Intriguing Game- NCAA Football (Week Ten)
(19) LSU Tigers at (1) Alabama Crimson Tide
LSU: From the looks of things, you would think they are having a bad year, but look at the numbers. They are 6-2 and in the beginning, things just seemed to be all over the place for the LSU Tigers. They suffered two ugly losses against Troy and then were demolished at the hands of Nick Fitzgerald and Mississippi State. Since then, they have turned things around and are 3-0 in this stretch of games. They’ve been victorious on the road against Florida and Ole Miss and they also upset the Auburn Tigers at home just a few weeks ago. They have also been receiving some good quarterback play from Danny Etling this year who has thrown only one interception and he was the question mark coming into the year. So far, he’s looked good. He’s a guy that can make all the passes necessary for a quarterback to make whether it’s a screen pass, he can sell the play-action and he’ll place the football only to where his receiver can get it. From a defensive standpoint, this is one of the better units in college football with an all-around pass rush up front headlined by Arden Key who will be a top ten pick in the NFL Draft next April. It’s rivalry night for the LSU Tigers as they travel to Tuscaloosa.
Alabama: When the rankings came out on Tuesday night for the College Football Playoff, of course they were there and as of now, they are on the two line and I couldn’t agree any more with their placement at the moment because they don’t have any quality wins if you look at it and that’s exactly why the Georgia Bulldogs were ranked ahead of them at the top spot. The committee will look at those things and factor those into very serious consideration. This will continue to go back and forth all the way until the end of the season and if the Tide were to play Georgia in the SEC Title Game, that could determine who gets the top seed in the playoff bracket. But the way how Nick Saban has been with his teams over the years, he’ll have them focused on the task ahead and he probably won’t even mention the playoffs. They are in a really good position right now to just run the table and get to Atlanta, not just for the conference title game, but the national championship as well. The defense lost some pieces from last year, but they are still ranked first in the country and they are phenomenal when it comes to stopping the run. Hurts has played well this year and when most teams have two guys that can run the football, they have three, incredible. They’re off the bye week and will welcome the Tigers of LSU to town.
LSU Player To Watch: Danny Etling– We all know what will happen on Saturday night, the Tide will load up the box and do everything they possibly can to shut down Derrius Guice and they’ve had two weeks to prepare for him. It’s important for Etling to get off to a fast start in this one, or it’s going to be a very long day for him.
Alabama Player To Watch: Anthony Averett– The Tigers have a very productive and consistent passing attack down the field and the way you beat Bama is through the air. Anthony will have to hold his ground in this one.
Final Analysis: These games are always entertaining when these two meet up and I think each team is always ranked in the top 20 when they meet, so why would this one be any different? I see LSU getting their yards here and there, but Bama will clamp it all down and limit them. LSU needs to move Etling out the pocket and keep him protected and defensively, keep Hurts contained. For Bama, do as you always do and that’s establishing your backs and set the physicality tone in your favor.
Prediction: Alabama 27 LSU 10
