The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

LSU-Alabama

Alabama58-26-5LSU
Blue Blood#1 of 138–Blue Blood#10 of 138–
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
This year’s game — the live preview →
2 players crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

Alabama leads the all-time series 58-26-5. They've met 89 times since 1902. Alabama has won the last 3.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Alabama
Win total
9.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
-7
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -23
What fans are saying · player performance
fans argue Josh Ford elevates Alabama's playmaking ability
oh no Josh Ford to me game changer for Alabama doesn't mean with our depth we won't win but Ford has an impact on game ! Roll Tide
Verified verbatim
LSU
Win total
8.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
+8
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +15
What fans are saying · program direction
fans think expelling LSU would hurt the conference's reputation
I'll say this again, the SEC is not going to expel LSU. It would be a rash and shortsighted decision and would end up being the single most disastrous decision the conference ever made.
Verified verbatim

Stature & the series, 1902–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeAlabamaLSUevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Alabama won, gray: LSU won)192019401960198020002020

The identity war

Alabama has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Alabama led 13 and LSU led 10.

more passmore runAlabamaLSU2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262024LSU 16.9 ptsAlabama won 42-132014Alabama 13.5 ptsAlabama won 20-132011Alabama 9.2 ptsAlabama won 21-0
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

Alabama once won 11 in a row. The biggest win was Alabama by 44 in 1922. The biggest crowd, 102,321, was in 2022.

The coaching duels

Bear Bryant vs Charles McClendon14-2
Nick Saban vs Les Miles7-3
Nick Saban vs Ed Orgeron5-1
Red Drew vs Gaynell Tinsley2-2-1
Gene Stallings vs Curley Hallman3-1
Frank Thomas vs Bernie Moore1-1-1

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
266-241
Alabama leads
1st-rounders
76-40
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
AlabamaLSU
1960s5-6
1970s22-14
1980s28-31
1990s30-22
2000s35-49
2010s83-62
2020s63-57

Best picks, either side

2023Bryce Young Quarterback · Carolina PanthersRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
2020Joe Burrow Quarterback · Cincinnati BengalsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
2007JaMarcus Russell Quarterback · Oakland RaidersRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1987Cornelius Bennett Linebacker · Indianapolis ColtsRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2024Jayden Daniels Quarterback · Washington CommandersRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
1973Bert Jones Quarterback · Baltimore ColtsRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2019Quinnen Williams Defensive Tackle · New York JetsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
2023Will Anderson Jr. Outside Linebacker · Houston TexansRd 1, pick 3#3 overall

Recent meetings

Gate premium

Alabama1.06×its own average home crowd

Alabama already plays close to its own attendance ceiling in non-rivalry home games, so this number understates how much bigger this game draws relative to a program with more room to grow into a crowd.

2025Alabama20-9
2024Alabama42-13
2023Alabama42-28
2022LSU32-31Alabama — both ranked, Alabama favored by 13.5
2021Alabama20-14
2020Alabama55-17
2019LSU46-41
2018Alabama29-0
2017Alabama24-10
2016Alabama10-0
2015Alabama30-16
2014Alabama20-13
2013Alabama38-17LSU — both ranked
2012Alabama21-17LSU — both ranked

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Alabama’s chance to win through that meeting. Alabama is 1-1 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter. The loudest meeting for fans was 2022: firestorm.

2025Alabama 20-9Alabama won 20-9 vs LSU. Chance to win started at 82%, low 71%, high better than 99%.Busy
2024Alabama 42-13Alabama won 42-13 at LSU. Chance to win started at 60%, low 56%, high better than 99%.Loud
2023Alabama 42-28Alabama won 42-28 vs LSU. Chance to win started at 61%, low 22%, high 87%.Loud
2022LSU 32-31Alabama lost 31-32 at LSU. Chance to win started at 82%, low under 1%, high 88%.Firestorm
2021Alabama 20-14Alabama won 20-14 vs LSU. Chance to win started at 96%, low 75%, high better than 99%.
2020Alabama 55-17Alabama won 55-17 at LSU. Chance to win started at 94%, low 94%, high better than 99%.
2019LSU 46-41Alabama lost 41-46 vs LSU. Chance to win started at 73%, low 4%, high 77%.
2018Alabama 29-0Alabama won 29-0 at LSU. Chance to win started at 83%, low 78%, high better than 99%.
“I mean refball, bama has to win somehow”
An LSU fan
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2025
    “Alabama smearing butter on all the LSU players’ hands before the game is really paying off.”
    An Alabama fan

Meetings with their own story page

11 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2025.