The Auburn-Ole Miss game was expected to be the biggest game in the SEC last week and it didn’t disappoint — other than the horrendous injury to Ole Miss star receiver Laquon Treadwell. That disappointed every football fan who enjoys watching a great player in action.
This weekend the game that could equal the Ole Miss-Auburn game in excitement will be in Baton Rouge, where Alabama will visit Les Miles and company in Death Valley. Alabama catches LSU at a time when the Tigers are playing their best football of the season. Like the Crimson Tide, Miles’ team has won three consecutive games.
This has become one of the SEC’s most competitive rivalries because of the coaches involved. Alabama fans don’t care for Miles only because he wins a lot. LSU fans don’t like Nick Saban because he used to be their coach and won a national championship there, but he left the Bayou for the NFL.
But then Saban pulled the ultimate betrayal by returning to coach in college, and he didn’t have the decency to return to LSU. He returned as the head coach at Alabama, one of LSU’s rivals in the SEC West. And to make it worse, he returned Alabama to national prominence. To add insult to injury he also won national championships at Alabama, three of them.
That’s why LSU fans don’t like Saban. Actually they pretty much hate him. That would make a win on Saturday even sweeter for Tiger fans.
LSU is coming off a bye week following a great 10-7 win over an undefeated, third-ranked Ole Miss team. LSU will bring a stable of outstanding running backs into the game, as will Alabama.
“Leonard Fournette came in and just ran very physical and made big plays,” Miles said after the Ole Miss game. “Kenny Hilliard came in and ran through some tackles and was not going to be denied.”
Alabama will counter the LSU running backs with a stable of its own — T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry in particular — along with an offensive line that seemed to grow up prior to the Texas A&M game. But first-year starting left tackle Cam Robinson may not to play against LSU due to a high-ankle sprain suffered two weeks ago. He has been practicing with the team this week however.
Saban explained what he believes made a difference for the offensive line that was being pushed around.
“I don’t think there’s any question about it. We had a little gathering with the offensive line this week and said, ‘look guys, you guys are starting to feel pressure and you’re being criticized. You’re not being the sergeant-at-arms that we need you to be in terms of how you control the line of scrimmage and how you dominate the line of scrimmage. Really, our guys aren’t going to make plays unless you do that. I believe in you, and I trust in you.’
“Other than the center, we had the same offensive line that had great production early in the season. I believe we can do it again. Everyone just has to finish better and do a better job of preparing and getting to play. Not being confident and not believing you can do it is not acceptable, and not affecting other people on our offense because you guys are the guys that are going to make everyone go.”
Since the O-line was challenged, it played better in wins over Texas A&M and Tennessee. The Crimson Tide drilled the Aggies (59-0) and Vols (34-20) to move to 7-1 on the season.
“I give them credit they have some very, very good football players,” Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. “They are the reason they are a top five football team. So I have a tremendous amount of respect for them.”
Saturday’s game will match two of the SEC’s most successful teams over the past few years. For Alabama it is a must win if the Crimson Tide is going to remain in the hunt for the College Football Playoff. With two losses already, LSU is probably out of playoff consideration but that doesn’t mean the Tigers won’t have the motivation to play a hand in the playoff picture by handing a second loss to Alabama.