Alabama opened the week an 11-point favorite over LSU, and that stands as the largest spread of any game between the Tide and Tigers since Nick Saban and Les Miles first squared off in 2007 (via AL.com’s Andrew Gribble).
Saban is 4-3 against LSU in his time at Alabama, though only one of the game has been decided by more than 10 points -- that being the 2011 BCS Championship, which Alabama won 21-0.
Of course, because perspective is everything, the 11-point spread is the second-lowest for Bama this season (the Tide were eight-point favorites at Texas A&M). Gribble pointed out, too, that Alabama has been favored in all but one game against LSU since Saban took over -- that being the first meeting in 2007, a year in which Alabama went 7-6.
Both Alabama and LSU are coming off bye weeks heading into Saturday’s showdown in Tuscaloosa. For Alabama, it’s their first game against a ranked opponent since stomping then-No. 21 Ole Miss, 25-0, on Sept. 28.
If LSU is able to pull off an upset, it would all but dash the SEC’s hopes of winning an eighth straight national title. The Toledo Blade’s Dave Briggs talked to BCS expert Jerry Palm, who told him there isn’t a realistic scenario in which a one-loss team leaps Ohio State in the BCS. So unless all hell broke loose and Oregon, Florida State, Ohio State and Baylor all lost, the SEC would get shut out.
But with an 11-point spread and the game being in Tuscaloosa, the safe call would be on Alabama on Saturday.
