Best ever? The 2019 LSU team would have beaten the 2020 Alabama team
The 2020 Alabama season was a lot like the 2019 LSU season.
The 2020 Alabama team was a lot like the 2019 LSU team.
The Crimson Tide won the CFP championship with a 13-0 record.
The Tigers won the CFP championship with a 15-0 record.
Both teams had Heisman Trophy winners, both teams had record-setting offenses, both teams had late-blooming defenses and both teams mostly routed the opposition in the regular season and dominated in the postseason.
Both can make compelling cases for having had as good a season as any team in college football history.
But which was better? Which had the better season? Which would prevail if the two teams were able to meet on the football field?
Alabama’s Heisman Trophy winner was a wide receiver (DeVonta Smith), but LSU had a comparable receiver in Biletnikoff winner Ja’Marr Chase.
LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner was a quarterback (Joe Burrow), but Alabama had a second Heisman Trophy finalist in quarterback Mac Jones.
Alabama had an elite running back in Najee Harris and LSU had an elite running back in Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Alabama’s offensive line was voted the best in the country, just as LSU’s was.
The most noticeable difference between the two seasons was the presence of COVID-19 for the Crimson Tide’s championship run and the absence of it for the Tigers’ championship run.
That difference was most clearly manifested in the schedules the teams played in the regular season. Alabama played a 10-game All-SEC schedule and LSU played a traditional pre-COVID 8-game SEC schedule and 4-game nonconference schedule.
The bottom line was that Alabama picked up SEC games against Kentucky and Missouri and LSU had nonconference games against Georgia Southern, Texas, Northwestern State and Utah State.
Alabama didn’t have a one-score margin of victory the entire regular season. Its smallest margin of victory was 15 points against Ole Miss. LSU had 3 one-score margins of victory in the regular season – beating Auburn by 3, Alabama by 5 and Texas by 7.
Alabama’s regular-season margin of victory was 30 points, LSU’s was 27.
Alabama won the SEC Championship Game by 6 points against Florida, and LSU won the SEC Championship Game by 27 points over Georgia.
Alabama won its CFP semifinal by 17 points over Notre Dame, and LSU won its semifinal game by 35 points over Oklahoma.
Alabama won its championship game by 28 over an Ohio State team missing multiple starters due to COVID, and LSU won its championship game by 17 points over Clemson.
The most notable difference between the teams was the degree of championship experience between the head coaches.
The Crimson Tide’s championship was the 6th at the school for Nick Saban and Saban’s 7th, counting the one he won at LSU after the 2003 season.
The Tigers’ championship was the first for Ed Orgeron.
That disparity would have given Alabama a clear advantage, but not an insurmountable one if the teams had met.
If they had played, Smith would have been covered mostly if not exclusively by Derek Stingley Jr. Smith would have made a bunch of plays, and Stingley probably would have made a few of his own.
Both offenses would have marched up and down the field and made a whole bunch of big plays.
Occasionally the defenses would have gotten stops. A mere two or three stops by either defense would have been enough to decide the game.
Probably the team with the ball last would have won.
But one way or another Burrow would have done what Burrow did during his runaway Heisman Trophy season – make as many big plays as necessary to make the difference.
LSU would have won by a touchdown.
This was an interesting and factual article right up until the last two sentences.
Ditto.
Ditto Ditto.
x 3
Says the team that hasn’t beaten Bama since 08.. LSU had to accomplish more in their season than Bama did this past season.
?
Accomplished more? LSU won the SEC and NC… Bama won the SEC and NC…
I think he means LSU had to break an eight-game losing streak to undefeated Bama, while Bama only had to beat the worst defending champion in football history, LSU. :)
That and possibly the additional cupcakes LSU had to beat which, you know, is a pretty big deal.
Dang what a disappointment. I didn’t even read the article I just wanted to log in and scroll to the bottom and see all the Bammers losing their mind.
Weak.
