It’s more than the round of the year. It’s more than No. 1 in the Associated Press survey (LSU) against No. 1 in the Coaches’ survey (Alabama).
The Heisman Trophy might be chosen Saturday evening in Tuscaloosa, when quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa duel, conceded the Alabama middle school’s lower leg sprain doesn’t keep him from taking the field.
Much more than that, this confrontation of undefeated SEC West powerhouses with coordinating 8-0 records could go far towards deciding the College Football Playoff (LSU is No. 2 in the CFP rankings, Alabama is No. 3). It will have reverberations around the nation, the victor everything except securing up a spot in the last four and affecting a few others. That is what amount is in question.
“I think we’re going to see an outstanding show on Saturday,” ESPN examiner Kirk Herbstreit said on a telephone call.
On the off chance that LSU wins, Alabama may make some hard memories arriving at the season finisher, considering its powerless list of qualifications and improbability of winning the SEC West. It would offer want to the Big 12, Pac-12 and possibly a second Big Ten team.
On the off chance that Alabama wins, the SEC begins to put forth a solid defense for two groups, in light of the fact that the Tigers as of now have triumphs over Florida, Texas and Auburn, and a street misfortune to undefeated Alabama would barely be something that could be held against them.
Under mentor Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide have possessed this competition, and the SEC so far as that is concerned, in the course of recent years, beating LSU eight straight times. They have won 39 of their last 40 SEC games — everything except three of the triumphs have dropped by seven points or less — and won a program-record 31 out of a line at home. Each SEC group yet Auburn and South Carolina has a losing dashes of in any event four games against Alabama.
“[The past] has nothing to do with it,” LSU mentor Ed Orgeron demanded. “Just like when we play Auburn, just like when we play Florida — what happened in the past has nothing to do with this. This is a new game, a new week, a new football team. New players on their side, new players on our side.”
He has a point. So much is distinctive as the two groups meet this time. This isn’t run of the mill Alabama. The run game and defense are passerby by the crazy models Saban’s groups have set, however the passing assault with Tagovailoa under focus is glittering. The Crimson Tide are averaging simply 4.46 yards per surge in five SEC challenges and permitting 20.4 focuses, not very noteworthy considering Alabama hasn’t confronted any of the gathering’s three other positioned groups. Obviously, the Tide are averaging 48.6 focuses per game, drove by Tagovailoa’s 27 touchdown passes and 74.7 consummation percentage.
This is anything but a run of the mill LSU group, either. The Tigers aren’t dependent on their run game, as in years past. They don’t need to score focuses on safeguard or unique groups to knock off a world class rival. They have the Heisman Trophy pioneer (in our eyes) in Burrow, weaponized by another spread flying assault organized by previous Saints partner mentor Joe Brady and dynamic dangers like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
LSU set up 42 and 511 yards of offense against Florida’s eleventh positioned scoring defense and 508 yards, but only 23 points, against Auburn’s thirteenth positioned unit.
“They haven’t seen an offense like ours yet,” Jefferson told correspondents. “We’re going to come for their heads. … We’re going to dominate.”
In fact, Alabama has not seen anything like LSU. The best offense it has confronted is Texas A&M’s 33rd-positioned gathering. LSU’s guard isn’t actually parsimonious, surrendering a normal of 24.7 focuses in four SEC challenges and was destroyed for 38 points and 530 yards by Texas. The Tigers’ pass guard is defenseless to the enormous play — they are positioned 60th in the nation against the pass — and the Crimson Tide have the most gifted assortment of wide beneficiaries in the country, three unique players with in any event six touchdown catches. A shootout may be in the cards.
Everything sets up for an intriguing standoff. Can LSU get over the Alabama bump? Will Tagovailoa’s lower leg be correct? Has Burrow solidly set himself up to win the Heisman?
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Rainier Watchdog journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
