The LSU football program has yearned to be the equal of the Alabama Crimson Tide throughout most of its history. In only one, albeit long, interval have the Bengal Tigers come close. That interval was Alabama's wandering in the wilderness years, after Bear Bryant and before Nick Saban. Even then, from Ray Perkins' first season in 1983 to Mike Shula's last in 2006, Alabama held an upper hand with a record against LSU of 12-11-4. The Alabama record for that period would have been far worse had Gene Stallings not gone 6-1 against LSU.
The two programs did not regularly compete against each other for 60-plus seasons. From the first game in 1895 to 1957, the teams played a total of 26 games. In those pre-Bryant, Alabama years, the Crimson Tide record against LSU was 15-7-4.
Bryant's Crimson Tide teams were 16-4 against LSU. Bryant and LSU head coach Charlie McClendon were friends. McClendon was an assistant coach for Bryant at Kentucky. 'Cholly Mac' was well-liked by LSU fans, and in his 18 LSU seasons, he was twice named SEC Coach of the Year. But his inability to compete against Bryant doomed his coaching career.
Nick Saban was 13-5 against LSU during the period when the two programs became heated rivals. The thing is, without Saban's five seasons as the LSU head coach, it is unlikely that the Bengal Tigers would have reached a competitive level with the Alabama Crimson Tide. LSU won national championships in 1905, 1958, 2007, and 2019. Les Miles was the head coach in 2007, and he benefited from a program built by Nick Saban. Miles and LSU held onto Saban's coattails for several more seasons. LSU still benefits from that strong run today, but it is borderline delusional to think that, without Nick Saban, either Miles, Ed Orgeron, or Brian Kelly could have built the Bengal Tigers to an elite program.
Nick Saban gave LSU a shot to become what Alabama was under Bryant and Saban. LSU football fans have not fully recovered from Saban leaving Baton Rouge and arriving in Tuscaloosa two seasons later. The Alabama vs. LSU rivalry is all about Nick Saban. Now, futilely, LSU fans dream of a Nick Saban return to LSU.
Note: Team records provided by Sports Reference and mcubed.net