Hey, internet: Here's 1 thing I don't want to see happen for Alabama or LSU on Saturday
One thing is for certain.
Come Saturday night, the Twittersphere will be buzzing with fire takes. Conclusions will be drawn based on what we see go down on the Bayou. That’s what happens when a pair of top-4 teams meet in November.
I have no problem with that — to a certain extent. If Alabama wins by 28 in Death Valley and you want to say that this is looking like an all-time team, that’s cool. If LSU stuns Nick Saban’s squad and you want to pencil the Tigers into the Playoff and say that they’re the team to beat in college football, there’s nothing wrong with that, either.
But I fear that fans are gonna fan and we’ll see one of two awful takes flying by night’s end, depending on who wins.
One of them is obvious. That is, if Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t set the world on fire and he actually struggles, we should just chalk up his first two months to Alabama’s weak schedule.
The other awful internet take that could surface is a little bit less obvious, but it seems inevitable. That is, if LSU loses, we all go back to thinking that Ed Orgeron isn’t one of the sport’s top coaches.
I hate both of those takes on so many levels that I’m getting mad online before they even surface. Well, at least I’m not getting as mad as some of the Alabama and LSU fans who reacted to this photo:
#LSU HC Ed Orgeron and #Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa probably talking spam and gumbo at the game tonight. @TrussTribune @TribSportsLive pic.twitter.com/Eehdqeihjh
— Justin Nails (@justinnails) October 27, 2018
Let’s start with the guy on the left because as we know, all eyes will be on the Heisman Trophy frontrunner on Saturday night.
He’s already earned this larger-than-life persona with his play dating back to the national championship game comeback. It keeps building with each week that he lights up a defense and sits for the majority of the second half. What he’s done so far is as close to perfect at the position as you can be.
That’s all the more reason for the haters to pounce on something at the first sign of weakness. Nothing gets college football Twitter riled up like Alabama looking human for 5 seconds. I can imagine how Twitter would react if Tagovailoa came out and threw and interception on the first play.
“TUA IS SHOOK.”
“Tua finally faces a real defense and he falls apart.”
“OVER-RATED.”
“Saban should put Jalen in.”
OK, if anyone actually suggests that last one, they should have their Twitter account suspended. Jalen Hurts ain’t Tagovailoa, and one interception won’t change that. Duh. Against arguably the top secondary in the country in arguably the most raucous road venue in the country, give me Tagovailoa over anybody in college football.
Speaking of that secondary, we shouldn’t be surprised if it makes a big play or two against the Alabama passing game. Maybe Tagovailoa has his first interception of the year, or maybe Grant Delpit blitzes off the edge and the lefty is sacked for the fourth time this season. That’s not crazy. Let’s not freak out if that happens.
If it doesn’t happen and Alabama continues its rampage through college football, let’s not decide that it’s because Orgeron can’t coach. That narrative should be dead by now. Getting LSU to a potential division title game in November with that gauntlet of a schedule is proof that Orgeron is far more than a figurehead and a pregame speech.

Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
LSU avoided the trap games and rose to the occasion at every turn. We’re talking about a defensive-minded coach who’s leading a team that has gone 18 straight games without allowing more than 27 points. Alabama can’t say that, and neither can Georgia. Yeah, having a coordinator as good as Dave Aranda is a big reason LSU accomplished a feat like that. But anyone in that locker room will tell you that it ain’t the only reason.
Whether the college football world wants to admit it or not, Orgeron is as good of a bargain as there is in the sport at $3.5 million per year. Y’all. That’s what Chad Morris is making this year. That’s just more than half of what Gus Malzahn is making with his new deal.
That’s not bad for a guy who’s 13-3 (10-2 in the SEC) with six wins over ranked teams dating back to the start of October 2017. By the way, those three losses were all to top-25 teams away from Tiger Stadium.
Win, lose or draw on Saturday night, let’s not dismiss the job Orgeron has done. If Orgeron can’t beat the greatest coach of all time who has arguably his greatest team of all time, it should by no means erase that body of work. All signs point to LSU going to a New Year’s Day 6 Bowl and returning a ton of talent for what’ll be a preseason top 5 or at least top 10 team. A whole lot of programs would kill for that.
