More than anything on Tuesday night, the first college football ranking of Alabama made for great TV. That is, of course, the purpose of the rankings show and it was performed so well the college football world will be complaining about the rankings until Saturday's kickoff.
Alabama ranked No. 5 and LSU ranked No. 14 takes no luster off the game. But sane LSU fans realize the pressure is now ramped up even more for the Bengal Tigers. Reaching three losses on Saturday, with Texas and Tennessee yet to play would make LSU a Playoff longshot.
Both rosters need to 'shut out' noise about the game. Alabama cannot afford to consider that the Selection Committee's early favor will make the game easier to win. The rankings might make it harder for the Tide to win. Before the rankings, Alabama was the team with the most to prove. That could have been a motivational advantage for the Crimson Tide. Post-rankings LSU has as much or more to prove than Alabama.
Alabama Game Plan
The Crimson Tide needs to focus on rehab for players returning from injury and learning the LSU game plan. Wednesday's injury report is loaded with starters who are questionable for Saturday. An essential part of that game plan must be making Sam Leavitt uncomfortable. His considerable skills make him a dangerous quarterback. But his career rep is that he does not excel at progressions. When you take away his first read, he can be quick to run. Working through progressions to second and third receiving options is not Leavitt's strength. His second and third read passes can become hurried and less accurate. Until the last two games, that has led to interceptions
Alabama will have to do more than minimize Leavitt's production. Alabama must give Keelon adequate protection and run effectively enough for offensive balance. In conference play, the LSU rush attack has been barely better than Alabama's. Alabama cannot afford to have that offensive component suddenly improve. In conference play LSU running back Dilin Jones and Leavitt have been LSU's top rushers. Alabama will probably need to spy Leavitt to minimize his rushing gains.
Another type of noise will be a challenge in Tiger Stadium. Alabama must handle the crowd noise in Baton Rouge better than it did in Knoxville.
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