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Dave Aranda earns $ 2.5 million a year as LSU's defensive coordinator.
He is the highest paid assistant of college football. Until now, LSU has value for money. The third-place Tigers in college football ranked seventh overall in defense (15.1 points per game), sixth in defensive efficiency and tied for the top spot in the national standings with 14 interceptions.
This is Alabama in first place with an average of 54.1 points per game. He beat his eight opponents by an average of 38.25 points. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leads the nation in terms of efficiency and is the only quarterback in the country not to have bet.
It is unlikely that Alabama's big offense will put Tua's scare in the heart of LSU when 14-and-a-half Crimson Tide will visit the Tiger Stadium on Saturday night. The double-digit spread has made the Tigers the biggest underdog at home since 1997.
LSU has already seen this highly rated film. The tide recorded an average of 43 points per game in 2016 before settling for a 10-0 win. Last season, Alabama averaged 43 points, but did not put the Tigers out before the second half, winning a 24-10 win.
In Alabama, winning at Tiger Stadium usually requires a lot of work. Since a loss to LSU in 2007, Alabama's victory margin at Death Valley is 5.3 points.
Aranda is in his third season at LSU and it's his best defense. He has three possible first-round selections in cornerback Greedy Williams, safety Grant Delpit (think Minkah Fitzpatrick) and linebacker Devin White, who will miss the first half due to a call to the target in the second half of the Tigers' victory against the Mississippi State. .
Led in front of tackler Breiden Fehoko and finishing Rashard Lawrence and Glen Logan, LSU brings a decisive pass that Tagovailoa has not seen since Georgia in the national championship game.
When the Tigers faced Georgia three weeks ago at Tiger Stadium, they faced the Bulldogs 36-16. Georgia was ranked among the top 8 points and second place in the country. His prolific offensive was overwhelmed by Aranda's offensive defense. Jake Fromm was fired three times and made 16 of 34 passes with two interceptions. The current game produced 113 yards, 136 below the average.
The LSU defense, as good as it is, needs a match against Georgia to shoot the biggest shock of the year.
This week's choices:
Alabama against LSU
We see where the former Auburn coach, Tommy Tuberville, says that if LSU wants to draw attention to Baton Rouge coach, Ed Orgeron has to pose as "Riverboat Gambler" in Alabama.
He must not have watched the Georgia match. Orgeron and the Tigers have gone to an aggressive higher level: they have won four times the fourth position and converted the four. You want Riverboat Gambler? Orgeron tried his luck with the Tigers in the 38th quarter.
Aranda's game plan sparked the fight with pre-snap formations that Georgia had not seen, according to Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm.
With a week off, Aranda will play an early and aggressive chess game. If LSU stops Alabama in his first possession, which has not happened this season, get off the Richter scale. The Tiger Stadium, with 102,000 seats, will vibrate. And if Tagovailoa plays in the fourth quarter for the first time this year, it's either because Jalen Hurts did not recover from a sprained ankle, either because Orgeron is keeping his promise that his team can match the talent of the tide and end seven goals. Lost match against Nick Saban. If the match is tight, LSU has an incredible advantage. Kicker Cole Tracey is the first in the country with 21 of 23 goals scored. Zach Von Rosenberg is seventh in punting, averaging 46 yards per kick. He can return a field. Alabama? Do not ask.
The big problem for LSU is an offense that has trouble making big games and ranks 86th in the country at the third failure, converting only 37%. Quarterback Joe Burrow is stable, but will not get it. The defense of Alabama must finally show the country that it is not enough to go it alone. And the arena on the offensive will be as much on the half Josh Jacobs, Damien Harris and Najee Harris as on Tagovailoa.
Alabama 35, LSU 20
Texas A & M vs. Auburn
Explaining what's wrong with the Auburn season – the Tigers are 5-3 and a four-point favorite this week – begins with the run. Or lack of one. Losing two games in Jordan-Hare remains mysterious. With a week off, Auburn's defense should be his former dominant self, but he still has secondary problems. An open date, however, is not going to sprinkle pixie dust on offensive line problems and an inconsistent Jarrett Stidham, A & M has the defense to contain the Tigers, who are 12th in the league in running (172.2 yards per game), tenth in total offense (389.3) and in the last five scoring (28.38 points per game).
Aggies' No. 20 diary did not seem so hot last week when he was defeated at Mississippi State, but he showed his success in a win against Kentucky and in defeats against Clemson and Alabama.
Texas A & M 23, Auburn 20
Texas-San Antonio vs. UAB
The 7-1 Blazers are having a magical season after a magical season. They head the Conference USA West Division and if they manage the home affairs against the 3-5 Texas-San Antonio on Saturday night at Legion Field and next week at home against the Southern Miss 3-4, you will see UAB play on December 1st. league championship game, maybe even at Legion Field.
With a one-game lead in the West and holding all the deciding points in case they finish in force, it will not matter what will happen during the season finale in Middle Tennessee (5-3) , although it will matter to Blazers and Blazers. their pride. San Antonio is an outsider with 22 points with a very bad foul. The Roadrunners are tied for 127th in the country scoring (17.4), 118th in passing (150.9) and 126th in the precipitate (94.5). This is not good news against the Blazers and the best defense in the league.
UAB 31, USTA 13
South Alabama against the state of Arkansas
The 2-6 Jaguars should win their last four games to be eligible for the bowl, which will not happen on the road against 15 1/2 points favored, Arkansas State (4-4). The Red Wolves were not part of the team that could have won the Sun Belt title, but they went 3-1 at home.
The United States defense, ranked 124th in the nation in points allocated (39.1), will struggle to slow down Judge Hansen, first courier of the school, and the attack at an accelerated pace Wolves averages 278.4 passing yards and 30.1 points per game.
Arkansas State 38, South Alabama 28
SECOND
Georgia 24, Kentucky 13
Ole Miss 35, South Carolina 21
Florida 24, Missouri 20
Mississippi State 23, Louisiana Tech 13
Spoil alert
Outsider 10 points Stanford 28, Washington 24
Outsider 7 1/2 points Pittsburgh 36, No. 25 Virginia 35 (today)
Favorite 2 points
Other games
Michigan 23, Penn State 13
Notre Dame 26, Northwestern 21
Ohio State 40, Nebraska 21
Texas 38, West Virginia 35
Utah 30, Arizona State 21
Houston 41, SMU 20
Oklahoma 45, Texas Tech 40
Washington State 37, California 31
Oklahoma State 40, Baylor 24
Troy 35, Louisiana 28
Last week: 13-7
Season: 136-44
Charles Hollis covers college football since 1983
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