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The Tuscaloosa News
Three things to know about LSU before facing Alabama football Saturday
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Three things to know about LSU before facing Alabama football Saturday
Alabama football's postseason path could very well be decided Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
The No. 11 Crimson Tide will face No. 13 LSU on the road in Baton Rouge Louisiana in a battle of two-loss SEC teams fighting for a position in the expanded College Football Playoff.
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Alabama has dominated LSU recently with 11 wins in their past 13 meetings, including a 42-28 win against the Tigers in Tuscaloosa last season. But the Crimson Tide is trying to change the narrative of its 2022 trip to Tiger Stadium which ended in a 32-31 loss.
Alabama kicks off against LSU at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday on ABC.
Here are three things Alabama fans should know about LSU before the Crimson Tide faces the Tigers Saturday night.
LSU has one of the best passing offenses in the country
Not many teams have a better passing offense than LSU.
Through eight games, Garrett Nussmeier and the Tigers have the sixth-best passing offense in college football, averaging 332.8 yards per game. LSU is one of 20 teams to have thrown more than 20 touchdown passes this season.
Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) looks to pass the ball during the first quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies defeated the Tigers 38-23; at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images.
Nussmeier is a quarterback Alabama co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler knows well, having faced LSU as a member of Wisconsin 's coaching staff for the quarterback's "coming out party," throwing for 395 yards and three touchdowns in the Reliaquest Bowl.
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"He's played for a long time in a great system, and he's got a lot of great weapons around him," Hitschler said. "It's a fun challenge for a secondary."
Georgia, the No. 12 passing game in the country, had 439 passing yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions against the Crimson Tide Sept. 28.
LSU has allowed four sacks all season
LSU has given Nussmeier plenty of time to throw this season.
The Tigers offensive line has allowed four sacks in eight games, third nationally behind Army and Georgia Tech .
LSU has also allowed 24 tackles for loss, the least in the SEC and fourth-least nationally behind Navy, Army and Penn State .
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LSU is one of 22 offensive lines to be on the Joe Moore Award midseason honor roll. Alabama has faced one other offensive line listed: Tennessee , which allowed three Crimson Tide sacks and four tackles-for-loss Oct. 19.
LSU has one of the top SEC pass rushers
After Alabama struggled to contain rushers like South Carolina 's Kyle Kennard and Tennessee's James Pearce Jr., the Crimson Tide will be tasked with facing multiple top pass rushers Saturday in Baton Rouge.
LSU defensive end Bradyn Swinson is second in the SEC with eight sacks in eight games. He also has 10.5 tackles for loss, fourth-best in the conference.
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Alabama has allowed 17 sacks and 47 tackles for loss through eight games.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What to know about LSU before facing Alabama football