Gumps know they would’ve lost so there’s no need. LSU had a defense that would’ve had more of an impact limiting Smith but him and Harrid still would’ve had a field day cause their an offense I doubt we’ll see again anytime soon.
You do realize LSU had a crack at Smith in 2019? He only had 7 catches for 213 yards and 2 TD’s. This year Smith had 8 catches for 231 yards and 3 TD’s. That doesn’t sound like LSU limited Smith much at all to me. As a matter of fact I’m pretty sure Stingley is still curled up in the fetal position and calling for his mother. The times Stingely went up against Smith it didn’t go well for him. I realize there are other DB’s but Smith pretty much has his way both years.
Here is the easy rout to common sense why LSU was a better team. They had to accomplish more than Bama last year against better teams, especially in the playoffs. Secondly, Burrows beat Bama last year and its nearly a carbon copy of that same team this year with respect to players and coaching.
Yes, Stingley was burned by Smith in 2019. So what? Bama still lost and the game was never in doubt, so Smith was irrelevant.
Stingley was embarrassed both years by Devonta Smith. Pretending that Alabama wouldn’t have a massive coaching advantage in this game is wishful thinking. As is pretending that LSU’s OL (which featured no 1st round picks) could hold a candle to Alabama’s 2020 OL. The only advantage LSU would have is Joe Burrow’s mobility. They beat the weakest Alabama team in 5 years by 5 points. They wouldn’t come within 14 of the best Saban team.
Right? lol. Thats exactly what I did.
Pretty sure a contrary article was posted just two days ago.
Is SDS just pandering to specific fan bases now?
Haha, “now.”
Pandering for clicks.
Wow an educated Miss St fan… I’m impressed. I also agree ;)
Naturally.
There’s a good argument to be made either way, if we’re being honest. I think SDS is just pointing out both side of the argument, which is a good approach. Frankly, I think the 2020 Bama team would have won by a TD or so, but it would definitely be a game for the ages.
I agree with Les about Burrow and have posted it before – Burrow wasn’t going to be beaten last year. Mac showed the same effect, but was only truly tested in maybe 2 games, where Burrow had to continually prove it. Advantage – Burrow and LSU.
Your argument actually proves the reverse. Jones was tested maybe 2 games while Burrows had to continually had to prove it. Wouldn’t the better team be the one who wasn’t continually tested?
You could say that, I guess. Then I could say LSU played more games against a tougher schedule. LSU beat 7 top 10 teams last year, so of course there were more closer games.
Jones was tested less because they played a lesser schedule. Facts
Bama’s team last year that lost to LSU is a cogwheel repeat of talent and nearly as a whole of this years team whom had to accomplish less than LSU. ND compared to OU. No comparison. UF would have spanked ND. OSU was playing a skeleton crew due to opt outs. The final question is, which team accomplished more in those two given season.. Simple. LSU.
That’s certainly a valid take darthSaban. But my argument is that because Mac wasn’t as battle-tested as Burrow we can’t be sure he would have been able to hold up as well.
I’ll repeat what many posters are fairly pointing out, that LSU faced full-strength teams in 2019 where Bama played less-than-full-strength teams, often without their best players, and that is the main difference between the seasons.
PFF already compared the 2 QBs, and although they had similar stats, Burrow played much better. Jones was always throwing to wide open receivers, and Burrow was historically good throwing in tight windows, for example.
Burrow had all the intangibles last year and had to put it on display to successfully navigate the season. Mac never really had to do that as much.
I don’t know if LSU wins by a TD (probably less or maybe not at all) but it’s crazy how similar these teams were. Talent all over the field and the stars on one side matched almost evenly by the stars on the other side. In terms of the greatest teams of all time, I do think that recency bias sets in with these two, and that 2001 Miami and 1995 Nebraska deserve their due. Between these 4, I’d lean 2001 Miami, but it’s tight…
Finally a poster that makes sense. These two team it’s a toss up on a given night. 95 Nebraska was amazing. But 01’ Miami, for all the NFL talent on 19 LSU and 20 Bama, Miami 01’ was the best team all around. Better defense than either of these two. Only draw back was they won in spite of Coker who wasn’t a very good coach. Which makes the team more impressive.
