LSU football and Alabama meet in a critical SEC game this week. LSU, ranked No. 14 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, needs a signature win to headline its resume. If No. 5 Alabama wins, the Crimson Tide have a clear path to the postseason.
There's never a lack of narrative when these two programs meet. Yes, Alabama has dominated the series, and there have been some blowouts, but there's been plenty of drama, too.
This game always features NFL talent on both sidelines and, more often than not, has significant postseason stakes. Both of those are true again this week.
Here are 5 storylines to watch when LSU football meets Alabama.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin looks for first win vs. Alabama
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin is 0-5 vs. the Crimson Tide. One of those losses came in 2009, when Kiffin coached
at Tennessee. The other four losses came during Kiffin's time at Ole Miss. The Alabama game probably means a little something extra to Kiffin. Kiffin spent multiple seasons on the Alabama staff under Nick Saban, and Saban's influence on Kiffin is no secret.
Saban retired ahead of the 2024 season, so Kiffin won't get the chance to beat his former boss, but earning a victory over the Crimson Tide would be significant.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is strong after bye weeks
Few coaches are as good as Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer after a bye week. LSU fans know this all too well. In 2024, DeBoer rolled into Baton Rouge after the bye week, and the Crimson Tide dominated the Tigers on Saturday night. Last year, again after the bye, Alabama controlled the game vs. LSU.
DeBoer has coached 22 games coming off a bye week, and in that sample, he's 18-4. Since 2021, he's 8-0 after a bye. Kiffin hasn't enjoyed the same post-bye-week success. We'll see if DeBoer and Co. have anything special drawn up on Saturday.
LSU has the chance to make a statement
LSU is 6-2. The power ratings love the Tigers, and the oddsmakers give LSU the third-best odds to win the national championship. Yet, LSU's resume lacks a signature win, and the Tigers have lost to the two best teams they've faced. LSU needs a ranked win over a quality opponent. Kiffin and staff have a chance to accomplish that facing Alabama, the No. 5-ranked team in the country.
A win would put the sport on notice and say, "Yes, LSU is a real contender."
LSU has passed the eye test in its wins, taking care of opponents in dominant fashion, but there will be questions about LSU's ceiling until the Tigers take down a quality team. Alabama certainly qualifies as a quality opponent.
Both quarterbacks have something to prove
LSU QB Sam Leavitt and Alabama QB Keelon Russell are two of the best in the SEC, but both have struggled with consistency. Russell has lost a couple of big games this year, falling to Georgia and Tennessee. The same could be said for Leavitt, who was far from perfect in LSU's losses to Ole Miss and Kentucky.
Both have talent, have NFL scouts interested, and can carry their respective offenses. If Leavitt has a big day and LSU wins, he'll suddenly find himself in the Heisman Trophy conversation. Turnovers were an issue for Leavitt early in the year, but now that he's settled into the LSU offense, he's efficient and explosive, and few offenses can match LSU's firepower.
As for Russell, he's impressed in his first year as a starter, and if he keeps developing, he'll be a first-round draft pick in 2028.
Can LSU and Alabama overcome injuries?
Both teams are monitoring significant injuries entering this game. LSU linebacker Whit Weeks is doubtful and has been out since leaving LSU's win over Texas A&M in late September. LSU would love to have Weeks back given the dual-threat ability of Alabama QB Keelon Russell.
On Alabama's side, several impact players are questionable, including center Racin Delgatty and wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams. Alabama's run game hasn't been the same without Delgatty in the lineup.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football vs Alabama: 5 storylines to watch for massive SEC game
