In an age where defense is a rumor and 40 points is a starting point, LSU-Alabama has been a much-needed elixir. Or something like that.
The top-ranked Tide and No. 13 Tigers have played to a scoreless tie through one half in Baton Rouge. A missed field goal for each side and a deflected Hail May has been the extent of the offense so far.
Each team has notched five first downs, while Alabama holds a 120-100 total yardage edge.
LSU started the game by intercepting Jalen Hurts‘s second pass, taking over at the Alabama 35-yard line, but three straight pass calls -- none to Leonard Fournette -- moved the Tigers nowhere, and Colby Delahoussaye‘s 49-yard field goal try was tipped.
The teams traded punts on the next six possessions -- neither team crossed the other’s 40 -- until Alabama mounted an 8-play, 67-yard drive that ended with Adam Griffith missing a 42-yard field goal in front of the same goal posts Delahoussaye missed a quarter earlier.
Fournette has rushed 12 times for 21 yards, and as a team the Tigers have carried 19 times for just 34 yards. Danny Etling has completed 7-of-13 passes for 63 yards. He closed the half by heaving a Hail Mary into the Alabama end zone, but a Tide defensive back knocked it incomplete.
LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda‘s game plan of hemming in Alabama’s freshman quarterback has played to perfection thus far. Hurts has hit only 5-of-13 passes for 27 yards and an interception while rushing five times for 42 yards. While he did break a 28-yard rush -- the longest play of the game so far -- his other four carries were limited to just 14 yards. Alabama’s other rushers have carried 12 times for 51 yards.