Respect has typically been at the center of the Alabama/LSU rivalry.
The matchup has fostered a mutual conversation of both schools playing each other tough, both fan bases having a healthy fear of the two programs, and there have been moments were a national championship shot comes down to Alabama versus LSU.
This time, ESPN’s College Football GameDay will not be covering the SEC West showdown.
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In the eyes of media pundits, most see Saturday’s game as a win for the Crimson Tide. However, the Louisiana natives for Alabama football do not take this contest lightly. Known for its nickname, “The Boot,” the state of Louisiana is recognized for being a recruiting hotbed in college football.
Five-star athletes are everywhere within the state, and the premiere school of the area — Louisiana State University — wants to have all the talent. Since he left LSU in December of 2004 for the National Football League (Miami Dolphins) and the Crimson Tide, Nick Saban has recruited and signed 27 student-athletes from Louisiana.
Each one received vicious hate mail from Tiger fans, nevertheless, most of them have captured national titles.
At least six starters on this Tide team hail from Louisiana. For names such as DeVonta Smith, Dylan Moses, Christian Harris, Christopher Allen, Phidarian Mathis and Slade Bolden, it is a chance to bring an extra edge to the table.
Moses, a senior, did not play last season because of a knee injury. LSU recruited him in the eighth grade and to this day, he is the one Tiger fans felt got away. A former five-star, Moses painfully watched Ed Orgeron get a 46-41 win. The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder has not played like himself all year, but here is a moment to lay it on the line.
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Allen, a redshirt junior, was not fully healthy in 2019. He was coming off a serious knee injury from the previous season, yet he has become the Tide’s most impactful edge rusher. Allen leads the team in tackles for loss (nine) and sacks (four).
Harris, a sophomore, started against LSU a season ago. At weakside linebacker, Harris and Alabama witnessed a 100-yard performance from Clyde Edwards-Helaire and a 300-yard passing day for Joe Burrow. During his recruitment, he was told he lacked physicality to play for the Tigers. Harris leads the team in tackles (57) and is set to show how dominant he is.
Mathis, a redshirt junior, has come on strong as of late.
He brings a lot of energy, versatility and big-play capabilities up front. Mathis has 24 total tackles, but he has also been very disruptive in the opposing team’s backfield. He totals 4.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, three quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Mathis has been one of the reasons behind Alabama’s 10 forced turnovers since the Georgia game this season.
Smith, a senior, is arguably the best player in college football.
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He burned Derek Stingley in 2019 with catching seven passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder gets one final opportunity at the talented cornerback, and he is about to take advantage of it. Smith is one of four receivers in Tide history to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons — joining the likes of Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and D.J. Hall.
He also joins Cooper as the second player to have at least 3,000 career receiving yards.
Smith carries 72 receptions for 1,074 yards with 12 touchdowns. He is tied for first in the nation for scores.
When it comes to Bolden, the redshirt sophomore just wants to make an impact.
He came close to recording his first career touchdown catch versus Tennessee, but took his eyes off the ball. Bolden will be working special teams versus LSU, but keep your eyes on him at receiver too. This could be his moment to attack the Tigers’ defense.
With all the trash talking that was done after last year’s game, the Louisiana-born players for Alabama take the situation as personal as Coach Saban does. They will bring a little extra juice to the table, and it will be a matchup that Tide fans will never forget.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
