Alabama football will travel to Baton Rouge to take on the LSU Tigers in an SEC West rivalry tilt. LSU has put together back-to-back impressive wins, and its offense in particular has started to look potent. This offense posted 45 points and racked up over 500 yards of total offense in each of its last two games. The Alabama defense looks to further distance itself from the Tennessee game, and continue the precedent it set against Mississippi State.
For the season, LSU has scored 35.1 points per game (28th nationally). It hasn’t been great at any one thing, but has shown the ability to be balanced, ranking in the top-50 in the country in both rushing and passing yards per game.
Alabama Football: Stopping Daniels is key
Quarterback Jayden Daniels is the catalyst for this offense. While he hasn’t quite been an explosive passer, he has been steady and protected the football. Daniels distributes the ball to a diverse group of talented receivers, and has only thrown one interception all season.
He has also proven to be the Tigers’ most effective runner. His 113 carries (including sacks) are nearly twice as many as anybody else on the roster. Daniels converts those opportunities at a 4.6 yards per carry clip, leading LSU with 524 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. For reference, those numbers lead all SEC quarterbacks and are surprisingly comparable to the statistics of Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
It will be essential that the front seven and safeties for Alabama football are disciplined in this game, containing Daniels and finishing tackles once they have him corralled. Running backs Josh Williams (305 yards, four touchdowns) and Armoni Goodwin (254 yards, five touchdowns) complement Jayden Daniels and add volume to the LSU running game.
Alabama Football: Secondary vs LSU receivers
When Daniels decides to go to the air, he has plenty of targets to choose from. Kayshon Boutte got a second team preseason All-American nod, but really struggled to start the year. He has picked up the pace as of late, catching his first touchdown pass three weeks ago against Tennessee, and going over 100 yards for the first time the following week at Florida.
Alabama football fans should fully expect Boutte to be at the top of his game, as opposing players typically are against the Tide. It will be interesting to see if Boutte matches up against former teammate and Alabama cornerback Eli Ricks. Both joined LSU as 5-star recruits in the 2020 class.
LSU’s best receiver statistically has been Malik Nabors. The speedy sophomore has 36 catches for 455 yards and a touchdown this year. The Tigers also have some long and rangy receivers to complement the speed of Boutte and Nabors.
Jaray Jenkins (6’4”) and Brian Thomas Jr. (6’5”) lead LSU with five and three touchdown catches, respectively. Jenkins and Thomas could create mismatches against the Alabama defensive backs in jump-ball situations. This matchup on the edge should be one of the game’s best. While the LSU receivers boast a size advantage, Alabama’s cornerback room is incredibly long and athletic. Both position groups are loaded with 5-star talent, and should battle fiercely all night on the Bayou.
On paper, the defense for Alabama football is still one of the best in the country. However, it has shown vulnerabilities and lost a lot of respect nationally. Shutting down this LSU offense would be no small task. Let’s see if Will Anderson Jr. and company can make a statement.