The Rivalry: An Early Look Into LSU vs. Alabama

No. 13 LSU heads to Tuscaloosa this weekend in a Week 10 clash against No. 8 Alabama for one of the most anticipated matchups of the year.

The Bayou Bengals and Crimson Tide have an opportunity to put themselves in position to claim the SEC West with a victory on Saturday night; making the showdown in Bryant-Denny Stadium that much more intriguing.

A Look Ahead

There aren’t many rivalry games that match the criteria of LSU and Alabama. It’s textbook. Both programs have battled for decades with each looking to make a statement on Saturday.

But it won’t be easy. For the Tigers, they’ll face a dynamic quarterback in Jalen Milroe while going up against the best defense this program has seen all season.

Brian Kelly chimed in on what lies ahead:

“We start with the obvious, just a well coached football team in all three phases,” Kelly said. ”I think the quarterback in [Jalen] Milroe is really much more comfortable within the offensive structure. He’s to the point where he’s going to take shots down the field. He has an offensive menu that’s in front of him he feels comfortable with. Coach Reese has done a great job laying out the things they’re going to do and executing them. Defensively, this is the best defense we’ll see this year. Talent-wise, A&M rivals them, but the structure of what coach Steele does is outstanding. We know what’s in front of us, this is an outstanding football team. Coach Saban has his team playing very well and it will be a great football game in Tuscaloosa.”

The Crimson Tide have struggled to get in a groove on the ground during SEC play. The offensive line has been subpar, putting significant pressure on Milroe to get it done through the air.

Through five SEC games, Milroe has completed 66.7% of his passes for 233.8 yards a night and eight touchdowns with only three interceptions.

The LSU defensive line must come alive on Saturday night in order to pressure Milroe and limit his chances through the air.

#LSU vs. Alabama will be the main attraction in Week 10 with ESPN's College GameDay also heading to Tuscaloosa.

More on the showdown and national attention its receiving as "Alabama Week" inches closer:https://t.co/j05BFJHm7g
— LSU Tigers on Sports Illustrated (@LSUTigersSI) October 29, 2023

Back-To-Back?

Kelly and Co. have the chance to do something this program rarely has as of late: win back-to-back games against the Crimson Tide. Last season in Kelly’s debut against Alabama as the coach of the Tigers, he did the unthinkable in defeating the Tide.

Now, there is a sense of familiarity ahead. He’s faced this program before when the stakes were just as high. The matchup mimics that of last season in Death Valley with both programs looking to elevate their chances of winning the SEC West.

Jayden Daniels and his LSU squad have the chance to march into Tuscaloosa and look to claim back-to-back matchups against the Crimson Tide, but it’ll be a battle once again against two storied programs.