't establish the run.

Returning defensive back starters Zabien Brown, Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb are going to keep LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt honest while throwing the ball.

He will have to keep his head on a swivel and have immense accuracy because the defensive back group can get all over the field and swarm the ball in a hurry.

Junior safety Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. has looked strong all spring, including having an interception during Alabama's A-Day spring game. Freshmen safeties Jorden Edmonds and Jireh Edwards are also going to get in the rotation and harass the pass game.

LSU's battered quarterback room only passed for 173 yards against Alabama in 2025, and while the Tigers' passing game should be significantly better, it's hard to imagine this unit lets up 300 pass yards.

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