Jalen Milroe ran for a career-high 185 yards and four touchdowns, leading No. 11 Alabama to a dominant 42-13 win over No. 14 LSU on a rainy Saturday night.
Milroe celebrated his performance by running through LSU’s south end zone with his arms raised, jumping into the crowd near the visitors’ locker room. His impressive effort helped keep Alabama’s hopes for a College Football Playoff berth alive.
“It’s definitely exciting after a game like that because we were able to go into a tough place and get a victory,” Milroe said. “Tonight showed what we can do when both the offense and defense are clicking.”
Milroe’s longest touchdown came in the fourth quarter, a 72-yard run that put Alabama up by 29 points. His other scoring runs went for 39, 10, and 19 yards.
“I felt like this was the most complete game we’ve played, coming into a tough environment and staying the course,” said Alabama’s first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer.
With this victory, Alabama (7-2, 4-2 SEC) stayed firmly in the CFP race, while LSU (6-3, 3-2) suffered its third loss of the season, dropping out of playoff contention.
“We’re disappointed in the way we performed,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “We didn’t live up to the standards of LSU football, and that affects us more than the playoffs.”
Milroe’s rushing performance surpassed his previous career high of 155 yards, set in last year’s 42-28 win over LSU. DeBoer praised Milroe’s unique ability to run the ball effectively, calling it a “superpower.”
Despite LSU having an extra week to prepare after a bye, the Tigers struggled to stop Milroe, who was able to break free on option runs. LSU’s defense had been exposed earlier in the season by Texas A&M’s quarterback, Marcel Reed.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had another rough game, turning the ball over multiple times. He fumbled in the first half, which led to Milroe’s second touchdown, and was later intercepted twice, including once on the goal line when LSU had a chance to cut the lead.
“We can’t overcome the things that didn’t go right,” Kelly said. “The dam broke when we kept putting ourselves in tough positions.”
In addition to Milroe, Alabama running backs Justice Hayes and Richard Young each added a touchdown, with Hayes scoring on a 1-yard run and Young on an 8-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Before the game, LSU made headlines by parading a caged Bengal tiger onto the field at the request of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a move that sparked protests from animal rights groups. However, Alabama remained unaffected, taking the lead early in the game when Milroe ran for a 39-yard touchdown on the opening possession.
LSU’s frustration continued throughout the game. After Milroe’s second touchdown put Alabama ahead 21-6, LSU’s offense stalled, and the team headed to the locker room to boos from the home crowd. The Tigers’ struggles only deepened as the game went on.
