Alabama vs. LSU Fearless Prediction, Game Preview

By Pete Fiutak | October 31, 2018 2:01 am CT

Alabama vs. LSU fearless prediction and game preview.

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, November 3
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
Network: CBS

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Alabama (8-0) vs. LSU (7-1) Game Preview

One Reason Why Alabama Will Win

The first eight games was about the offense and the explosion. Now it’s about the D.

LSU just isn’t good enough on third downs, and it doesn’t have the passing game to kick in when needed. The two go together, and that should be more than enough for the Tide to pull this off.

The Tiger lines are amazing, and the defense is the best Bama has faced by ten miles. But QB Joe Burrow throws for yards, but not touchdowns.

He hit Ole Miss with three scoring passes, and he connected on a touchdown throw against Auburn. That’s it for the Burrow touchdown passes this year against FBS teams.

A 54% passer, he didn’t throw a touchdown pass in all of October, but that’s not the real issue and concern. Can he and the Tiger offense move the chains?

The O converted just 3-of-16 tries against Miami to star the seasons and was 4-of-17 in the loss to Florida.

Welcome to an Alabama defense that’s allowing teams to convert just 29.8% of their third down tries.

Yes, the Tide secondary will give up yards – mostly in blowout mode, but it’ll give up plays. It’ll also pick off passes, coming up with 12 on the year with two in five of the games so far.

One Reason Why LSU Will Win

And now Tua Tagovailoa gets to roll against a secondary.

Granted, he faces a pretty good one every day in practice, but the defensive talent – even with star LB Devin White suspended for a the first half for a targeting call – is man-for-man right there with Bama, especially among the defensive backs.

There’s just no throwing on this group.

Jake Fromm is having a brilliant season as one of the nation’s steadiest and most accurate passers. He had no where to go in the 20-point loss in Death Valley, completing just 47% of his passes.

Louisiana Tech was the one team that had a little success through the air, but that was an unfocused aberration. Jordan Ta’amu of Ole Miss, Florida’s Feleipe Franks, Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham – they all sputtered and struggled.

Tagovailoa might be as cool, calm, and as unshakeable as they come, but outside of a banged up knee, he hasn’t faced a lick of adversity so far.

Now he gets to go against the team that leads the SEC with 14 picks.

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What’s Going To Happen

Oh yeah, the Alabama running game.

The best part about the way this season has gone for the Tide is how the key parts are fully rested, and the depth continues to be developed, and the team that’s used to throwing waves of talent at opponents are able to do that better than ever.

Throw Jalen Hurts into the mix, and Bama has five runners who can keep the offense moving and make LSU have to cheat up just enough to give Tagovailoa that one look he needs, and then … boom.

But this week, it’ll be a more methodical performance than an explosive one. The defense that’s taken its foot off the gas at times will be ready to make a statement, and the O line will pound away for a Bama attack that will run for 250 yards in a tough, but controlling win.