How many times did Miami’s defense play against spread offenses that year? The game has changed in favor of the offenses since then.
The game has certainly changed. If we look at in the context of how it was played in the past we might have a different option. Back when defense won championships there were teams that had defenses that were just as dominate as the 2019 and 2020 Bama offenses.
This is a great point wrashall. By their logic the team of 39 TN vols whom never let an offense score one point on them the entire season at one time was thought to have been the best all time. Yet, that TN D of 39 didn’t see anything the likes of a Burrows or Jones. The game has changed a lot on offense over the last couple of years and its still undefeated. All won natty’s the last few years.
It’s certainly an interesting discussion point. Too bad there’s no right answer.
LSU = One Hit Wonder = Worst defending Champion Ever
2001 Miami, playing by today’s rules, wouldn’t come close to scoring enough to beat either of these teams. Elite offense beats elite defense, and 2001 Miami’s defense wasn’t best in college football history.
Maybe! I was reading something Nick Saban said back in October that I thought was super interesting and kind of sheds some light on one of the reasons the offenses look so good nowadays. He was saying the best athletes in high school play offense so basically saying the defense players aren’t as good as they used to be.
1. ’71 Nebraska
2. ’95 Nebraska
3. ’01 Miami/2019 LSU
4. ’72 USC/2020 Bama
I think this would have been a great game. I really think it would’ve come down to which defenses could get 3rd down stops in the 3rd and 5+ ranges.
I’m not sure which team would win, to be honest. But I’ll admit I lol’d when some of his reasoning was Stingley Jr. on Devonta. Devonta took him for 200 last year and vastly improved between last year and this year.
Yea, I agree these two teams were surprisingly similar. Both great teams.
I don’t think Stingley was covering him every play but Smith had a couple of big plays against Stingley which accounted for probably 120 yards. One of the plays was a bit of a fluke when Stingley was looking to the sideline to get the signal and the ball was snapped. The other was the big play on the last drive. I still can’t believe they were in that coverage at that point of the game. It would be a senior vs a true freshman matchup so advantage Smith. This whole which team is better can’t be proven and each teams fan base is convinced their team is better.
Honestly, I think it was proven last year when they played. Is this Bama team that much better than last years? Its a cogwheel team of rotating talent and LSU still won. Ironically, almost by the same score this article predicts they would have won by this year.
It was pretty clear Bama had planned that play to snap the ball when the defense looked to the sidelines, because Tua stood up as if to look to the side himself, then when LSU did, he immediately took the snap. Trick play that worked. Would never work again, though.
Recency bias? TFL might be right, but man, when I watched LSU last year and Bama this year I kept thinking, “fine-tuned, well-oiled machines!” They were awesome to watch.
And I think I’d give the edge, a slight one, to either team over Miami, although a monster in itself.
We will never know the answer. I think Burrow is the better QB, but DeVonta Smith is the better WR. Both star running backs were outstanding.
2019 LSU team had more than Chase at WR. They had 3 great WRs.
One team had 3 of the top 5 Heisman finalist and their best receiver was injured. The other has an L on their helmet.
ESPN took a swing at answering this scientifically with the SP+ ratings. Using this formula, Alabama’s 2020 team had the best college football team dating back to 1883. The 99.718 percentile pushed the Tide over the 1959 Syracuse team that previously held the top spot.
Alabama 2020 and LSU 2019 had very similar offensive statistics, but again, this is a debate with no indisputable answer.
That 1883 team didn’t play anybody!
Syracuse plays football?
They “use to” play football. Craziest thing is that 1959 team was 2 years AFTER Jim Brown. Syracuse has had about 2 players I can name and he is 1 of them…
Bama played against a lot of depleted teams this year. That probably skewed the ratings somewhat.
