Joel Klatt gives candid analysis, score prediction for Alabama football vs LSU in Week 11

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The Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers have met in some of college football’s biggest clashes through the years, particularly after Nick Saban returned to the SEC in 2007 to build a dynasty in Tuscaloosa — often at the expense of his former team.

Fox Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt doesn’t believe this year’s matchup between the Crimson Tide and Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium will be the latest in a series of instant classics between two of the sport’s biggest brands.

On the Thursday edition of his popular video podcast, Klatt began by noting that while Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC) has remained strong in the aftermath of its Week 1 loss at Florida State, LSU hasn’t looked the same since a 4-0 start that saw the Tigers climb to No. 4 in the top 25 polls.

Alabama is ranked No. 4 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll, as well as the first College Football Playoff rankings. The Tigers are unranked following a 42-25 home loss to No. 3 Texas A&M on Oct. 25, their third defeat in four games.

LSU also has a new coach and play-caller after firing Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan the day after its 17-point loss to the Aggies. Frank Wilson is the Tigers’ interim coach, while tight ends coach and run game coordinator Alex Atkins will call the plays for the offense.

‘LSU stinks,’ Joel Klatt says in blunt assessment of Alabama-LSU matchup

Alabama is currently favored by 10 points ahead of its matchup with LSU, according to oddsmakers. Both teams after coming off a bye week. In the Crimson Tide’s case, the bye came after four consecutive games against top 25 opponents, then a road test at South Carolina that required a late fourth quarter rally.

The commentator on Fox’s “Big Noon Saturday” games, Klatt was rather candid in his assessment of where Alabama and LSU currently stand:

“Do we really trust LSU’s offense? I get it. Bama’s not perfect, but they’re better than LSU. LSU stinks, guys. I don’t know how else to put it. They’re not a good football team. That’s why Brian Kelly was fired, and I don’t believe they’re going to go on the road and all of a sudden stun Alabama. There’s been no evidence that all the sudden, they’re going to get this together.

“Meanwhile, the evidence suggests that Bama will continue to play well. They’ve gotten better in areas of weakness. They continue to be great in areas of strength, namely throwing the football.”

Klatt cited Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who ranks 19th nationally in passing yards and is third in the SEC behind Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar and Arkansas Razorbacks QB Taylen Green.

Through seven games, Simpson has thrown for 2,184 yards and 20 touchdowns to only one interception. Simpson is behind Green (2,372 yards) because Alabama has played one fewer game than Arkansas.

“Ty Simpson has been tremendous,” Klatt said. “LSU is going to have to pressure him. That’s the only way you slow down that offense. They have one or fewer sacks in three of the last four games. The defense is just not the same.”

Klatt added:

“I don’t want anything to do with LSU right now. I can’t take the points. I cant tell myself that they’re going to be artificially motivated in this ball game.”

Alabama football vs. LSU: Joel Klatt’s final score prediction

\ Klatt believes Alabama will beat LSU Saturday night in Tuscaloosa and cover the point spread.

“I’ve got Bama winning this game, 31-20. Bama covers… and they continue their run in the SEC, which has been incredibly impressive after that first game where they lost to Florida State. I think Bama wins. I like Bama to still go to the SEC Championship Game. I think that they beat LSU at home, 31-20. Ty Simpson (has) a big game on that struggling LSU defense.”

Klatt concluded by calling Alabama’s opponent a “really poor LSU team that is not playing quality defense and not rushing the quarterback.”

Kickoff for Alabama-LSU is 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday. The game will be televised on ABC. Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy will have the call of the game from Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Joel Klatt’s record when picking Alabama football in 2025

Klatt is 2-3 when picking Alabama games this season. He predicted the Crimson Tide would beat Florida State in Week 1 and picked both Georgia and Missouri to beat Alabama in later weeks. Klatt correctly predicted that Alabama would beat Vanderbilt in Week 6 and Tennessee in Week 8.

Here’s a game by game look at Alabama’s 2025 schedule.

All start times Central.

  • Aug. 30: at Florida State (L, 31-17)
  • Sept. 6: vs. UL Monroe (W, 73-0)
  • Sept. 13: vs. Wisconsin (W, 38-14)
  • Sept. 27: at Georgia (W, 24-21)
  • Oct. 4: vs. Vanderbilt (W, 30-14)
  • Oct. 11: at Missouri (W, 27-24)
  • Oct. 18: vs. Tennessee (W, 37-20)
  • Oct. 25: at South Carolina (W, 29-22)
  • Nov. 8: vs. LSU, 6:30 p.m., ABC
  • Nov. 15: vs. Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m., ABC
  • Nov. 22 vs. Eastern Illinois, 1 p.m., ESPN+
  • Nov. 29: at Auburn, TBA

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football vs LSU, final score prediction from Joel Klatt

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