Look: Greg McElroy Asked To Pick Between Alabama, LSU
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - NOVEMBER 09: Landon Dickerson #69 of the Alabama Crimson Tide prepares to snap the ball against the LSU Tigers in the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
For just the third time in the last nine years, Alabama didn't represent the SEC West in the conference championship.
On the account of their head-to-head victory at Death Valley, the LSU Tigers instead advanced to play Georgia for the SEC crown. The rivals will likely vie for division supremacy again in 2023.
On Always College Football, former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy said he anticipates a "neck-and-neck" race between LSU and his alma mater next season. He thinks home-field advantage in their meeting could again determine the outcome.
“Bama, of course, because they host LSU, maybe you give them a slight edge," McElroy said. "But I think that gap is as close as it's been in a while."
He clarified that he was speaking in terms of preseason expectations, as Joe Burrow led the Tigers to a national title in 2019.
LSU went 10-4 in Brian Kelly's first season as head coach, leading his team to a 32-31 overtime win over Alabama. They have the nation's seventh-ranked recruiting class, per 247Sports.
Alabama, however, tops that leaderboard with seven five-star recruits. Nick Saban's program has earned at least 11 wins in each of the last 12 seasons, so they're highly unlikely to fall off the map without Bryce Young and Will Anderson.
Alabama and LSU will meet in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 4 in a game that could determine which team competes for an SEC title next season.
