Alabama football is set for a massive SEC West matchup with LSU on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The winner will have the best chance to take a trip to Atlanta in December, while the loser will likely see its College Football Playoff hopes completely dashed.

The game is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. CT and will be aired on CBS. Before that, here are three questions for the Crimson Tide to answer against the Tigers.

Can Alabama limit Jayden Daniels?

Jayden Daniels might be the best quarterback in the SEC. He has a full slate of skills, the ability to beat teams through the air using his wide receivers group that includes Malik Nabors, plus a rushing talent that is tough to limit.

On Monday, Saban was asked how Daniels has improved since LSU’s win in 2022.

“Well he killed us last year,” Saban said. “So the guy was a really, really good player last year, he’s a really, really good player now. I think overall they execute their offense to perfection and it starts with him because he makes the right reads relative to runs and passes and zone option plays and pass down plays. He’s very good at reading coverages, makes really quick decisions. All those things were evident last year by the way he played and I think he’s probably even better now because he has even more experience and knowledge in the offense and they’ve got really good players around him. “

Alabama has the pass-rushers to impact Daniels in Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell. The Tide secondary has proven itself capable this season too, but this could be its biggest test yet.

Can the Crimson Tide play a 60-minute game?

Alabama keeps showing flashes. Sometimes it’s in the first half, sometimes it’s the second.

But throughout the 2023 season, it hasn’t been the entire game. Against a team like LSU, the Crimson Tide is going to need to play a much more complete game than it has in previous weeks.

Saban called on his players this week to be more consistent.

“They have to make a choice and a decision to do it,” Saban said Wednesday. “They gotta understand the level of intensity that has to be sustained, a sense of urgency that has to be sustained, and how smart you have to be — which goes back to the preparation that you had — so that you’re not making mental errors because you’re playing smart and you’re playing with good intelligence. So you’ve got immediacy, intensity and intelligence. Those three things, sustained for 60 minutes to a high standard, that’s the challenge.”

Can UA’s offense respond?

This game might be a shootout. A repeat of the 9-6 2011 game between these two teams feels extremely unlikely.

It’s the game where Alabama’s offense is going to need to step up. The Tigers will likely get their points, and the Tide’s ability to answer could decide the game.

Fortunately for UA, it has the weapons to do so. Even if LSU is successful at limiting the rushing threat Jalen Milroe presents, his arm and the speed of wideouts like Jermaine Burton and Isaiah Bond makes it possible to go over the top.

The Tiger defense is depleted by injuries. Now is the time for Alabama’s offense to show off it’s complete potential.