These three sequences highlight Alabama's strong defensive showing at LSU
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Alabama defense faced the challenging task of trying to keep LSU’s high-powered passing attack in check. The Tigers had thrown for 300-plus yards in six of its first eight games this season, and Garrett Nussmeier was the only SEC quarterback who averaged more than 40 passing attempts per game entering the pivotal matchup.
But the Crimson Tide answered the bell on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, holding Nussmeier to 166 yards through the first three quarters and forcing him into three turnovers. The defense’s performance helped Alabama leave Death Valley with an impressive 42-13 win.
Multiple players made multiple big plays in the Week 11 victory, but three key sequences stood out from a Tide defense that has steadily improved since its Week 6 loss to Vanderbilt.
The first occurred on LSU’s first offensive possession. The Tigers returned the kickoff 50 yards to midfield and then running back Caden Durham broke free for what looked like a game-tying run. But cornerback Domani Jackson ran him down, making a touchdown-saving tackle at the 5-yard line. Alabama’s defense went on to hold LSU out of the end zone, with Jihaad Campbell breaking up a third-down pass to Kyren Lacy to force a short field goal.
“You think about the score and the touchdowns for us when we got in those moments and hold them to field goals and just being able to slowly extend the lead, putting the pressure on them,” said Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer. “Every time you have a drive and you’re swapping field goals for touchdowns, you don’t like that. But for us, I thought that was huge.”
In the second quarter, Alabama went for it on fourth down at the LSU 40 and was stopped short of the sticks. But just one play later, Campbell made another significant play, sacking Nussmeier for an 8-yard loss and forcing the football free of the quarterback’s grip. Defensive lineman Tim Smith jumped on the loose ball, giving the ball right back to Alabama’s offense, which needed three plays to get in the end zone and take a 21-6 lead over the Tigers.
“Huge, because it was disappointing that we didn’t take advantage of where we were at on the field our drive before,” DeBoer said. “But to get the ball back and be able to respond and get those points that we felt we missed on, a great play by him and just getting the energy and the momentum back on our side.”
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LSU got the ball to start the second half and marched down the field on its first drive of the third quarter. The Tigers made it all the way down to the Alabama 4 before Deontae Lawson picked off Nussmeier at the goal line and downed it in the end zone for a touchback. The Crimson Tide offense capitalized on another turnover and went up by 28-6 two plays later.
Alabama’s red zone defense came up big again and kept LSU off the scoreboard.
“I think that’s one of the biggest plays there in the game,” DeBoer said. “There’s a lot of them, right? But coming out of the locker room, that feeling where, hey, just don’t give them a touchdown early or give them any points. And to take that wind out of their sails, get the takeaway and then, I believe, we went right down the field and got the points, big swing of energy there and momentum.”
Overall, Alabama forced three total turnovers – Bray Hubbard also intercepted Nussmeier in the fourth – to give the Tide 21 takeaways this season and 13 in the last four games. UA did allow LSU to score a late touchdown, but Alabama’s second team was on the field against the Tigers’ starters. In the last eight quarters, the Tide has only allowed one touchdown.
Alabama continues to trend up on the defensive side as the regular season nears its end.
“I love where our defense is at right now,” DeBoer said. “We might give up a play here or there, but they move on to the next one, go out and execute and they’re getting that mindset where one yard is too many. They didn’t wanna give up that touchdown at the end either.
“A lot of pride right now on that side of the ball.”
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