Five Reasons Alabama football takes down the Bengal Tigers

Alabama football and LSU have played six times since the Bengal Tigers took down the Tide 9-6, in T-Town, in 2011. Check out five reasons why that streak will grow to seven.

In contemplating the upcoming Tide-LSU game before the start of the 2017 college football season, there seemed to be little chance the Alabama football streak of six wins would end. We anticipated a meltdown for the Bengal Tigers due to the deficiencies of Ed Orgeron as a head coach.

During that August period, we jotted down this note. LSU went from a guy who lived in a parallel universe and was content there, to a guy who lives in a parallel universe and doesn’t know it. As LSU got destroyed by Mississippi State, struggled against Syracuse and lost to Troy, our low opinion of Coach O was reinforced.

We were sure the worst AD in the SEC, Joe Alleva made it all worse by sitting down with LSU’s coordinators, Dave Aranda and Matt Canada. Then the Bengal Tigers ran off a string of three victories against SEC foes. We are forced to admit, both LSU and Coach O deserve more credit than we gave them in the preseason.

We don’t see the Bengal Tigers taking down the Tide Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. We do see it as the toughest game for Alabama football to-date. The Crimson Tide needs a challenge so we are glad to have been wrong earlier.

Five Reasons Alabama football beats LSU

Reason No. 1 – Nick Saban

Dave Aranda and Matt Canada are very good assistants. So are Brian Daboll and Jeremy Pruitt. The Daboll brain trust of Locksley, Werner, Weinke, Burns and Key are better than the LSU offensive group. Pruitt, Dunbar, Ansley, Lupoi and Nick Saban are better than Aranda, Coach O and the rest of the LSU defensive assistants.  Alabama football CEO, Nick Saban, with an extra week to prepare will have the best game plan Saturday night.

Reason No. 2 – Talent and Depth

Gary Danielson made a good point earlier this week. The former NFL QB, who despite what some Alabama football fans believe, is an astute observer of college football cited the Tide’s depth. He said the two teams are comparable 1-22 on the rosters. Beyond that, the Alabama football roster is much stronger. LSU is not currently built to fight Alabama football for sixty minutes.

Reason No. 3 – LSU Offense on the road

Bryant-Denny may not be quite as formidable as Tiger Stadium. But it will be intense, loud and a factor. Matt Canada’s pre-snap machinations will be harder to execute when his players cannot hear. In addition, LSU will play with two freshmen on an offensive line in the Bryant-Denny pressure cooker. Against a strong Tide front seven, those youngsters cannot hold up every down for four quarters. One of the game’s keys will be which team can best protect its pocket and the Tide will have an edge.

Reason No. 4 – Derrius Guice will not carve up the Tide defense

Credit to Chris Lowe on this one. “In the last four Tide wins against LSU … the LSU running backs (now NFL backs) averaged 2.7 yards-per-carry. And there is young Mr. Guice’s mouth that claimed the Alabama defense was afraid of LSU last season.

Reason No. 5 – Danny Etling

The recipe for beating a Nick Saban defense is a mobile quarterback. Danny Etling does not have that skill set.

Next: Check out Les Miles' pick.

Looking for the best key of the game outcome? Follow Time of Possession (TOP) in the contest. LSU does not perform well in games when it loses the TOP battle.