Station Survey: LSU-Alabama

We asked the 104.5 ESPN crew to pick Saturday night’s tilt between LSU and Alabama. Here’s what they thought.

Taylor Sharp, Video Producer, Off the Bench: I’m usually very fair and levelheaded. It’s why T-Bob and me get along so well.  Alabama appears to be a pretty tough matchup for the Tigers because, while the Tide’s weakness is run defense, the Tigers have shown no ability to run the ball consistently.  This game could come down to who can control the clock more, which would be advantage Alabama due to their rushing attack.  Also, Garrett Nussmeier will have to be a lot more efficient than he was in the second half against Texas A&M versus a Crimson Tide secondary that has shown flashes this year. But if you think for one second that I would EVER choose Bama to beat LSU, then you are sadly mistaken!  Picking with my heart this week! LSU 28, Alabama 24

Jacob Hester, Co-Host, Off the Bench: 28-27 LSU. Enough said.

T-Bob Hebert, Co-Host, Off the Bench: It all comes down to this. The playoff thunderdome. Two teams enter. One team leaves. This is TRULY the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. You have a chance to exact sweet revenge on a program that stopped you from multiple national championship opportunities. You have a chance to BREAK Alabama fans and make sure for all eternity that they cannot say they were a part of the first 12-team playoff. I see an LSU team that has consistently improved through the year outside of its most recent half of football. This is a deeply flawed Alabama team that has been inconsistent at best. And, and the end of the day, Death Valley os the graveyard where opponents’ dreams come to die. LSU 25, Alabama 24

Charles Hanagriff, Co-Host, Live at Lunch: The games between the top half teams in the SEC have almost all been won by the home teams (Georgia at Texas being the one big exception).  Brian Kelly’s record in Tiger Stadium is stellar, even more so at night.  That’s enough trends for me. LSU 31, Alabama 27

Jacob Beck, Audio Producer, The Hunt Palmer Show:  There are many angles that one could analyze this game from, and all are valid. LSU’s poor run game versus a surprisingly bad Alabama run defense. Alabama’s pass catchers versus a below average LSU secondary. LSU’s front 7 versus a mobile quarterback. Will LSU’s field goal operation short circuit again? From my view, both teams match up evenly on paper. That leaves factors outside the field of play. Tiger Stadium at night, College Gameday in town, the atmosphere should be at its peak. I’ll take the Tigers. LSU 34, Alabama 31

Hunt Palmer, Host, The Hunt Palmer Show: For more than a decade it took a Heisman winner to beat Alabama. Those days are over. LSU has its issues, but so does Alabama. If Jalen Milroe runs 18 times for 125 yards and 3 scores, Alabama is going to win. If Garrett Nussmeier doesn’t throw an interception, LSU is going to win. I believe LSU’s defense will have a plan to slow Milroe, and his reliance on his arm will produce misfires. LSU’s ground game will do enough to complement an advantage on the outside for Kyren Lacy and Mason Taylor. And Tiger Stadium will matter. LSU 30, Alabama 28

Matt Musso, Audio Producer, After Further Review: The run game has been the focus for two weeks. Can LSU get theirs going? Can LSU stop Jalen Milroe? Part of me looks at the Tigers and says, no you can’t get the run game going. You are who you are. It’s November. You’re not a good running team. The other part of me looks at it and says, if there were ever a team to find success against, it’s Alabama. The Tide has struggled against the run all season, particularly in SEC play. Balance is important. The Tide has one of the most opportunistic defenses in the country, but when teams have been able to run the ball, the turnover number has remained low and led to wins. Milroe lit you up last season on the ground, but a lot of it came on scrambles. Keeping contain and pass rush are huge here. When LSU has had success stopping running or mobile quarterbacks this season, sacks have accompanied that. Gio Lopez ran for 33 yards. He was sacked three times. Jaxson Dart ran for 27 yards. He was sacked six times. Taylen Green ran for -10 yards. He was sacked three times. LSU’s pass rush has been a major strength, and Alabama is No. 8 in the SEC in sacks allowed. If the Tigers get home, they can limit Milroe on the ground. The Tigers defense will be out to prove the A&M game was an outlier against running quarterbacks. They will have success after two weeks to fix it. Running the ball is the bigger question, and I don’t know the answer to that. I like the defense, though, and I like Saturday Night in Death Valley. LSU 30, Alabama 27.

Paul O’Neill, Video Producer, After Further Review: This isn’t the same Alabama team that LSU has faced the last 16 years under Nick Saban. They just don’t feel as intimidating as years passed. LSU has the advantage of playing a home night game which always brings the electricity. If LSU can find a way to stop Jalen Milroe’s run game, I don’t think the Tigers will have any problems winning this game. If Milroe runs on you like Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed did two weeks ago, LSU could have major problems on their hands. The Tiger offense needs to get their run game going but shouldn’t have issues against this Bama defense. Garrett Nussmeier will rebound, and the Tigers offense should put up points. I predict a close game, but the Tigers pull out the victory. LSU 35, Alabama 30

Matt Moscona, Host, After Further Review: I’m not predicting LSU to win a national championship, but I’ll tell you what I’m sure as hell predicting. LSU is going to beat Alabama. LSU is at home, in a night game, in a huge spot. Brian Kelly has been great off a bye. He’s been great at night in Tiger Stadium. You’ve got the better coach, the better quarterback. You’re at home. You better go win this damn game. I’ve got LSU 34, Alabama 27