No. 5 Alabama heads into a critical road matchup this weekend in Baton Rouge to take on No. 14 LSU. Something could happen before the game that hasn’t happened since 2008.
Bama 247 Sports reporter Mike Rodak wrote Wednesday on X that Alabama is up to a 6.5-point underdog on DraftKings. This would be the largest spread that Alabama has faced as an underdog in an SEC game since the 2028 SEC title game.
“Alabama up to a 6.5-point underdog on DraftKings to LSU, which would be the largest spread for the Tide as an underdog against an SEC team since it was a 9.5-point underdog to Florida in the 2008 SEC championship game,” Rodak wrote.
Rodak did mention that Alabama was a six-point underdog to Georgia in the 2021 SEC championship game.
Alabama Is Over.500 as an Underdog Under Kalen DeBoer
As of Thursday, Alabama was moved back to six-point underdogs, but the spread could still move back to 6.5 before kickoff at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Since Kalen DeBoer took over as Alabama head coach in 2024, the Crimson Tide are 3-2 as underdogs against the spread, according to BetIQ.
Three of Alabama’s underdog games under DeBoer have been against Georgia: Alabama was the underdog in 2024 and both times in 2025, during the regular season and the SEC title game. Alabama won two of those three matchups.
The other two times Alabama was considered the underdog were in the first round of the playoffs last season against Oklahoma, which it won outright, and as a 6.5-point underdog to Indiana in the Rose Bowl, which it lost 38-3.
DeBoer is also 2-0 as the head coach at Alabama when facing LSU, so it might not matter that the Crimson Tide aren’t favored in this game.
Alabama Is in a Must-Win Situation
Even though Alabama is 6-2 and ranked No. 5 in the first playoff rankings, that doesn’t mean the Crimson Tide can lose to LSU and still make the playoffs.
Alabama needs to go into Baton Rouge and secure a win; otherwise, the best record the Crimson Tide could achieve would be 9-3. Historically, no team from a Power Four conference has made the 12-team College Football Playoff with a 9-3 record or worse.
The positive news for Alabama is that if it beats LSU, it will have three more regular-season games left against Vanderbilt, Chattanooga, and Auburn. The Tide should be able to win all of those games, giving them a 10-2 record and a solid chance to make the playoffs.
Alabama May Face Rare Scenario vs. LSU Not Seen Since 2008