Alabama’s 68-Yard Rushing Day Gives LSU a Clear November 7 Test
The most revealing Alabama number from Saturday was not 31 points. It was 68 rushing yards. The Crimson Tide won anyway, which turns one weakness into LSU’s next coverage dilemma.
Quick Answer
Alabama rushed for 68 yards on October 24, 2026, but beat Texas A&M 31-20 behind Keelon Russell’s 311 passing yards and three touchdowns. Alabama finished with 379 total yards and averaged only 26:50 of possession. LSU’s November 7 defensive goal is clear: reproduce the run discipline that held Auburn to 67 rushing yards without overcommitting safeties and opening Alabama’s explosive passing game.
What Alabama’s 68 rushing yards reveal
The official Alabama game center lists 68 rushing yards for the Crimson Tide against Texas A&M, compared with 311 passing yards. Alabama had 20 first downs, converted five of 12 third downs and possessed the ball for 26:50.
Those totals describe an offense that did not need traditional balance to win. Alabama’s ground game failed to control the afternoon, yet the passing game created enough explosives and scoring answers to overcome it. Keelon Russell completed 19 of 30 passes, and Rico Scott turned six catches into 156 yards.
For LSU, the temptation will be to view the 68-yard rushing total as an invitation to sit light in the box. The smarter interpretation is that Alabama showed it can survive a one-dimensional box score. LSU has to stop the run efficiently, not obsessively.
Why LSU’s Auburn run defense is the starting point
LSU just held Auburn to 67 rushing yards on 35 attempts. TigerHype’s breakdown of the seven-sack Auburn defensive takeover showed how early-down run discipline created predictable passing situations and allowed the pressure package to attack.
That is the preferred Alabama formula too. If LSU can fit the run with its front and second level, the safeties do not have to live near the line of scrimmage. Extra depth and disguise become available against Russell, Scott and Alabama’s tight ends.
The danger is assuming Auburn’s result transfers automatically. Alabama’s passing structure is more capable of punishing a single leverage error, and Russell just produced his third 300-yard game of the season. LSU must earn the right to stay balanced on defense every snap.
The coverage problem behind the rushing number
Scott’s 156-yard game included 58 yards after the catch. Lotzeir Brooks added 73 receiving yards, including 55 after the catch. Those numbers point to a tackling challenge as much as a coverage challenge. Alabama does not need every explosive to travel through the air.
LSU’s corners and underneath defenders must close space immediately. A short completion cannot become a substitute run for 20 yards. If Alabama is struggling to create conventional rushing efficiency, the perimeter screen, glance route and tight-end release become extensions of the ground game.
That is why the matchup cannot be reduced to loading the box. LSU has to win first contact, communicate motion and preserve pursuit angles. A defense that celebrates the initial read but misses the tackle has not actually stopped the run concept—it has only moved it outside.
How LSU can turn the matchup in its favor
First, force Alabama to prove it can run into light numbers. Second, show Russell simulated pressure without surrendering coverage bodies. Third, tackle the catch. Finally, make Alabama sustain possessions instead of giving Scott or a tight end a runway after one missed assignment.
LSU’s new SEC road blueprint matters here because the defense will need patience in Tuscaloosa. Alabama can lose early downs and still find a scoring throw. The Tigers cannot let one conversion erase the discipline that produced the long-yardage situation.
The current No. 15 LSU ranking will rise or fall on this kind of detail. The headline number is 68 rushing yards. The real test is whether LSU can contain that phase without giving Alabama a simpler path through the air.
Alabama rushing matchup FAQ
How many rushing yards did Alabama have against Texas A&M?
Alabama rushed for 68 yards in the 31-20 victory.
How many passing yards did Keelon Russell record?
Russell passed for 311 yards and three touchdowns.
How many rushing yards did LSU allow Auburn?
LSU held Auburn to 67 rushing yards on 35 attempts.
When is LSU vs. Alabama?
LSU is scheduled to visit Alabama on November 7, 2026.
Tiger fans: should LSU trust its front to stop Alabama’s run with light numbers, or commit an extra defender and challenge Keelon Russell to win downfield?
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