Alabama might not spend another week at No. 2.

The Playoff committee gave Nick Saban’s bunch all the motivation it could possibly want, and Saturday night, LSU paid the price.

Alabama, No. 1 all year in the AP Poll, debuted at No. 2 in the initial Playoff rankings, one spot behind Georgia. Strength of schedule was a primary reason. Georgia had it; Alabama lacked it (even though the Tide beat a full-strength No. 3 FSU team to open the season).

Now, you can check that box. Alabama 24, No. 19 LSU 10.

LSU rolled into Bryant-Denny winners of three straight but ended up extending a less desirable streak — suffering its seventh consecutive loss to the Tide.

This one was the familiar formula of stifling defense, opportunistic offense and just enough Jalen Hurts.

Hurts won this game last year, scampering 21 yards in the fourth quarter for the only touchdown.

He got started much earlier Saturday. He capped the Tide’s second drive with a 4-yard toss to Irv Smith for a 7-0 lead and added a second touchdown late in the third quarter to stretch Bama’s cushion to 21-3.

That was more than enough.

Matt Canada, the Pitt offensive coordinator who dialed up a 43-42 upset of eventual national champion Clemson last year, was brought to Baton Rouge to solve the Saban puzzle.

There was some progress, a few big gains and even a touchdown, but ultimately, the splashy new hire came up a few pieces short.

A key series in the second quarter was telling.

LSU responded to Alabama’s second touchdown by driving 70 yards to set up a 1st-and-goal at the Bama 5. Everything in the playbook was open, but it looked a lot like 2012-16.

A handoff to Derrius Guice into the teeth of the Alabama front four was stuffed for a short gain. On second down, Danny Etling’s play-action pass sailed out of reach. On third down, Etling surveyed and scrambled before eventually throwing low and wide.

Three plays, 1 yard. Another field goal. New year, same result.

Not that Alabama ran away and hid. It rarely does in this game. In its previous six wins over the Tigers, the Tide topped 30 points just once.

Darrel Williams answered Hurts’ second TD with a 54-yard run to set up his 2-yard touchdown run. It was LSU’s first TD against the Tide since Leonard Fournette’s late score in 2015, and it trimmed Bama’s lead to 21-10.

This game is never about scoreboard watching. It’s about two defenses capable of suffocating the will out of somebody.

Alabama has played seven Power 5 opponents this season. Exactly one has scored more than 10 points. Saturday, the Tide accomplished that despite losing, at times, four defensive starters.

Saturday was an opportunity to watch and analyze first Georgia and then Alabama. Separate fields, different opponents, but back-to-back TV spots.

Both won, but Alabama scored higher on the eye test.

Soon Georgia, which wrapped up the East, might get its chance to take on Alabama and settle this debate in Atlanta.

But on this Saturday, Alabama, long the king of the SEC, looked the part.