The set-up: Alabama opened as the preseason No. 1 team in the nation and has held that spot ever since, opening 8-0, including 5-0 in the SEC. However, The Crimson Tide found themselves at No. 2 in the first CFP rankings, which came out Tuesday night. It's no big deal, as it's very likely that Alabama and the CFP's No. 1 team, Georgia, will meet in the SEC championship game on Dec. 2nd. As the saying goes, "there is a long way to go before we sleep." For Alabama, the task at hand is its home game with LSU this Saturday. A month ago, this Nov. 4th game looked like an easy win for the Crimson Tide. The Tigers opened 2-0 but then got blown out 37-7 at Mississippi St and two weeks later, suffered a baffling home setback to Troy, 24-21 (as a three-TD favorite!). However, the Tigers have ripped off three straight wins since that debacle and at 6-2 overall, including 3-1 in the SEC, still have a chance to claim the SEC West title.

LSU: QB Danny Etling doesn't produce big passing numbers, as LSU averages just 201.5 YPG through the air, which ranks 84th. However, he's careful with the football, throwing just one interception in 155 attempts, while throwing for nine TDs. RB Derrius Guice opened with back-to-back 100-yard games but over the next five weeks (he missed the Troy game), never ran for more than 76 yards. However, he racked up a whopping 276 rushing yards and a TD on 22 carries in LSU's recent 40-24 win over Ole Miss. The Tigers had three sacks and three INTs, giving up 347 yards of total offense and held Ole Miss to 3 for 12 on 3rd down, while holding the Rebels to just over 22 minutes of possession in the win. LSU will always play D and this year's no different. The Tigers are allowing 20.0 PPG (27th) on 319.2 YPG (21st).

Alabama: The Tide romped past Tennessee 45-7 on Oct. 21 and took the final Saturday of October off. Speaking of a team playing defense, Alabama leads the nation in scoring defense (9.8 PPG), is second in total defense (237.8 YPG) and firstin rrushing defense (68.1 YPG) while ranking 10th in passing defense (169.6 YPG). Offensively, QB Jalen Hurts (like Etling), has thrown just one interception (151 pass attempts) with nine TD passes. He is also a very dangerous runner, with 572 YR (6.8 YPC & 6 TDs). He joins RBs Harris (697 YR / 8.6 YPC / 10 TDs) and Scarbrough (327 YR / 4.7 YPC / 6 TDs) to give Alabama the seventh-best running game in the nation at 298.8 YPG. Alabama's 43.0 PPG scoring average is fifth-best.

The pick: Alabama has won the last six meetings, including a 10-0 victory last season. However, that makes it seven of the last 10 meetings between these two rivals having been decided by 10 points or less! Too many points here to give LSU. Make them a 10* play.