Jumbo Package: Time set for Alabama vs LSU

Happy Tuesday, everyone. We got a little bit of the bye week blues going on, but did learn that Alabama vs. LSU will be played under the lights.

The Crimson Tide will face the Tigers at 6:45 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

Each team has an open weekend beforehand. Alabama is fresh off a 34-20 win over Tennessee. Meanwhile, LSU just beat Army 62-0.

The game between the Crimson Tide and Tigers has SEC West implications. LSU aims to win the division again after doing so in coach Brian Kelly’s first season in 2022. A year ago, the Tigers beat Alabama in Baton Rouge in overtime.

That crowd needs to get crazy.

Kirk McNair woke up and chose violence.

It would seem that Alabama does not look ahead when playing the week before an open date. Under Saban, including last Saturday’s win over Tennessee, Bama is 21-0 in those games, Tennessee the victim in 11 of them.After the bye week, things have not been as rosy for the Crimson Tide, only 14-6 in those games after the open date. And LSU has been the team with the most success, Alabama’s margin against the Tigers only 8-5.

Blake Toppmeyer posted a bye week Nick for Clicks.

Nick Saban appears to be having a helluva of a time this Alabama football season, and I hope no Crimson Tide fan takes this for granted.

What — or rather, who — would be the alternative, if Saban retired?

Dabo Swinney? No thanks. Anyone but Clemson’s self-righteous coach, who no longer can beat Duke. James Franklin? Only if Alabama never wants to win another big game. Dan Lanning? Um, no. Alabama fans might beat Lanning silly with a pompom the first time he went for fourth down from his own 34-yard line. Coach Prime? Surely you jest. He might be the one coach more full of himself than Swinney.

Speaking of Nick, he was asked in a roundabout way if he feels like he provides some semblance of work life balance for his staff. Take this answer as you will.

How about a little ‘crootin roundup?

At this point in the cycle, Alabama has 20 commits in its 2024 class. The crown jewels of the group are five-star quarterback Julian Sayin, from California, and Clay-Chalkville cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe.

Alabama ranks No. 4 nationally for the 2024 class in 247Sports’ composite rankings, as well as the site’s own ratings. Georgia sits at No. 1 in the composite rankings, followed by Ohio State and Florida, though each of those schools has more total commitments than the Tide does.

247Sports’ rankings were mirrored by On3. That service also has the Tide fourth in the nation, third in the SEC, with Texas A&M just behind Alabama.

Last, the Crimson White attempts to delve into how Tide hoops can finally advance past the Sweet Sixteen.

In short, San Diego State had a game plan for Alabama, which was to reduce the amount of 3s made. The Aztecs succeeded in this plan, and charged their way to the Final Four to eventually lose to the soon-to-be national champion UConn Huskies 76-59.

Despite these repeated setbacks, there is plenty of optimism among Alabama fans that this upcoming season will be on par with the past’s success. Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide brought in 247Sports’ No. 16 overall recruiting class, with top 50 early enrollee Jarin Stevenson from Pittsboro, North Carolina, being the crown jewel.

The team also brought in plentiful transfers, having 247Sports’ No. 5 overall transfer class, with four-star power forward Grant Nelson transferring in from North Dakota State, among others.

The now-No. 24 Crimson Tide opens the 2023-24 campaign at Coleman Coliseum on Nov. 6.

Nate has his preferred team of veteran sharpshooters this season. It will be exciting to see how they come together.

That’s about it for now. Have a great day.

Roll Tide.