Waddle is a great talent, super explosive, but I don’t think he’s better than Smith. This invalidates your point. Also, having 3 Heisman candidate finalists isn’t the advantage you indicate. While all 3 are great players, two of them literally share the same stats, while another partially shares some stats. Giving multiple players credit for the same stats seems like cheating. So I won’t.
This is just clickbait. Smitty hung over 400 yards on Stingley in two games! Ridiculous.
Does anyone really think 2019 LSU would have held 2020 Alabama to 13 points in the first half?
Yeah, me neither. You can compare the resumes all you want, but 2019 Alabama played them awfully close. 2020 Alabama was a lot better.
2019 game was not close until the final minute. LSU controlled that entire game. Last minute TD made the score look closer than it was. Bama never had the ball with a chance to take the lead.
What game did Bama ever not have control of this year.
The point was 2019 Bama wasn’t close to 2019 LSU. I don’t see your argument that 2020 bama was better than 2019 Bama.
Not exactly, Bama had the ball with a chance to win with 1:21 on the clock.
Says you
Says Joe Burrow.
2 of greatest teams ever, but likely decisive measure is strength of teams played. One played an SEC only schedule followed by SEC championship and 2 CFP opponents. The other played and defeated a decisively historic number of top 10 ranked teams in a 12 game schedule followed by SEC championship and 2 CFP opponents. It doesn’t get much closer than that, but there is a clear difference.
Bama beat 5 teams who finished in the top 10. They beat 3 teams that finished in the top 5. LSU beat ranked teams when they played but how many finished in the top 10? Top 5? You are right though. It doesn’t get much closer but beating the most top 10-5 teams shows a clear difference.
Bama played against COVID and opt – out depleted teams. LSU played against complete teams, and more of them.
Not too mention also playing real road games…if people don’t think it matters than they obviously haven’t been to an away game to see their team play.
Alabama did not beat five top 10 teams. They beat four of the top 10 and five in the top 25. LSU best five of the top eight and seven that finished in the top 25. Advantage LSU.
Bama beat 5 teams in the top ten? Where were those teams ranked by season’s end? UGA and UF was way down the list in the top ten. Comparing this years ND to last years OU..OU the better team. Last years Clemson vs this years depleted OSU. Clemson the better team, plus two extra games. LSU just did more and beat a nearly identical talented team last year in Alabama compared to this year’s Bama squad.
No doubt that the 2020 Bama team was better than the 2019 team and that team lost to LSU by only five. So NO, as great as LSU was last year they would not have beaten Bama by a td – most likely it would have gone into OT and then after about ten OT periods one of them would have to kick a FG – I’d give that edge to Bama!
Again, the 2019 game was never in doubt – don’t let the final score fool you. Bama never had the ball with a chance to take the lead. Last minute TD made the score look close, but the game was never in doubt. LSU controlled the entire game.
Burrow tells the truth in his postgame comments.
“total domination!”… buy 5 points!
Burrow was FOS. He was outscored 28-13 in the second half and was sweating bullets when Bama lined up for the onsides kick.
Y’all never had an opportunity to get ahead. I trust Burrow more than anyone here on how he felt about the game. Nicky and the Tide secondary were the only ones “sweating bullets” that game.
Huh? Of course, we had the opportunity to execute an onside kick giving Tua the ball about mid-field with 1:21 on the clock. Unsuccessful opportunity but the opportunity *was* there.
Well…I guess I meant “executed opportunity.” Not sure that makes it better.
You’d give to Bama by a kicker?
You are new to Bama football honestly…
And you must not know how the kicker played this season. Our kicker was perfect on the year, field goals and extra points.
There is some doubt as to whether 2020 was better than 2019. 2019 actually had Waddle. Wasn’t Jeudy and Rugg on 2019? Seems they were pretty good. Y’all hade some little white guy out there this year. Bolden.
Best part of this post is I can prove it to be false. I think 2020 Alabama is Better and I’m not an Alabama fan.
Ok, where’s your proof?
Dumb click bait articles after the season is over. Where’s that SDS creativity?
