LSU and Alabama have shared plenty of memorable moments over the years, but the recent results have mostly gone in one direction. The Tigers have struggled to keep up with the Crimson Tide, winning just four of their 19 meetings since 2008. With another important matchup approaching, LSU will have a chance to make a statement and give its fans a result they have been waiting to see.
This weekend’s meeting carries extra weight for both teams. Alabama and LSU enter the game with identical 6-2 records, and both still have plenty to play for as the College Football Playoff picture takes shape. But for the Tigers, there is another reason to make this one count. They want to change the story of a rivalry that has not gone their way in recent seasons.
“This rivalry has been going the other way lately. It’s time to start turning that around and playing really good ball,” LSU head coach Lane Kiffin said, as reported by Jon Blau of The Advocate and Times-Picayune on X.
His comments drew some applause and made his message clear ahead of the matchup.
The numbers explain why Kiffin wants to see a different result. LSU has won only four times against Alabama since 2008, leaving the Tigers with a 4-15 record during that stretch. A win this weekend would not erase that history, but it would give the program a chance to take a meaningful step in the right direction.
There is also plenty at stake beyond the rivalry. Alabama entered the initial College Football Playoff rankings at No. 5, while LSU came in at No. 14.
Both teams are still in the mix, but the remaining schedule leaves little room for mistakes. LSU also has games against No. 10 Texas and No. 16 Tennessee ahead, making this stretch especially important.
Alabama, meanwhile, will arrive after getting back on track with a 31-20 win over Texas A&M. That result followed a two-game losing streak, giving the Crimson Tide some momentum heading into Baton Rouge. LSU will need a strong performance on both sides of the ball if it hopes to end Alabama’s recent run of success in the series.
This game will be the latest meeting in a series that has taken place every season since 1964. However, the schedule is about to change.
Alabama and LSU will not face each other in 2027 after the SEC moved to a nine-game conference schedule and selected three permanent opponents for each team. The programs are scheduled to meet again in 2028, with the matchup set to continue at least once every two years.
Kiffin has already made his disappointment with that decision clear. Speaking about the end of the annual series, he said, “I think that’s just sad.” He also pointed to money, television contracts and conference decisions as reasons traditional rivalries are no longer guaranteed to stay on the schedule.
Under the new setup, Alabama’s annual opponents will be Auburn, Tennessee and Mississippi State. LSU will have Arkansas, Ole Miss and Texas A&M as its permanent rivals. That leaves the Alabama-LSU game outside the group of matchups played every season.
The connection between these programs became even stronger during Nick Saban’s time in college football. Saban led LSU to the national championship in 2003 before taking over at Alabama in 2007. Kiffin later worked under him as the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016.
The rivalry has also produced games that shaped the national title race. LSU beat Alabama 9-6 in overtime in the 2011 regular-season meeting between the No. 1 Tigers and No. 2 Crimson Tide. Alabama then won the championship rematch 21-0.
The Tide went on to win eight straight games against LSU before the Tigers snapped that run with a 46-41 victory in 2019. LSU also earned a 32-31 overtime win in 2022.
Saturday’s kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. local time, making it the first Alabama-LSU game in Baton Rouge outside the usual night window since 2010. Kiffin has admitted he was surprised by the decision, given how often the matchup has been played under the lights in Baton Rouge.
Now, the focus turns to the game itself. LSU has another opportunity to challenge Alabama, improve its record in the series, and give its fans a result to remember. Kiffin has already made his expectation clear: he wants the Tigers to start turning the rivalry around.