With the No. 14 LSU football team sitting at 7-2 with a 3-2 in the Southeastern Conference record, there’s still a lot on the line when the Tigers face off with No. 4 Alabama on Saturday night.
Scenarios are still in place for the Tigers to win the SEC West and earn a trip to the SEC Championship Game. If LSU wins out and Auburn and Mississippi State slip up multiple times in the season’s home stretch, LSU will be heading to Atlanta, Georgia for a shot at the conference title.
It may seem far-fetched, but it’s a possibility. And with the Tigers’ biggest game of the season coming on Saturday, it’ll ultimately determine LSU’s fate.
The stage is set and the stakes are high, but the Tigers aren’t worried about the potential comeback story.
Sophomore wide receiver Travin Dural said he pushes it to the side, electing to take the season one game at a time and let the game decide who the champion is.
“We all know we need to win to get back into it, that’s just how we look at it,” Dural said. “We take it one game at a time and try to win them all. After a couple games in we felt we’re on a path now, winning the last couple of games we’re on a streak. The games will play out for themselves.”
While the Tigers are hoping they have what it takes to sneak back into playoff contention, they know every week from here on out will be a challenge, and the importance of staying focused is crucial.
Sophomore linebacker Kendell Beckwith said it’s important to not get too wrapped up in projections and keep his mind focused on the task at hand.
“We just play. We don’t try to pay too much attention to that,” Beckwith said. “You could lose focus and all kinds of stuff, so we just go out there and we play our game.”
Offense has increased confidence heading into Saturday
The Tigers have gone 3-0 in the SEC since their 0-2 start in conference play, and the offense has played a major role in the team’s newfound success.
LSU has gained 1,134 total yards during its three game winning streak, with 762 of those yards coming on the ground. The Tigers controlled the ball the past three weeks, and senior center Elliott Porter said it’s what the offense is built on.
“That’s our identity, and we want to make it our identity,” Porter said. “Running the ball is something we take pride in. It’s something we take pride in and if we aren’t running the ball that’s not us. We run the ball. We want to run the ball to the best of our abilities and get as many yards as we can. That’s the old school LSU ground and pound offense.”
The Tigers’ ground and pound approach led to a 264 yard performance against one of the nation’s top defenses in Ole Miss, controlling time of possession at 36 minutes compared with the Rebels’ 24 minutes.
Junior offensive lineman Vadal Alexander said the offense is improving each week.
“I think the biggest key is to have tunnel vision and staying focused to keep doing that because once you stay the same everybody else is going to get better and pass you up,” Alexander said. “As long as we keep improving, our running game’s going to keep improving, our passing game is going to keep improving and things like that. As long as we keep improving we can do great things these last couple of games this season.”
Porter said physical backs have always been the identity of the Tigers’ offense, and it will continue to be the same moving forward.
“We like the big bruisers, and that’s what we have back there,” Porter said. “That’s the identity of us, big boys like Jeremy Hill that played in the past. I guess that’s the style of running back they’re going for these days.”
Players looking forward to special matchup against Alabama
When LSU and Alabama face off each year, the nation’s eyes are seemingly always on Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa.
The game over the past decade has often had implications of the SEC West race and potential national championship contention. It’s a big game every year for the Tigers, and it’s one they look forward to from day one.
“We always look at those guys because that’s one of our big games,” said senior safety Ronald Martin. “We don’t look past any opponent, but there’s just something about Alabama with us at LSU. There have always been great battles in the past, and we’re trying to keep the legacy alive.”
The game between the Tigers and the Crimson Tide has notoriously been known as a rough and physical matchup. While Alabama sports more of a balanced attack with Heisman hopeful junior wideout Amari Cooper, much of the same can be expected this time around.
“It’s always special. Alabama’s a great team, great rivalry and we love to play them,” Porter said. “It’s exciting. The biggest game with CBS and everything else, so it’s going to be a good one.”