No. 5 Alabama Rallies Past No. 15 LSU 31–13 at Tiger Stadium Behind Keelon Russell’s Three Touchdowns

A hostile Death Valley showdown

Published Nov. 8, 2026, at 2:15 a.m. Central / 8:15 a.m. UTC.

For two and a half quarters on Saturday night, first-year LSU head coach Lane Kiffin had 102,000 screaming fans at Tiger Stadium believing the Tigers were poised to topple their fiercest rival and seize control of their College Football Playoff destiny.

Then fifth-ranked Alabama delivered a merciless reminder of why Kiffin has never solved the Crimson Tide. Playing through a sprained right ankle wrapped in heavy tape, Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell orchestrated a clinical 21-point fourth-quarter avalanche, powering the Crimson Tide to a commanding 31–13 victory in Baton Rouge.

The victory kept Alabama (7–2, 5–2 SEC) in pole position for an SEC championship berth and a first-round playoff bye, while plunging No. 15 LSU (6–3, 3–3 SEC) into playoff elimination and handing Kiffin his sixth career defeat in six meetings against Alabama.

Russell’s heroics and LSU’s red-zone collapse

LSU took a 13–10 lead with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter after an 11-play drive culminated in a short field goal. But the Tigers' inability to punch the ball into the end zone proved fatal. Despite outgaining Alabama in total yardage by 457 to 285 behind quarterback Sam Leavitt’s 380-yard passing night, LSU stalled repeatedly inside the Alabama 20-yard line, going 0-for-4 on fourth-down conversions.

Russell answered the deficit with composure. Limping noticeably between snaps, the sophomore quarterback found tight end Josh Ford on a 24-yard strike down the seam to restore a 17–13 Alabama lead early in the fourth quarter. Five minutes later, Russell hit wideout Cederian Morgan on a back-shoulder fade from 14 yards out, before putting the game away on a 9-yard rollout touchdown to Kaleb Edwards following an LSU fumble.

Kiffin’s rivalry frustration continues

"When you play Alabama, three points in the red zone are empty calories," a visibly exasperated Kiffin said at his postgame news conference. "We moved the ball 450 yards against one of the best defenses in college football, and we came away with one touchdown. You can't leave 16 points on the field against a team like that and expect to survive."

The loss effectively snuffed out LSU’s hopes of reaching the 12-team College Football Playoff in Kiffin’s inaugural season after arriving on a record 10-year contract. For Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, the road triumph silenced critics following last month’s narrow setback to Tennessee, proving the Crimson Tide's physical front remains elite when November stakes arrive.

Alabama closes out its regular season with home games against Mercer and Auburn in the Iron Bowl, controlling its path to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge

The star marks Tiger Stadium on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Game progression timeline

All times are Central Standard Time on Saturday night, November 7, 2026, based on SEC official box score tracking:

1. 6:45 p.m. Kickoff before a sellout crowd of 102,321 at Tiger Stadium.
2. 7:35 p.m. Alabama takes a 10–3 lead into halftime on a 2-yard dive by Jam Miller following an interception.
3. 8:42 p.m. LSU completes an 11-play, 78-yard drive with a field goal to take its first lead of the night at 13–10 late in the third quarter.
4. 9:05 p.m. Keelon Russell finds Josh Ford on a 24-yard touchdown pass to put Alabama back in front, 17–13.
5. 9:28 p.m. Russell hits Cederian Morgan on a 14-yard touchdown pass following an LSU fourth-down turnover on downs.
6. 9:45 p.m. Russell seals the 31–13 victory with a 9-yard touchdown strike to Kaleb Edwards after an LSU fumble recovery.

Sources and visual credits

Alabama Athletics · SEC Sports · Tiger Rag · FOX Sports · Alabama Football on X.

Hero and thumbnail: default Sports section card. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Research note: Play-by-play statistics, drive charts, and post-game interview quotes were verified against official SEC game books and live broadcast feeds from ABC Sports.