Nobody outside of the state of Alabama thinks 2020 bama beats 2019 lsu.
History will remember 2019 lsu as the better team… and it burns bama fans up.
LOL, … preach on
Yes because LSU 19 accomplished more on the field. Bama would have a better argument if this years Bama team was head and shoulders above last year’s Bama squad. Sorry, their just not. LSU 19 also seems to have multiple stars at all positions. Bama this year it was the Waddle, Smith and Jones show. A team with a more elite QB will always have more developed targets to throw the ball. Bama could have won in 19 against LSU if they developed more wide receivers like LSU did. Only flaw I see with Saban.
I would give Mac Jones an edge over Tua because of his ability to to read defenses quicker and his overall understanding of Sarkisian’s offensive scheme. Tua has more talent with his threat to scramble and make plays. But, Mac’s ability step up into the pocket and avoid rushers, along with getting the ball out on time, helps remedy his scrambling inability.
Wait, what? Bama 2019 had 3 great WRs and Waddle. Their WR corps was great. I know the 2 that were drafted haven’t done anything in the NFL, but they were pretty good in college.
Best part about this post is I can prove it to be false right now. I think 2020 Alabama was better
And once again, you show no proof. Is that all you can say?
2019 LSU beats 2020 Bama by a TD? 2019 LSU couldn’t beat 2019 Bama by a TD.
Bama 20, contrary to belief isn’t that much better than Bama 19. Player for player, depth for depth. It’s nearly and identical squad. Bama looks better this year only slightly due to other teams fall off from a Covid19 year. Most of the SEC 2019 were better than SEC 2020 as a whole. Look at TN. An o’line on paper that nearly rivaled Bama’s. Nothing less than 5 starts across the line. The so so’s of the SEC last year, weren’t good this year. Even UGA had issues.
The 2019 Bama team wasn’t much different than this years team. They blew everyone out prior to the LSU game. LSU controlled the game and it was played at Bama. The reason the 2019 Bama team isn’t looked at the same way as 2020 is because they lost to LSU then Tua was out which contributed to the loss to Auburn.
The 2020 schedule ended up being weak and I don’t care about adding Kentucky and Missouri. LSU opened the season at Texas in probably the biggest home game for Texas in a decade. Keep in mind they play OU in Dallas every year. Somehow some people think playing UK and Missou is tougher than Texas and three rent a wins. The 2020 Bama team didn’t have to play any game as remotely tough as LSU at Bama.
The only team on the 2020 Bama schedule that was better than 2019 is A&M and most were significantly worse. Florida was probably about the same. Two of the three close games that LSU played were early in the season except Bama and they had a great team. 2020 Bama had a close game against a not great Florida team in the SEC Championship but that gets glossed over.
I don’t know who would win because they are pretty evenly matched but LSU has the better resume.
I hope you’re referring to more than the score. Because the game wasn’t that close. Bama never had the ball with a chance to take the lead. Garbage time TDs made the game look closer than it was. there was no reason for LSU to play hard down the stretch, because they had an unsurmountable lead.
Next in the SDS mythical battle series….t rex vs. megalodon.
Megladon nearly 100 feet long with speed and bite power. T’rex, baby arms and 40 feet long, nose to tail and 14 feet high at the hips. Winner: Megladon! lol
Yes but the t rex is driven by a lifetime of frustration because their arms are too short to scratch their junk.
But they battle on land…
I have honestly been asked this question by a 4th grader. My answer was “are they in the water or on land?”
The separator: 2019 LSU beat more top 10 and top 25 teams than any team in history (not just 2020 Bama). What were the comparative stats on that again?
WannaMontana, I’m with you. LSU just did more and did better against better playoff teams than Bama 2020.
There is a lesson here, kids.
Don’t do drugs.
