LSU may have won the “Game of the Century” in Tuscaloosa, but the program has been paying the price for that victory against Alabama ever since.

The Tigers have not beaten the Crimson Tide since that Nov. 5, 2011, defensive slugfest that featured an Alabama clinic on how to successfully miss kicks at the worst possible time. In what seemed to be a program-defining win for Les Miles’ program, it was that same season that essentially turned the tide against the former LSU head coach in his next matchup against Nick Saban and Alabama.

If you were to ask Paul Finebaum, he’d likely say the only thing worse than LSU’s current streak in the annual Alabama series is the program’s showing in Tuscaloosa in recent seasons. During his weekly Monday morning appearance on Birmingham-based WJOX 94.5 FM radio program “The Roundtable,” the SEC Network host was asked if he was surprised to see the upcoming Alabama-LSU game being moved off the primetime slot by CBS.

CBS recently announced the upcoming “SEC on CBS” broadcast schedule if you missed that news.

The way Finebaum sees it, until LSU proves it can competitively matchup against Alabama on the road, there’s reason for CBS to doubt how well received that game will be in the primetime slot. Here was his response when asked about CBS’ decision.

“No because right now, and I hope the LSU fans will turn their radio down, but the LSU-Alabama game at Bryant-Denny Stadium does not have the cachet that it used to,” Finebaum answered on the show.

Dating back to the 2011 “Game of the Century” won by LSU 9-6 in Tuscaloosa, the Tigers have lost to Alabama 38-17 in 2013, 30-16 in 2015, and 24-10 in 2017 in their showings in Tuscaloosa. In contrast, Notre Dame’s trip to Athens this season will provide not only a rare opportunity for CBS to show the Fighting Irish against an elite SEC team but the matchup looks to be a top 10 showdown by the time the game arrives on Sept. 21.

“We could spend a week promoting how great that (LSU at Alabama) game is going to be and we get the same game every year,” Finebaum continued on the show. “Now, this year may be different, it’s a new year and LSU is better but the last couple of games have been virtually unwatchable and Notre Dame is Notre Dame. Georgia is going to be the No. 3 team in the country, Notre Dame will be a top 10 team.

“That game will draw better than LSU at Alabama. It was a smart move by CBS.”

That may be a sad reality for LSU fans but it’s the truth — for now. If the Tigers finally compete with Alabama in Tuscaloosa again this season, there’s no doubt the Alabama-LSU game will move right back to the primetime spot for the 2020 season and beyond.