GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa vs. LSU’s secondary will be a key matchup, but so will the flip side — LSU QB Joe Burrow vs. Alabama’s secondary. The Tide has 12 interceptions and ranks 13th nationally with a passing efficiency defense rating of 105.73.
“It all starts with protection,” said LSU coach Ed Orgeron. “They’re very creative in their pass rush. We have to get the ball out of Joe’s hands quick, but we have to be able to run the football.”
Burrow has completed 120 of 223 passes (53.8 percent) for 1,544 yards, with six touchdowns and three interceptions. Those aren’t big numbers, but that doesn’t mean the Tigers aren’t dangerous.
“They take a lot of shots,” Saban said. “They throw the ball downfield a lot. They’ve been pretty good at making explosive plays. So the corners will be tested in this game and how they play in the game will have a big impact on the outcome of the game, no doubt.”
DRAFT SLANT
–DL Quinnen Williams has had a fabulous season, eclipsing fellow defensive lineman Raekwon Davis, who entered the campaign with all the hype. NFLDraftScout.com’s Rob Rang wrote that Williams’ “combination of quickness and power is almost unfair for a player less than three years removed from high school.” Rang also compared Williams to ex-Tide star Da’Ron Payne. “Like Da’Ron Payne — the 13th overall pick of last year’s draft (by Washington) — Williams’ stout frame and fantastic weight-room strength make him a virtually immovable object in the middle at nose guard. Williams is quicker than Payne, however, incorporating some of the initial burst and flexibility that is helping another former Alabama teammate, Jonathan Allen, stand out after the Redskins nabbed him with their top choice in 2017.” Williams has 33 tackles, including 8.5 for loss.
ROSTER REPORT:
–QB Jalen Hurts was considered day-to-day early in the week because of a high ankle sprain.
–CB Trevon Diggs, a starter, is out indefinitely because of a fractured foot.
–CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, a freshman who was the fifth cornerback on the depth chart, is out for the season because of a knee injury.
–S Daniel Wright, a sophomore, is out for the season because of a shoulder injury.
–OLB Terrell Lewis suffered a torn ACL over the summer during a workout and is working to get back this season. He was limited to four games because of an arm injury last season and was expected to be a key part of the OLB rotation.
–OLB Chris Allen, a sophomore, is out for the season because of a knee injury.
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