3 bold predictions for Alabama vs. LSU sure to help the Crimson Tide win

In just two days, Alabama football returns to the field to face a hungry and motivated LSU team at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It's been a tumultuous two weeks for the Tigers since they dismissed Brian Kelly following a blowout home loss to Texas A&M.

LSU came into the season with National Championship aspirations. The Tigers come to Tuscaloosa on Saturday sitting at just 5-3, with no realistic path to make the College Football Playoff. But they would love to play spoiler, and putting Alabama in a precarious position in early November would be just what the doctor ordered for the Baton Rouge faithful.

Alabama has had the right mentality all season since the embarrassing road loss to Florida State to open the season. They've treated every opponent like the Super Bowl, and that should continue this weekend against LSU despite the Tide's No. 4 ranking in the first College Football Playoff rankings.

Let's make some bold predictions that would go a long way toward helping Alabama get the win on Saturday night.

3 bold predictions for Alabama vs. LSU

Lotzeir Brooks scores his first career touchdown

It's gotta happen sooner or later, right? The stud freshman WR has been a revelation for the Crimson Tide this season, fighting his way through a crowded depth chart to become an instant impact player.

Brooks missed the last game against South Carolina, but he'll return this weekend against LSU. With Ryan Williams potentially limited by a nagging injury, an even bigger role could be ahead for the talented freshman.

With Germie Bernard and Williams likely to draw the bulk of the attention from a talented LSU secondary, Brooks could be an X-Factor for Kalen DeBoer's team.

Once more, we'll predict that Brooks reaches the endzone and finally celebrates his first career touchdown.

Alabama racks up 150+ rushing yards

This is probably stupid. Alabama has yet to tally 150 rushing yards against a Power Four opponent this season. Its highest margin - not counting UL Monroe - came against Vanderbilt when the Crimson Tide ran for 146 yards, buoyed by Jam Miller's 136 yards on the ground.

After a solid performance against Missouri the following week, Alabama's ground game has once again been stuck in the mud.

But Ryan Grubb spoke this week of the running game being a major point of emphasis over the bye week. It has to be. It's the only thing holding Alabama's offense back from being truly elite.

LSU has been mediocre against the run this year, ranking 48th in the country in run defense success rate, per Game on Paper. They could also be without star LB Whit Weeks, who is questionable on the Tigers' injury report. I'll let Clint Lamb illustrate how important Weeks is to LSU's defense:

With or without Weeks, I'm banking on Alabama finding something during the bye week. Miller should be fully healthy now, and redshirt freshman Daniel Hill is getting better every single week. This could also be the week that Alabama chooses to run Ty Simpson a little bit more, knowing how much LSU has struggled against dual-threat quarterbacks.

LT Overton records a multi-sack game

LSU has been weak at both tackle spots this season, and that's only been exacerbated by the injury to starting LT Tyree Adams, who is officially listed as out for this game.

Alabama's pass rush has been coming on in recent weeks, buoyed by the breakout of redshirt sophomore Yhonzae Pierre, who has done excellent work in place of the injured Qua Russaw.

While Pierre might draw more attention, senior LT Overton has quietly had a strong season. He's second on the team with three sacks, already exceeding the total he had a year ago. This feels like a game where he takes over and dominates up front.

Look for Overton to be a game-wrecker, notching his second multi-sack game of the season.