By RYNE BERTHELOT, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE — It won’t be the biggest stage of Brian Kelly’s career, nor will it be Nick Saban’s finest hour. Both are experienced at game planning for national championship contests.
That doesn’t mean that tonight’s 6:10 matchup (on ESPN) in Tiger Stadium between 15th-ranked LSU (6-2, 3-1) and No. 6 Alabama (7-1, 3-1) won’t have a significant impact for either coach, though.
There’s conference implications, with both teams sharing a portion of the lead in the Southeastern Conference West Division as the SEC Championship game draws near.
There’s the initial impression for Kelly, who would silence all criticism – that is, if he hasn’t already – with a win in his first game as LSU’s head coach against the Crimson Tide.
There’s an opportunity for Saban to prove that his team still belongs in the playoff conversation among the likes of Georgia, Tennessee and Ohio State.
Both coaches have heaped praises on each other throughout the week, both being cautious not to add fuel to the fire that the rivalry has kicked up over the past decade.
“Our guys are certainly prepared for the very best, we’re going against a Heisman Trophy winner and going against a consistent football team that Coach Saban puts out there each and every week,” Kelly said. “We know the challenge in front of us, but it’s an exciting opportunity for our football team to play in Tiger Stadium on national TV.”
Alabama’s had more struggles than its 7-1 record might suggest: There was a late 20-19 win over Texas in Week 2, then a 24-20 escape against a struggling Texas A&M team in Week 6. Their only loss came at the hands of Tennessee a week later, 52-49.
That doesn’t mean the Crimson Tide aren’t necessarily the powerhouse of college football that fans are used to seeing. There’s still Bryce Young, last year’s Heisman winner.
“In many instances, you can’t defend him because he’s so elusive and he wants to throw the football,” Kelly said of Young. “He could take off so many times, but he’s trying to find receivers down the field. He just has a great sense of awareness. He’s a true quarterback, he’s not a scramble-around-guy that’s just, you know, throwing it up there. He’s very intentional about everything that he does. He’s not taking sacks. He’s the (reigning) Heisman Trophy winner, and he should be. He’s the best player in college football.”
Young’s success in Saban’s offense has been well documented, but the Crimson Tide attack will be one of the most balanced LSU will face this season: Running back Jahmyr Gibbs leads a rushing attack that’s produced a 221-yard average with six yards per carry, while Young and backup Jalen Milroe have thrown for 23 touchdowns and 274 yards a game.
That ground attack may become even more important: There’s a 100 percent chance of rain in Baton Rouge earlier today, all but assuring sloppy conditions perfect for old-time, ground-and-pound football. That can bode well for LSU as well, getting some key cogs back. Running back John Emery Jr. and wide receiver Jack Bech will return and offensive tackle Garrett Dellinger will be a game-time decision, recovering from an MCL injury suffered against Tennessee.
“I don’t think we would put him back into the starting rotation, but he would be somebody who would be able to be in a rotation for us, which would be very beneficial,” Kelly said of Dellinger. “He would be able to take away some snaps in the rotation at the guard position, and if it could give us some depth at the guard position, that helps us out in the long run.”
But down the road is not in the minds of Tiger fans tonight. They are savoring the chance for a statement win, one that would earn LSU students another jaunt to rush the field — but this one uniformly embraced by Bayou Bengals.
Contact Ryne at rgberthelot@gmail.com