Alabama was living dangerously, with a missed extra point, a nonexistent running game and a lead repeatedly in jeopardy.
The third-ranked Crimson Tide’s defense kept turning away heavy underdog LSU late and Bryce Young passed for 302 yards to survive for a 20-14 victory on Saturday night.
“Sometimes we have an expectation that we’re going to win easy, but sometimes it’s not so easy,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
The Crimson Tide (8-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 2 CFP) preserved their national championship hopes in a game that was as tight as some meetings when both were nursing such ambitions. The injury-depleted Tigers (4-5, 2-4) and lame-duck coach Ed Orgeron didn’t act like 29.5-point underdogs, which they were according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
It certainly wasn’t this time for a team left with no margin for error after a loss to No. 13 Texas A&M.
It wasn’t over until the final play, a Hail Mary that fell incomplete in the end zone. The Tigers came up empty in three fourth-quarter trips into Alabama territory, including that quick venture to the 30 in the final minute.
Young, the Heisman Trophy front-runner, completed 24 of 37 passes with a couple of touchdowns, including a 58-yarder to Jameson Williams. Williams caught 10 passes for 160 yards. LSU harried Young all night and held Brian Robinson Jr. to 18 yards on 13 carries for a team that netted 6 yards on the ground thanks largely to sacks.
