By Hunt Palmer
As recipes go, two long touchdown drives followed immediately by heavy rain is a pretty good one to sap the energy from a rowdy crowd.
Alabama owned the first quarter and controlled the first half in Tiger Stadium. They lead, 21-6, at halftime.
It appeared LSU had held off the early flurry of Alabama punches late in the first half, but immediately after huge fourth down stop by the Tiger defense, Garrett Nussmeier fumbled the ball right back to Alabama. The Tide punched it in three plays later to stretch the lead to 21-6.
Alabama ran 23 plays to LSU’s nine in the first quarter and outgained the Tigers 150-62. The Tide led, 14-3, and threatened to make things worse for LSU when a deep ball from Jalen Milroe to a streaking Ryan Williams fell just through his fingertips near the goalline.
LSU responded with a field goal drive that was halted partially due to a holding call that created second down and 20.
Milroe and the Tide offense rolled up 236 first half yards and three scores on the ground. LSU’s defense has had no answers for Milroe’s rushing ability. The troubles LSU had defending Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed cropped back up after a bye week to get things sorted out.
Milroe has 98 yards and a pair of scores on eight carries. He has helped the Tide convert six of eight third downs.
LSU’s passing offense has issues dealing with the Alabama defense as well as the steady, sometimes heavy rain. Nussmeier is just 9-for-16 for 88 yards.
LSU deferred the coin toss decision and will get the football to begin the second half.
