Alabama has spent the last five days taking heat from across the country for its No. 5 ranking in the initial College Football Playoff poll released Tuesday.
Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide took out their frustrations on Lane Kiffin and LSU in front of a stunned crowd in Baton Rouge on Saturday, delivering a result that could have major ramifications for the Tigers’ playoff hopes.
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We’ve all spent the last week wondering why the Tide would be ranked eight spots ahead of No. 13 Tennessee after the Vols won the head-to-head matchup last month in Knoxville.
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The incessant chatter around Alabama struggling to find an identity behind head coach Kalen DeBoer had become a hot topic around college football, while LSU fans felt like Lane Kiffin was turning a corner in the Bayou.
Boy, how quickly the roles changed.
LSU spent more than $40 million building its roster this season, acquiring a group of stars through the transfer portal. Now, the Tigers head into the second weekend of November with three losses and their CFP hopes hanging by a thread.
On the other side of the court, unconcerned about seeing Kevin Costner or other celebrities enter a game alongside the head coach, Kalen Deboer has finally put it all together to form a team that has the talent to compete for a national championship.
This is the Alabama team that the CFP committee believes should be ranked 5th in the country, and the Tide confirmed their thinking during a dominant second half in Baton Rouge.
Defensive lineman Terrance Green #99 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates in the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 7, 2026, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (ISI photos via Getty Images)
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Maybe it was the return of Ryan Coleman-Williams or multiple starters on both sides of the ball, but Alabama finally looked like the type of team we thought could grace our television screens on a weekly basis without the hiccups.
In front of more than 100,000 fans inside Tiger Stadium, it was Alabama’s Keelon Russell who completely came out of his shell in what would prove to be a huge game for his team to advance to the playoffs.
Three touchdowns and over 200 passing yards, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb provided his first-year quarterback with the ammo needed to put Alabama in a position to win this game.
But winning 31-13 in “Death Valley”?
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LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin stands on the field during the first half of a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on November 7, 2026. (Sportswire Icon via Getty Images)
That’s a huge slice of pie served to Lane Kiffin, and those who doubted the heart of this Alabama football team, by a Crimson Tide defense that held LSU to just one touchdown on four red zone possessions.
Sure, LSU was moving the ball on offense, but that didn’t translate into points in the Alabama corner, but didn’t break the mindset that had Lane Kiffin raising his arms in frustration on the sideline throughout the third and fourth quarters.
On the other hand, Alabama scoring 21 unanswered points put the final nail on this LSU football team that will host a much better looking Texas Longhorns team next week in Baton Rouge.
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Sure, the Tigers could upset Steve Sarkisian’s Football Team, but nothing about LSU’s offense should give fans hope that they can hold up against a Texas defense that will get even healthier over the next week.
Obviously, this is the type of scenario LSU fans weren’t expecting. The noise that accompanies Lane Kiffin is just that: noise. Yes, the Tigers were good enough that we were all wondering how this game would play out in the third quarter.
Fifteen minutes later, Kiffin’s record against Alabama as head coach was 0-6.
LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin watches Clemson during the first half at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on September 5, 2026. (IMAGINE IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes walking with Lane Kiffin through the Tiger Walk make for fantastic social media content. But following that up by getting beat in the trenches by an Alabama team that’s been dissected all week for its flaws isn’t going to go over well in Baton Rouge.
A massive statement was made by Alabama on Saturday night during a week that had the entire country wondering just how good they actually were.
Now everyone should be worried about what this Kalen DeBoer team can do over the next few weeks leading up to Selection Sunday in the College Football Playoff.
Gn sports
