Paul Finebaum is assigning some high stakes to the upcoming Week 11 matchup between Alabama and LSU.
Both the Crimson Tide and Tigers will have 2 losses when they meet in Baton Rouge on Nov. 9. With one of those teams guaranteed to pick up a third loss in that game, Finebaum is terming it as a “Playoff eliminator.”
“What [Alabama] got out of the [Missouri] game more than anything else is just some confidence into the bye week as they get ready for yet another Playoff eliminator,” Finebaum said on the Matt Barrie Show on Sunday. “We saw one yesterday with Missouri and the LSU-Alabama game … it may not be the marquee game of 2 weeks from now because there’s another game that’s more important in terms of drama, but it’s the first Playoff eliminator game we’ve had.”
With the way this season is unfolding, it’s becoming difficult to find a path for any 3 loss team to earn an at-large berth into the College Football Playoff. That reality puts a tremendous amount of pressure on both Alabama and LSU to be perfect for the rest of the season.
LSU is coming off of a disappointing loss in College Station on Saturday night in Week 9. The Tigers led 17-7 at the half, but were unable to adjust to Texas A&M’s QB run game with Marcel Reed after halftime.
Meanwhile, Alabama played perhaps its best SEC game so far under Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide shutout Mizzou in Tuscaloosa to earn an important victory.
Both Alabama and LSU are idle in Week 10 and will be well-rested ahead of their all-important matchup on Nov. 9.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
