Geaux247: A LSU Tigers athletics podcast · 247Sports, LSU, LSU football, LSU Tigers, LSU athletics, Football, College Football

Will LSU hang with Alabama after tumultuous two weeks?

·30 min·2 clips

Alabama isn't a juggernaut, but they've made game-changing plays in every close contest this season.

This episode previews the LSU Tigers' upcoming football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide following a coaching change. Host Glenn West of Geaux247 is joined by Mike Rodak, a reporter covering Alabama for Bama247. The conversation centers on Alabama's 7-1 record, which Mike Rodak attributes to timely plays rather than dominance, noting their top-ten national turnover margin. Rodak details how specific defensive plays secured wins against Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, and South Carolina. The hosts analyze Alabama's defensive strengths in the secondary with corners Zabian Brown and Dijon Lee, while noting the front seven is not overwhelming. For LSU, Glenn West emphasizes the interim coach Frank Wilson's focus on establishing a run game behind backs Harlan Berry and Caden Durham to protect quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. They examine the matchup between Alabama's efficient passing offense, led by quarterback Ty Simpson and receivers Jeremy Bernard and Ryan Williams, against LSU's talented secondary featuring Mancer Delane. Rodak points out Simpson's need to balance his running ability with a pass-first philosophy under coordinator Ryan Grubb. The discussion covers Alabama's offensive line rotations and their aggressive fourth-down strategy due to kicker concerns. Both hosts predict an Alabama victory, with Rodak forecasting a 30-10 score and West suggesting a 27-14 or 27-16 outcome. They cite LSU's consistently poor offensive line play and turnover issues as major hurdles. A key insight is that Alabama's success stems from a "timely defense" that creates crucial turnovers, a hallmark of coordinator Kane Womack's system. Rodak reveals that despite statistical rankings in the 50s for offense and 20s/30s for defense, Alabama makes game-changing plays in critical moments. It's noted that LSU's offense ranks 106th nationally with only 30 plays of 20+ yards, rarely testing defenses vertically. An interesting claim is that Alabama's offense has not yet hit its ceiling, partly due to receiver Ryan Williams' high drop rate. The hosts find Ty Simpson's poise as a first-year starter particularly admirable, especially his performance on third and fourth downs. The tone is analytical and conversational, featuring a friendly exchange between two beat reporters sharing specific team knowledge and statistics. The style is deeply focused on X's and O's, evaluating matchups, personnel, and recent performance trends without narrative flair. College football fans, especially SEC followers and those interested in the LSU-Alabama rivalry, will appreciate this detailed tactical breakdown. Listeners seeking a broad sports discussion or entertainment-focused content might find this episode too niche and statistically dense.

As heard by us

A grounded LSU-Alabama preview that favors personnel detail, secondary questions, and matchup context over hype.

This LSU-Alabama conversation is more about the last 10 days in Baton Rouge than any single game note, but it keeps its footing with Alabama's 7-1 start and the simple question of how the Tide are holding up.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get a grounded Alabama-LSU preview that keeps LSU's rough stretch in view and Alabama's 7-1 shape.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Geaux247: A LSU Tigers athletics podcast