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Alabama vs LSU: 5 key players to watch

Alabama soccer eliminated after first round of SEC tournament

As the Tigers prepared for the final stretch of their quest for a flawless season, they appeared to hold a minute edge in this budding rivalry.

Starting with a national title game rematch later that season, in which the Crimson Tide embarrassed LSU in a 21-0 shutout, it has been nothing but downhill for the Bayou Bengals - especially when it comes to Alabama.

LSU interim coach Ed Orgeron has not had to inspire Fournette this week for No. 1 Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC), which will play at No. 14 LSU (5-2, 3-1 SEC) at 7 p.m. Saturday on CBS. He has six runs for 20 yards or more. The senior now leads the Crimson Tide with 6.5 sacks and is second on the team with 9.5 tackles for a loss. They've had 11 of them in the past three.

But no team is flawless, Moore said. "He's made significant progress at that, and hopefully he'll be able to do it well in this game because that will be what we have to play against quite a bit of the time".

"You've got to loosen up Bama", Pocic said.

Before its bye week, Alabama head coach Nick Saban stressed the importance of improving the downfield passing game heading down the stretch.

"LSU is using more multiple looks since Coach O took over", he said, "tying play-action passes with the running game". They can tighten the race in the SEC West if they can upset the top-ranked Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0). Hurts has passed for 1,578 yards and 12 touchdowns through the team's first eight games while also rushing 95 times for 521 yards and a team-leading nine touchdowns. "You try to take what the defense gives you and kind of make them do what you want them to do". He was running away with the Heisman in all the polls as he led the nation in yards per game with 193.1. Hurts is averaging 197 passing yards per game and is a dual-threat signal-caller like Kelly. They had good reason not to fear it. I ain't going to think about that. If Leonard Fournette struggles like he did past year against Alabama, keep an eye on big No. 94 on the inside and watch him do his work. The Tigers had struggled all year, and a week removed from a coaching change, the team was not expected to light it up.

After each game of the 2016 season in our weekly Fournagraph, Fournette's rushing statistics are compared to his statistics from last season, as well as the Heisman Trophy seasons of four SEC running backs - 2015 winner Derrick Henry of Alabama, 2009 winner Mark Ingram of Alabama, 1985 winner Bo Jackson of Auburn, 1982 winner Herschel Walker of Georgia.

While Fournette has burst back upon the scene after an ankle injury with a superb 284 rushing yards against Ole Miss, it's not going to happen against the Crimson Tide.

"I think we've got a lot of confidence in what we're doing on the offensive side of the ball, the way we've been executing these past three weeks", Moore said. There have been a lot of really good games between these two teams through the years. LSU lost its two starting tackles from past year, a pair of drafted players, and each of the Tigers' linemen is nursing or has nursed an injury at some point this season - a knee, a shoulder, an ankle. After a review of the game, no, the Tide did not. The other Tigers are 27th in the country (126.6 ypg) against the run, but LSU finished with 220 rushing yards on 32 carries (6.9 ypc) in an 18-13 loss back on September 24.

Jackson's last-second crawls into the box, though, often added an extra defender. But they're also "football smart", LSU players said. Y'all saw the game. If Alabama has to pass 30 times in this game they might be in trouble. "So, it was just something as a team we had to learn from and continue to get better".

Orgeron and players this week have referred to Saturday's game in a number of ways: a fistfight, a war, a battle. Maybe this is what he's talking about.

stayontheblack.com

Alabama vs LSU: 5 key players to watch