How can LSU accomplish the unthinkable and dethrone Alabama Saturday night? Make the Crimson Tide run the ball.

No, we aren’t living in a bizarro world, CBS SEC analyst Gary Danielson suggests LSU’s best chance to win this weekend is to force Alabama to run the ball. It’s an odd juxtaposition after a decade of SEC opponents doing everything in their power to stop Alabama from running the ball but that’s where we are now with the Crimson Tide having Tua Tagavailoa and some of the fastest receivers in the nation to work with heading into this game.

During a recent appearance on WNSP-FM radio show The Opening Kickoff, Danielson recalled an old gameplan utilized by former Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick heading into Super Bowl XXV. Entering the game, the Bills had one of the most dynamic NFL offenses of all time led by quarterback Jim Kelly. Belichick’s gameplan was simple, take the ball out of Kelly’s hands, and shorten the clock by giving the Buffalo offense run friendly looks.

Obviously, the Giants went on to upset the Bills 20-19 in the Super Bowl in one of the game’s biggest upsets. Belichick went on to some success of his own as a head coach following this game.

Here are Danielson’s comments, via Mark Heim of AL.com:

“(Belichick) walked into the defensive room – a defense that shut down everyone’s rushing game. He said ‘if we can get (running back) Thurman Thomas to run for more than 100 yards, we’ll win this game.’ And his team looked at him baffled and thought he made a mistake. More than 100 yards? He said, ‘Yeah, we have to figure out how to take the ball out of Kelly’s hand. Our best way is to entice them to run, make them earn every yard but make them go slowly, and our offense has to help.’

It will be interesting to see if Dave Aranda follows a similar gameplan as no one has devised a scheme to slow down Tua and Alabama’s passing attack. Could it be that taking the ball out of his hands is the only way to stop the Tide?

“I think that’s the formula,” Danielson said on the WNSP show. “LSU’s defense has to give a look that encourages them to run. Then, they have to stay in the game against the running game and slow the game down.”