But I know the way this works. If LSU struggles (especially offensively) and Alabama continues the streak, the questions about Orgeron will surface. Some will wonder if the same thing that doomed Les Miles — losing too much to Saban — will prevent Orgeron from ever feeling like the long-term guy in Baton Rouge.
Barring a complete meltdown in 2018, that discussion should move to the back burner for the foreseeable future.
It would be classic SEC for the Orgeron doubt or the Tagovailoa nitpicking to come out on Saturday night. Both have been revelations this college football season.
Orgeron’s seat was as hot as it could’ve been, at least according to preseason prognosticators. Tagovailoa’s spotlight was as bright as it could’ve been, at least according to anyone who followed college football.
Both will have a major opportunity to add another chapter to what has been a season of exceeding expectations. People have been waiting for both of them to trip up, and with the exception of LSU losing at Florida, those chances have been few and far between. We know that either Orgeron or Tagovailoa will come up short on Saturday night. The internet trolls will come out in full force.
My suggestion? Just sit this one out.
Bama against the WORLD. I hope Bama takes the entire country against them as motivation and send those cajuns packing by the middle of the 3rd.
Scariest halloween costume I saw was a guy wearing a shirt that said “TUA IS ONLY A SOPHOMORE.” That is extremely scary for the rest of college football including this self proclaimed DBU? really. Where has the DBU been the last 8 years?
If blake sims can go on the road in baton rouge in win in that raucous environment with an above average bama team, I cant wait to see Tua can slice and dice through that defense.
The media has TRIED ITS BEST to motivate this LSU team, but when its all said and done, it wont be close. The only thing going for LSU is that the world wants the champ to fall and the game being in LSU.
LSU is like Auburn. Plays out of their mind at home, but can manage a top 25 away from the stadium. (Auburn win has turned out to be pathetic w)
Dumbo, all but one (GEORGIA) of our top 25 wins have been at neutral fields or at opponents site! What will be fun to watch is when Bama does get beat is the crying you will be doing!
Just curious, as I’ve yet to see anyone make a rational, informed argument for an LSU win, what’s your reasoning for an LSU win. Preferably one that doesn’t involve home field advantage since Alabama keeps winning there. I mean Bama has the better offense by a long shot (2nd in total offense vs 86th), the better defense (in most every category), and has faced better offensive opponents than LSU has or is. I’m not saying a win isn’t possible, I’m just curious as to the reasoning behind picking LSU, apart from being a fan.
Get out of here troll!
I think Bama will win, but it won’t be a cakewalk. Tua will make some plays, but LSU’s defense will be stingy. I think it will be a lot closer than any of the other games. My hopes/prayers are that nobody is seriously hurt on either side. Would LOVE to tailgate at LSU, if the people were nice enough. The FOOD would be incredible! Just wouldn’t want to get spit on, chit on or pizz’d on in the process. Hope the rumors I heard about a lot of their fans are not true.
Sorry Chad, meant to post this generally. Wasn’t meaning to reply specifically back to you, but somehow did.
Oh I am ready for the “Tua is Shook!” and “Put Jalen In” takes if LSU can beat Bama!
Bring those on!
UGA fans want Fromm replaced every week…. You should focus on that. Let him struggle against UK.
Not unlike Alabama fans calling for Tua to come off the bench last season….
Jalen was playing like $hit for the entire second half of the season last year…. Fromm is playing very well and it’s not even comparable to how hurts performed to end last season…..
Well, yeah, because it was obvious Tua was better…no one really knows what you’re getting with Fields so to be calling for Fields over Fromm at this point is stupid.
Relax. Have some gumbo.
That cdub is one serious Bammer. Notice the caps for emphasis.
Well, you always know when everything that can be written about a game has been written because you get articles like this, an extra long piece of nonsense. I do wonder if there are people capable of writing an article with correct grammar? Is that a thing of the past?
Grammar aside, I didn’t see anything false. I thought the article was spot on. I always liked Coach O and think he gets a bad wrap. We all should know that if LSU wins the narrative will be, I told you they haven’t played anyone.