One of these five people will be the ultimate decider in who wins the Game of the Century between LSU and Alabama.
It’s being hailed as the “Game of the Year of the Century,” and it may very well just be that when the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide play host to the No. 1 LSU Tigers in a battle for the top spot in the SEC West. Some of the top players in the country will go head to head in a proverbial All-Star game in the making in the battle between SEC giants.
LSU has looked like a completely different team ever since Joe Burrow took the shot to the head last year against Central Florida, and the Tigers have looked one of, if not the, best team in the nation since. Fortunately for the Crimson Tide, their offense has looked almost unstoppable, and while their defense has yet to face a task to the likes of this LSU team, they’ve been one of the top defenses overall.
Every game between these two powerhouses of college football is a must-see, but every college football fan in their right mind will likely be tuning in to this game as these are, without a doubt, two of the best teams in the game with some of the hottest names in playing, and coaching, taking the field.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important names in what has the potential to be college football’s game of the century.
5. Joe Burrow, LSU quarterback
Burrow has set the nation on fire so far this season with his work against several teams that were, at the time, considered top-tier. As the national spotlight finds him once more, how Burrow reacts to facing another tough secondary will likely play a huge part in defining his season.
Burrow already has thrown for 2,805 yards with 30 touchdowns and has only slipped up a handful of times, amounting for four interceptions. That puts Burrow in an elite class, with the fourth-best quarterback rating in the league according to ESPN. Burrow needs just 95 yards to surpass his 2018 total and has been a star for the length of the season.
Just how bright that senior quarterback’s star will burn for the rest of the season will be put to the test against an Alabama secondary that comes into this game with the No. 13 defense in terms of pass yards allowed and has allowed just 180 passing yards a game.
Burrow will be pairing up with one of the people I have listed later on this list to try and dissect what has been a solid Alabama secondary.
4. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa has been dealing with some injuries of late, but the most recent reports indicate that he will be good to go (at least in some capacity) against the LSU Tigers. With a fresh arm and (assumed) revived legs, Tua will be put to the test against one of the hottest secondary groups in the nation as he tries to elude the pass-coverage danger of All-American safety Grant Delpit, Kristian Fulton and freshman starlet Derek Stingley Jr.
The best news for Tagovailoa and the Crimson Tide is that they’ve got what should be without question the best receiving group in the nation. Not only do they have a potential top-10 player in Jerry Jeudy, but they’ve also got other insane talents in Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith.
If Tua is off even just a beat, it will be crucial for the Crimson Tide to work a game plan to get these dynamic receivers the ball in space, to make something happen on offense. The key to this game could very well be keeping up with, or surpassing, the pace and effectiveness of the Tigers’ offense.
3. K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU outside linebacker
If you want to beat Alabama, you’re going to have to force Tua to make tough, pressured throws. That all starts with getting to the quarterback.
With senior outside linebacker Michael Divinity Jr. departing the program earlier this week, there will without a doubt be more snaps for guys like Andre Anthony and Ray Thornton this weekend, but the most reasonable expectation would be for K’Lavon Chaisson to hold down the fort for the most part.
Another NFL Draft prospect from this LSU defense, Chaisson has 4.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks on the season so far. He’ll have a heavier load to carry if the Tigers plan to slow down this Alabama defense. With a heavy need to get to Tagovailoa and hamper the chances that his talented receiving unit get, Chaisson and his big guys on the defensive line will have to play their best game of the season so far.
2. Nick Saban, Alabama head coach
Well, this one should be obvious.
The GOAT. Saban has had two weeks now to game plan for one of the biggest games in his tenure. The sense of irony isn’t lost on even the most casual college football fan in that Saban’s biggest career moment comes, as it so often has, against his former team in LSU.
With plenty of time to put together a game plan to counter that of LSU head coach Ed Orgeron and passing dynamo (and one of the hottest names in college football) Joe Brady, Saban should be plenty prepared for the matchup. You can bet that, like Bill Belichick in the NFL, Saban’s game plan will play one of the biggest roles in this matchup in Tuscaloosa.
1. Joe Brady, LSU passing game coordinator
Speaking of the aforementioned passing dynamo Joe Brady, for LSU to walk out of Tuscaloosa with a win, or even to keep the game close, Brady and Burrow will have to work hand in hand to make sure this LSU passing offense keeps the game moving against a tough Alabama defense.
With LSU’s defense not quite as threatening as they were last year, especially with the departure of Divinity at one of the worst times of the season for the Tigers, the key for this LSU team to remain on the field with an electric offense in Alabama is to keep the passing game rolling.
Naturally then, as the passing game coordinator, Brady’s job will be to do just that. A lot of pressure will fall on the trio of Brady, Burrow and LSU’s offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger to keep this offense moving and allow the defense time to recover against a dynamic Crimson Tide offense.