No. 1 Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) at No. 5 LSU (7-1, 3-1 SEC)
Kickoff: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (CBS)
Spread: Alabama by 9.5
Watchability: Undefeated Alabama, which has won every game by at least 19 points, should finally get tested Saturday night in Death Valley. LSU had an extra week to prepare after getting its mojo back with wins over South Carolina and Texas A&M. The Tigers will try to avenge last season’s 21-0 loss in the BCS National Championship game. "It doesn't have to be said," sixth-year senior guard Josh Dworaczyk told NOLA.com. "It just exists."
Alabama leads the nation in scoring defense (8.1 ppg), while LSU ranks ninth (14.6). Alabama has won three of the past five meetings and leads the all-time series 46-25-5.
Shining stars: Alabama -- QB AJ McCarron. The junior has thrown 18 touchdowns without an interception and, dating to last season, has thrown 262 consecutive passes without a pick. That’s a school record and the second-longest streak in SEC history. McCarron hit 23 of 34 passes for 234 yards in the BCS title game, winning offensive MVP honors. LSU -- RB Jeremy Hill. The 6-2, 225-pound true freshman emerged at the perfect time. He gashed the Gamecocks and Aggies for 251 rushing yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first LSU true frosh to surpass 100 yards in consecutive games since 2003. Every rushing yard will be precious against Alabama, which allows 57.2 per game, fewest in the nation.
Who could steal the show: Alabama -- RBs T.J. Yeldon and Eddie Lacy. The Tide’s top rushers have combined for 1,245 yards and 14 TDs. Yeldon averages 7.0 yards per carry, Lacy 5.5. They’ll face the nation’s eighth-best run defense (94.9 yards allowed per game). LSU -- LB Kevin Minter. The junior leads the Tigers with 75 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss. He also has three sacks, four pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble. Minter plays his best in big games, as evidenced by the 20 tackles (17 solo) he made against Florida.
You going? Ranking the road trip: Tickets on StubHub.com range from $225 to $3,500. For a spot in the posh Tiger Den Suites, you’ll have to spend $9,950. This might not be the game of the century because both teams aren’t undefeated. But when No. 1 Alabama comes to Death Valley on Saturday night with the SEC West at stake, it’s easily the game of the Year in the SEC.
Magic number for Alabama: 74. The Tide have scored touchdowns on 74 percent of their red-zone trips (26 of 35). LSU has scored TDs on just 47 percent of its red-zone chances (16 of 34).
Magic number for LSU: 1. Under Les Miles, LSU is 36-1 in Saturday night home games, and 5-1 following a scheduled open date.
The game comes down to: Nobody runs on Alabama. Even if LSU has modest ground success, QB Zach Mettenberger will have to make a bigger impact than he has through eight games. He ranks 12th in the SEC in pass efficiency, with seven TDs and four INTs. “I have to make a lot of plays for us to win,” the junior said. “We’re going to have to be very efficient in the passing game, try to create some big plays. Hopefully we’ll go out there and execute better than we have in the past.” Possible, but not likely.
Prediction: Alabama 23, LSU 13
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from SEC bloggers Daniel Lewis and Larry Hartstein, follow @CBSSportsSEC.