Storm Warning - LSU Edition

These two SEC West rivals will line up for their final divisional meeting tomorrow night at 6:45pm CDT. Here are my keys to tomorrow’s LSU vs. Alabama game in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Containing Jayden Daniels

Daniels is arguably the best player in FBS this season. He boasts the top passer rating and 2nd best qbr in all of FBS. Daniels will make completions and get yards through the air or with his feet. To keep him from taking over the game, Bama’s D must make him move vertically not laterally after the snap to limit his options and give what will likely be mostly a 4-man rush to keep his big play ability under control.

Exploiting the LSU defense -

For all the talk about LSU’s defense growth, I think it is hollow chatter. The LSU secondary is vulnerable and if the Bama OL can give Milroe 3 sec. on most passing attempts, he should be able to pick them apart. Look for a lot of short passes behind the line of scrimmage and jet sweeps to run LSU’s thin DL to soften them up for the second half.

Winning special teams -

With LSU’s offense & Bama’s defense playing strength on strength and their other units having significant question marks, it may likely come down to special teams play to determine the outcome. It is crucial for Kool-aid McKinstry to get the return game back on track after a couple of shaky outings. Having James Burnip back to full strength is huge as Bama looks to control the number of LSU possessions by forcing them to drive the length of the field. If Bama is successful in keeping the score in the low 30s as they have most of this season, then Will Reinhard’s reliability is sure to be a significant factor.

Outlook

If Bama can keep it close into the 4th quarter, look for a Bama win to keep them on track for a showdown with UGA in Atlanta.

My prediction:

Bama 31-28 in a hard fought squeaker.

What do you think? Leave your comments and predictions here or on social media!