Tuscaloosa, Ala- Alabama’s defense stole the show Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium, powering the Crimson Tide to a 20–9 win over the LSU Tigers. In a game that never felt fully secure until the final minutes, it was Alabama’s defense that held the line—limiting LSU to field goals, forcing turnovers, and making life miserable for the Tigers’ offense.
Defense Standing Tall
From the first snap, the Crimson Tide defense set the tone. LSU found little room to breathe, finishing with just 232 total yards and zero touchdowns. Alabama’s front seven consistently collapsed the pocket and stuffed the run, while the secondary prevented the big plays that often define this SEC rivalry.
A key moment came early in the game when linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green forced a fumble deep in LSU territory, setting up Alabama’s first points. Later, freshman Yhonzae Pierre came up with a strip-sack in the third quarter that stopped an LSU drive and helped preserve the Tide’s lead.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer praised the unit’s composure and physicality.
“Proud of the defense holding them to field goals,” DeBoer said postgame. “Four red-zone trips and they walk away with nine points. That’s a great job by those guys.”
The stats backed him up: LSU managed just 3-of-13 on third downs, averaged 3.7 yards per play, and committed ten penalties for 74 yards; many of them forced by Alabama’s relentless pressure.
DeBoer added,
“They keep getting better every week. You can see it in how we’re eliminating explosive plays and fitting the gaps the right way.”
Offense’s Turning Point Plays
While the defense did most of the heavy lifting, Alabama’s offense delivered key plays at critical moments. Quarterback Ty Simpson threw for 277 yards and a touchdown, showing poise under pressure despite LSU’s blitz-heavy approach.
The biggest offensive burst came late in the second quarter when Simpson launched a 53-yard strike down the seam to receiver Lotzeir Brooks, setting up a 13-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Williams moments later. That sequence gave Alabama a 17–3 halftime lead it would never relinquish.
Kicker Conor Talty added a pair of field goals, including a 44-yarder in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Still, DeBoer wasn’t fully satisfied with his offense’s execution—especially in the run game.
“We only had 56 yards rushing, so it needs to be better,” he said. “We missed opportunities that could’ve opened up the box a little bit.”
Brooks’ return to the lineup, though, was a bright spot.
“He adds an element of explosiveness,” DeBoer said. “We haven’t been as consistent as we can be throwing downfield, but his presence makes a difference.”
Alabama is now 6-0 in SEC play, maintaining it;s path to the conference championship. Coming up, the Crimson Tide play against the Oklahoma Sooners on November15th in Bryant Denny at Nick Saban Feild.