Sure the 2019 LSU team had a tougher road.. they had to play 11 sec games!…ah no wait that was bama 2020 (dumbass’s)… & why is an Arkansas fan commenting on championship teams ?.. hmm
Imagine that: Some LSU honk, trying to make his fanbase feel better after 55-17 and a misery-inducing 5-5 season, drums up this bit of propaganda.
Here’s the bottom line: It is 2021 and Alabama is champion. Alabama will be right back in the mix for the championship next year, while LSU continues to wait for the NCAA hammer to drop, and more quitters to “opt out” and others to jump into the transfer portal to escape a program in decline. LSU fans want to believe that 2019 was the “normal” but it is the only season since 2012 that didn’t involve at least 3 losses. Aberration. Flash in the pan.
This has been talked about by several writers. You being late to the party is nothing new. It’s funny how some Bama fans get all upset when something positive is written about other teams. Three aberrations for LSU in less than 20 years.
It’s true … it seems the self-worth of some Bama fans is directly tied to the university football team, and they can’t stand to share the limelight in any way. It’s a personal affront to them if someone else has success. Kind of narcissistic in a weird way.
So, if you objectively look at LSU’s last 9 seasons, are you saying that 2019 doesn’t definitively stand out as the aberration, among all those 3-5 loss seasons? I’m not talking about ancient history in 2003 or 2007, so no need to go back that far.
It’s not a “definite aberration” as you and so many Tide fans want it to be, LSU always expects to be in the running and usually is. Convenient to stop your record counting just after 13-1 (2011) and 11-2 (2010) seasons.
Nonsense, didn’t beat 2019 Bama by a touchdown.
True. LSU went into victory formation and took a knee three times in Bama territory to end the game. Would you have wanted them to score again? Because they sure could have.
Nice bayou tiger…keep it coming!
5 points.
And woulda-shoulda-coulda? There’s a good reason for the victory formation. One of those three snaps “coulda” been a pick-6 or scoop ‘n score. It’s not like LSU was being compassionate. smh.
I wonder how many more Alabama could have scored on LSU about 6 weeks ago. That is the real question. No one I know was really satisfied with hanging only 55 on them. We all wanted 70+.
2019 LSU was the best team in 2019.. they went undefeated playing a good schedule.. but nobody knows between LSU 2019 & bama 2020 who would have won..both teams were good enough to possibly beat the other… if you don’t realize that you’re a dumbass.. all I’m saying
Joe Bureaux >>> Mac Jones
2020 Bama > 2019 LSU
And now are undefeated basketball team is gonna take their show to baton rouge and whip your team’s ass.
Stick to baseball chumps… Football is our domain, recognise!
How does that old saying go? I think that it is something like………
“Never argue with an idiot. People watching might not be able to tell who is who.”
You’re joking right? The head to head matchup in 2019 came down to an onside kick, and THAT game was played with a wounded Tua and Bama spotting LSU a 33-13 lead at halftime! With such a narrow vic with a wounded Tua, how would they fare against Bama in 2020 at full strength? Additionally, claiming Stingley would hold serve against Devonte Smith is HI-larious. Smith had over 400 yards against him in their last 2 matchups.
Tua played the whole game dude so get over and he had over 400 yards passing! Plus LSU had the ball on the last possession, ended the game at Bama 36 and could have easily put it in the end zone if they wanted to! You Bama fans crack me up, you just can’t accept that the 2019 LSU Tigers is the greatest of all time!! Get over it brother because the fact is LSU was way more battle tested then Bama was, beat and 7 top 10 teams! We’ll never see another championship team play 7 top 10 teams and beat them all! For the record though I do think the 2020 Alabama has the second greatest team of all time, bumped the 2001 Miami Hurricanes down from number 2 to number 3.
The article was factual all the way through!! Bama fans just have a tough time accepting that the 2019 LSU team was way more battle-tested with having beat 7 top 10 teams and beat the preseason top 4 teams by an average of almost 20 points, but it’s a fact even you Bama fans can’t change!! I doubt we’ll ever another championship team play seven top 10 teams in one season and beat them all! The 2019 LSU Tigers are the GOAT!!!