College Football Game of the Week: No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 14 LSU

November has arrived and that means this week is what separates contenders from pretenders. This college football slate is filled with teams battling for a conference title as the season’s end draws near.

The SEC has its biggest showdown of the season on Saturday, LSU will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama. When the Crimson Tide plays the Tigers it is always a great rivalry game, but this year's edition of the classic rivalry has huge playoff implications as well.

The first college football playoff rankings were released on Tuesday, Alabama debuted at No.8 while LSU was placed at No.14. The Tigers have two losses this season, but are still very much alive for the college football playoffs.

LSU has the chance to be the first team to get into the four-team playoffs with two losses. If the Tigers defeat Alabama, their ticket to the SEC championship game would be all but punched. Winning the SEC with wins over Alabama and Georgia is a pretty impressive resume and would be hard for the committee to keep out of the playoffs.

LSU Tigers

Jayden Daniels is trying to do something that hasn’t been done since Rex Grossman in 2001. Daniels is looking to become the first quarterback since Rex Grossman to beat Nick Saban in consecutive seasons.

If there is any quarterback to break that streak it would be Daniels. Jayden Daniels has 25 touchdowns to three interceptions and is right in the thick of the Heisman conversation.

The Tigers’ offense versus the Tide’s defense will be the matchup to watch on Saturday. Not only is Daniels one of the best quarterbacks in the country, but LSU features two of the top wide receivers in the nation with Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.

However, it's going to come down to the Tiger’s defense to try to get enough stops against Alabama if LSU wants to beat the Tide two years in a row. Harold Perkins Jr., the former freshman standout, will have to try to get back to his old form on Saturday.

Alabama Crimson Tide

After the Week two loss to Texas, Alabama was seemingly pushed out of the national title conversation. However, Nick Saban has quietly taken care of business and now the Crimson Tide are in the driver's seat for the SEC West.

Alabama has marquee wins over Ole Miss and Texas A&M and now finds itself at No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings.

The big topic of the discussion this season has been the quarterback position. Jalen Milroe took over after Heisman winner Bryce Young graduated to the NFL. Milroe has had his struggles this season, and Saban even benched him at one point.

However, Milroe has righted the ship and Saban has built this team to win games on defense. This is an old-school Alabama team that runs the ball and wins low-scoring games.

Styles make fights and these are two different teams. LSU will look to get in a track meet while Alabama hopes to grind the Tigers down.

Aidan Torok is a fourth-year majoring in telecommunications and minoring in broadcast journalism and political science. To contact him, email ajt6051@psu.edu.