No. 5 Alabama dominates the fourth quarter and significantly dents No. 14 LSU's playoff hopes in 31-13 win
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Alabama’s dominant fourth-quarter surge sealed a 31-13 victory over LSU, effectively ending the Tigers’ slim College Football Playoff aspirations in Lane Kiffin’s debut season. The Tide’s offense exploded for 21 straight points after LSU briefly took the lead, capitalizing on a punting return by Ryan Coleman-Williams—who returned to action after a month-long knee injury—with a 32-yard kickoff return to the LSU 25-yard line.
Keelon Russell then connected with Cederian Morgan for a touchdown, extending Alabama’s lead to 17-13 before the final period. LSU’s fourth-down struggles proved fatal, as the offense failed to convert on four attempts and managed just one touchdown in four red-zone trips, including a sack on third down that led to Russell’s third touchdown pass of the game—a 4-yard strike to Kaleb Edwards with under eight minutes remaining.
The win marked Alabama’s 16th victory in 20 series matchups, reversing LSU’s five-game winning streak from 2003–2007 and continuing the Tide’s recent dominance in Baton Rouge, where LSU sits at 2-7 over the past two decades.
