Alabama fans have bought billboards to trash talk LSU in advance of Saturday’s game and found a way to raise money for hurricane relief at the same time.
Drive down I-10 near Baton Rouge, and you’re bound to see one of the two billboards set up by Alabama with a clear message for LSU Tiger fans in advance of their meeting this Saturday in Tiger Stadium.
Alabama fans bought the billboards to express some friendly rivalry words with their SEC neighbors to the west, and raise some money for hurricane relief at the same time.
The third strongest storm ever to hit the United States, Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle and Gulf Coast of Alabama. Three weeks after the hurricane hit, families are still without homes and are struggling to pick up the pieces. The storm left 45 dead and caused $11 billion in damages.
The billboard reminds fans to donate to hurricane relief but also takes a heavy shot at LSU’s defense that the fans think will have their hands full with Tua Tagovailoa and the nation’s most explosive offense in the nation, averaging 54.1 points per game, more than four points more than the No. 2 scoring offense of Houston.
The LSU defense has only allowed 15.1 points per game this season. To make that number more impressive, they have faced a myriad of lethal offenses, including Florida, Georgia and Mississippi State. Despite the five ranked teams LSU has faced thus far, they know Tagovailoa and the Alabama offense is on another level.
Making things more difficult for the LSU defense against Alabama is middle linebacker and All-American, Devin White, is out the first half as he sits because of a targeting penalty he incurred in the second half of their last game.
The Crimson Tide have taken the past seven matchups, dating back to 2012, so the confidence on the billboard is not unwarranted.
Not all fans are happy about the billboard, though. The fans who paid for the sign are taking criticisms on Twitter for the money spent on it:
One thing that won’t happen this Saturday in Baton Rouge is a 50-point barn burner by either team. It’ll be a physical, blue-collar dogfight typical of most games in this recent rivalry. The average final score of this rivalry is 19.4 – 12.1, advantage Alabama.
Come Sunday, this billboard will become the meme of the week if the Tigers come away with the win. But if Tua and the Tide can hang 50 on LSU’s defense, this might just be a looming reminder that nobody is beating Alabama this year.