There are more than five questions that Alabama must answer against LSU. There are questions for the Bengal Tigers as well, though they might be fewer in total than the Crimson Tide's. Oddsmakers are confident that Alabama will not have enough positive answers to upset LSU.
Alabama having to upset LSU in Baton Rouge hasn't been a thing since the 2006 season. In the 2000 through 2007 seasons, LSU beat the Crimson Tide seven of eight. From the 2008 season forward, the Crimson Tide has won 14 of the 18 games. Suddenly, because of Lane Kiffin, LSU fans are boldly confident the Bengal Tigers will roll all over the Tide.
Most answers to the questions below are not yes or no. They are presented more as probabilities. And of course, in addition to the questions, other factors such as turnovers and officiating can create unpredictable outcomes.
Alabama Questions and Answers
- Is the Alabama roster good enough to beat LSU? Yes! Is the Crimson Tide roster healthy enough to beat LSU? The answer is Maybe. Zabien Brown, Ryan Coleman-Williams, Racin Delgatty, EJ Crowell, and Terrance Green are trending toward being available. None can be expected to be 100%.
- Will Alabama's renewed determination to run the ball produce an effective rushing attack against LSU? The Crimson Tide will not suddenly become a powerful running team. Alabama may not need much more than 125 yards from the Tide's running backs. At 150-plus yards, the Alabama offense should click enough to win. So the answer is Maybe.
- Like Tennessee, LSU is a sack monster team. Can the Alabama offensive line (with TE and RB help) provide adequate protection for Keelon Russell? With Delgatty back and not badly hobbled, the answer is a Yes. But there are two catches to the yes answer. One is Keelon can't hold the ball too long. The other is the offense cannot shackle itself with false start and delay-of-game penalties. Ryan Grubb calling a good game might be another catch. So, the yes is tinged with the risk of repeated past weaknesses that could flip the answer to a Not Likely.
- Can Kane Wommack's Swarm defense prevent LSU from turning the game into a Shootout? Before the answer, let's consider two keys. Repeated offensive three-and-outs will overwhelm any defense. Secondly, Wommack's defense is a turnover-creating machine. In his two most recent games, LSU QB Sam Leavitt had seven TD passes and no interceptions. In LSU's first six games, Leavitt threw 10 TD passes and eight interceptions. So can Kane's defense slow LSU's offense enough? The answer is Probably. But it may take the Tide being +2 or +3 in turnover margin.
- After a win or a loss will Lane Kiffin handle himself like a mature adult? The answer is Not A Chance.
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