THE GAME: The No. 4 University of Alabama football team remains at home for a top-10 matchup in its annual battle with the No. 2 LSU Tigers. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on CBS with Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and Allie LaForce calling the action. Eli Gold and Phil Savage will handle the radio call on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, with Chris Stewart serving as the sideline reporter.

SERIES HISTORY: Alabama and LSU will meet for the 80th time in a series that the Crimson Tide leads, 49-25-5, dating back to the 1895 season. Since 2005, the LSU/Alabama games have been true battles, with seven of those games being decided by seven points or less. During head coach Nick Saban’s tenure in Tuscaloosa, six of the nine duels between the two teams have been decided by that same narrow margin, with three of those games going into overtime. Most recently, a stunning last-minute drive in the fourth quarter by Blake Sims produced a game-tying field goal to send the 2014 matchup into overtime. The Crimson Tide would secure the win, 20-13, as Sims found DeAndrew White in the corner of the end zone for a six-yard score to push UA ahead for the win in Baton Rouge.

BEATING THE BEST: With the win over No. 9 Texas A&M on Oct. 17, Alabama owns a 35-13 (.729) mark against the Associated Press top 25, including a 19-7 (.731) record against AP top-10 teams since 2007.

SABAN CHASING 200 WINS: Now in his 22nd season as a head coach at the collegiate or NFL level, Nick Saban’s next win will mark the 200th victory of his coaching career (not including vacated wins). Saban has accumulated a winning record at every collegiate stop, and has put together his best winning percentage during his time at Alabama (.835, 91-18).

3-and-OUT: The Alabama defense has totaled 38 three-and-outs in the past five games (7.6 per game) to move the Crimson Tide into third place nationally at 6.25 per game. The Tide has forced a three-and-out on 50-of-119 drives this season (42.0 percent).

GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK: Alabama’s front seven has made their presence known to the opposing quarterback on a regular basis in 2015. The Crimson Tide is tied for sixth nationally and lead the SEC in sacks with 3.38 per game (27 in eight games). The 3.38 sacks per game is higher than any Alabama team during the Saban era and the 27 sacks passes the season total of 22 from 2013. The Tide has 22 sacks in the last five games (4.40 per game).

TOUGH SLEDDING ON THE GROUND: Running the ball is no easy task against the Alabama defense with the Tide yielding only four rushing scores this season. The Tide has limited opposing backs to just 18 rushes of 10 yards or more, ranking near the top nationally.

Lsu

RB Leonard Fournette has rushed for 100 or more yards in 9 straight games and he continues to lead the nation in rushing (1,352), rushing yards a game (193.1) and is No. 2 in rushing TDs (15).

Brandon Harris has thrown for 200 yards in three straight games joining Zach Mettenberger (2012 and 2013), Matt Flynn (2007) and JaMarcus Russell (2006 and 2005) as the QBs to accomplish this dating back to 2005.

LSU is 26-15 in SEC road games under Les Miles. LSU is 1-0 this year after opening the season with a 21-19 win over Mississippi State in Starkville. The Tigers went 4-0 in SEC road games twice under Miles – 2005 and 2011. Of the 41 SEC road games that LSU has played in the Miles era 22 came against Top 25 teams. LSU is 11-11 in SEC road games vs. Top 25 teams and 15-4 in SEC road games against an unranked opponent.

LSU has played 96 games under Les Miles ranked in the Top 10 in the nation and the Tigers are 76-20 in those games, which includes a 5-0 mark this year. Dating back to his first year at LSU in 2005, LSU has played at least two games as a Top 10 team each year.

LSU continues to lead the SEC in rushing yards, averaging 309.1 a contest. The Tigers are No. 5 in the nation in rushing yards, trailing only Georgia Southern (385.6), Baylor (338.3), Air Force (333.0) and Navy (319.7).

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