It’s been heard many times before: “The Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers face off in a high stakes, top-10 matchup with an SEC Championship appearance and major postseason implications on the line.” 

The Alabama-LSU rivalry over the past decade-and-a-half has become one of the more premier rivalries in all of college football. The rivalry dates all the way back to 1895, but since the arrival of former LSU head coach Nick Saban to Tuscaloosa in 2007, all eyes have been fixed on the Crimson Tide and the Tigers come the first Saturday in November. 

Since the Saban era began, Alabama and LSU have decisively been the two best teams in the SEC West, with both programs combining for seven national championships and 11 SEC titles. Alabama leads the series 12-4 since Saban’s arrival, and 10 out of those 16 games featured both teams ranked in the top-10 — six of which had both in the top-five. Half of the contests were decided by a touchdown or less, and three required overtime to decide a winner.  

The Alabama-LSU rivalry has provided many memorable moments and games in recent years that have elevated this rivalry to a status of utmost importance, along with the “Iron Bowl” and “The Game” between Michigan and Ohio State. Here’s a few games that have defined what the rivalry has become. 

2011 – “The Game of the Century”: LSU – 9  Alabama – 6 (OT) 

In what has been dubbed the greatest defensive showcase in college football history, Les Miles and the top-ranked Tigers went into Bryant-Denny Stadium and took down the second-ranked Crimson Tide 9-6. 

In the heights of the kicking problem in Tuscaloosa, Alabama kickers went a combined 2-for-6 on the night, wasting multiple successful drives against the stout LSU defense. In overtime, quarterback A.J. McCarron took a detrimental sack on third-and-long, setting up a 52-yard field goal that, predictably, wouldn’t come close to the uprights. The Tigers would capitalize, kicking a 25-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to win in overtime. 

This rendition of Alabama vs. LSU was the single-most NFL-draftee-loaded regular season game of all time with 45 participants making NFL rosters — 14 being taken in the first round. Such players included Alabama’s Trent Richardson, Dont’a Hightower, Dre Kirkpatrick, and LSU’s Odell Beckham Jr., Tyrann Mathieu and Eric Reid. This record would stand until the 2019 rendition of the rivalry.  

2011 BCS National Championship: Alabama – 21  LSU – 0  

College football fans were initially outraged when the final Bowl Championship Series rankings pitted Alabama (11-1) against LSU (13-0) rather than the Big-12 Champion Oklahoma State (12-1) for the national championship. Viewership would be at its lowest in years, but the BCS got it right and Alabama proved to be the best team. 

The Crimson Tide posted one of the most dominant performances in college football history, out-gaining LSU 384-92 en route to the first shutout victory in the national title game since 1992. The Alabama defense was so dominant that the Tigers didn’t cross midfield until 7:58 was left in the fourth quarter. Trent Richardson scored the only touchdown of the night, icing the game with a 34-yard touchdown late in the fourth to reach the final score 21-0.  

2016 – “Silence in Death Valley”: Alabama – 10  LSU – 0 

In a game that closely resembled its 2011 counterpart for the first three quarters, the Crimson Tide and the Tigers both found themselves scoreless heading into the fourth quarter. A budding 19-year-old Jalen Hurts would prove to be the difference in the game, being both the passing and rushing yards leader. Hurts out-rushed LSU star running-back and 2015 Heisman hopeful Leonard Fournette 114-35.  

As mentioned, the game entered the fourth quarter scoreless, but a long Alabama drive put them in prominent scoring position. Early in the third, Hurts couldn’t punch it in on fourth and goal at the LSU one-yard-line, but he would make sure another scoring opportunity wouldn’t be wasted.  

At the LSU 21, Hurts found an open hole in the middle and powered all the way into the end zone, scoring the first points of the game early in the fourth. LSU couldn’t respond, and Alabama iced the game with a field goal with under three minutes of regulation to go.  

2019 – “The Game of the Century II”: LSU – 46  Alabama – 41 

The times have changed. Long gone are the low-scoring, defensive battles. SEC football has greatly changed, and offense has become king. This rendition is the perfect example of the change in philosophy in SEC football.  

In a battle of the ages between the then-current top-two Heisman candidates Tua Tagovailoa and the eventual winner, Joe Burrow, LSU silenced its critics and established itself in the front seat as the best team in college football after defeating what now has been called the “best Alabama team to never win it all” in Tuscaloosa. 

Burrow and the second-ranked Tigers came out swinging, putting the third-ranked Crimson Tide in a hole by halftime, leading 33-13. Tagovailoa and Alabama would rally from the deficit, pulling within one score three times in the fourth quarter. One second, the game was seemingly over, and the next it was game on. Two plays after an LSU touchdown, Tagovailoa heaved an 85-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith with 1:21 left on the clock. LSU recovered the onside kick and would run out the clock, winning 46-41. 

As mentioned earlier, this rendition of Alabama-LSU broke the record of NFL draftees in a regular season game previously set by its 2011 counterpart. A total of 55 participants would be drafted into the NFL — 18 being first round selections. Many of these players are current stars in the NFL, such as Burrow, Tagovailoa, Justin Jefferson, Jaylen Waddle, Ja’Marr Chase, Trevon Diggs and more. 

2022 – To Be Determined 

Yet again, the Alabama-LSU game has become a “winner takes all” contest in the SEC West.  

The Crimson Tide looks to hit a late season stride and march their way onto the SEC Championship, but LSU has become a solid team. The No. 10 Tigers (5-2) started their season in disappointment after losing to Florida State but have won five of the last six games — their only loss being against the top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers.  

Alabama cornerback Eli Ricks returns to Baton Rouge for the first time since transferring to Alabama in December.  

Tempers will be flaring, and Death Valley is ready to welcome the Crimson Tide come Saturday night. 

Kickoff at Tiger Stadium is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. 

Questions or comments? Email Austin Hannon (Sports Editor) at [email protected]