Alabama football got some good news on Tuesday night when it was revealed that the Crimson Tide was in the projected playoff field as the No. 11 ranked team in the first CFB playoff committee rankings.
None of that matters unless Alabama can go to LSU on Saturday night and pull out a win in Baton Rouge over the Bengal Tigers. Regardless of the rankings, it's a playoff elimination game at Tiger Stadium.
This will be Alabama's fourth road game of the season. After beating Wisconsin in Madison, the Tide has lost its last two road games, going 0-2 in the state of Tennessee with losses to the Commodores and Volunteers.
If Alabama is going to pull out the win in Death Valley, here are a few keys to the Crimson Tide pulling out the victory and emerging from Baton Rouge with its playoff lives intact.
3 keys to victory for Alabama football
3. Alabama gets pressure on Garrett Nussmeier
For my money, Garrett Nussmeier is the best pure passer Alabama has faced this season. He is more than capable of lighting up the young Crimson Tide secondary if he's given time to do so.
Nussmeier is one of the least sacked quarterbacks in the country: LSU allows 0.6 sacks per game. If Alabama can't get to him and get him to the ground, then Nussmeier has the juice to hit some of those big plays that have seemed readily available for quarterbacks to hit against the Tide.
Texas A&M sacked Nussmeier twice two weeks ago, and the LSU signal caller looked rattled and ultimately threw three interceptions.
2. Alabama runs the ball for 150+ yards
If you discount the season opener against an overmatched Western Kentucky, Alabama had its most prolific rushing performance of the season two weeks ago against Missouri. The Tide racked up 271 yards on the ground en route to a 34-0 win over the Tigers.
Texas A&M put up 245 rushing yards against LSU two weeks ago. A lot of the talk was about the QB run game, and while Marcel Reed had 62 yards and three touchdowns, Aggies running backs Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels combined for 26 carries for 174 yards.
If Alabama could get that kind of production from Jam Miller and Justice Haynes, along with Jalen Milroe being willing to run the football as well, then the Crimson Tide should be in good shape to leave Tiger Stadium with a win.
1. Alabama does not turn the ball over
Sometimes football is simple. One of the core principles is taking care of the football. In Alabama's two losses, they turned it over a combined four times. Flip even one of those turnovers from each game, and Alabama is sitting here undefeated right now.
Against Vanderbilt, Milroe threw a pick-six on the Tide's first offensive possession of the game and Alabama found itself down 13-0 before it could even catch its breath.
Against Tennesee, Milroe threw an interception in the endzone in the first half. If that doesn't happen, Alabama is likely up multiple scores at halftime in Knoxville.
Turnovers are the great equalizer, and nothing gets a raucous home crowd more fired up than a takeaway. Alabama has to avoid giving the ball away or it'll be a long night on the Bayou.