It’s do or die for the No. 14 LSU football team this Saturday night.
When the Tigers (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) face off against No. 4 Alabama, all eyes will be on LSU’s stingy defense to see if it can continue its string of dominant performances to help keep the Tigers in the tight SEC West race.
“We have something to prove,” said junior linebacker Kwon Alexander. “We want to win, so we’re going to go out there and we’re going to win. That’s the plan.”
There’s a rebirthed confidence in the Tigers’ defense heading into its biggest game of the year, and rightfully so.
The Tigers are coming off arguably their greatest defensive performance of the season against then-No. 3 Ole Miss. LSU shut down the Rebels’ potent offense, holding it to 313 yards while forcing seven straight punts, four of which resulted from three and outs.
LSU has held its opponents to a total of 10 points in its past two games, and LSU coach Les Miles said he believes the defense is improving both physically and mentally with each week.
“There’s some technical things that have taken place since we played those guys that have allowed us to play better,” Miles said. “Our guys are recognizing that they can’t be washed out of a gap, and there’s some very important technical pieces that have come to play, and I think we’re better.”
The Tigers are one of the best defenses in the country in opponent third down conversions. LSU has held opponents to a petty 28.79 conversion percentage on third down, which ranks first in the SEC and eighth nationally.
LSU’s defense has been suffocating, but it hasn’t yet faced anything quite like Alabama’s (7-1, 4-1 SEC) offense this year.
Alabama is ranked second nationally in third down conversion percentage, moving the chains 55.7 percent of the time, which is only two percent less than the national leader, Georgia Tech.
Miles said the Crimson Tide’s balanced attack plays a huge role in its
ability to stay on the field.
“They’re a talented offense,” Miles said. “The opportunity to throw the football to [junior wide receiver Amari] Cooper certainly is an advantage. I think they’ve got a very talented quarterback, and again, any time you put a [junior running back T.J.] Yeldon and a talented group and nice offensive line together, there’s an opportunity to convert on third downs.”
The matchup seemingly pits an immovable object versus an unstoppable force.
The Crimson Tide comes to Baton Rouge ranked second in the SEC in total offense with 508.9 yards per game, most notably posting 602 yards against Texas A&M on Oct. 18. The showdown against the Aggies marked the third time this season Alabama has eclipsed the 600-yard mark.
Alabama is off to a record start under offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. The Crimson Tide has gained a total of 4,071 yards of total offense in its first eight games, which is the second most yards in program history through
eight games.
“I’d say they’re more balanced now. They’re more pass efficient,” said senior safety Ronald Martin. “They’re more run efficient. They’re still able to run the ball because they’ve got that great offensive line and running backs.”
The Crimson Tide boasts one of the most balanced offenses in the nation, passing for 2,233 yards this season while rushing for 1,749.
Alabama’s balanced attack is thanks to its one-two punch at running back with Yeldon and sophomore Derrick Henry, along with its deep-threat passing game led by Heisman hopeful Cooper.
Cooper leads the SEC with 8.9 receptions per game and currently is ranked second nationally in receiving yards per game with 141.5 and in receiving yards with 1,132. Cooper has accounted for 19 plays of 20 or more yards and has 49 first down receptions, 19 of those coming on third down.
“He’s good in space and he’s able to make big plays,” said sophomore cornerback Tre’Davious White. “So with him, you’ve got to watch a lot of film and try to grasp some things he’s doing and what he’s going to give you in certain situations and how he’s lined up. We’ll just go with that. We’ve been watching a lot of film on him and we’ve been coming up with some things.”
White said Cooper reminds him of former teammate Odell Beckham Jr. because of his explosiveness and big-play ability.
The Tigers are preparing for Cooper by having junior wide receiver Chris LaBorde emulate the Heisman contender.
Martin said he believes the secondary will be ready for Alabama’s heavily balanced attack come Saturday night.
“Cooper, he’s a great receiver, but I think our corners are going to be prepared for him this weekend,” Martin said. “The secondary as a whole we’re going to be prepared to come and play.”
With the College Football Playoff still within reach for the Tigers, the concept is simple — win and survive. While players said they don’t pay attention to projections, they know what’s at stake when LSU and Alabama take the field.
“We always look at [Alabama] because that’s one of our big games,” Martin said. “We don’t look past any opponent but there’s just something about Alabama with us at LSU. They have always been great battles in the past and we’re trying to keep the legacy alive.” 
You can reach Jack Chascin on Twitter @Chascin_TDR.