Alabama football quarterback Jalen Milroe had one of his most dominant games against LSU a season ago.

He scored four touchdowns on the ground, rushing for 155 yards on 20 carries. Milroe also passed for 219 yards on 15 of 23 carries.

The Crimson Tide could use an outing like that again this season. No. 11 Alabama will face No. 14 LSU on Saturday, Nov. 9 (6:30 p.m. CT, ABC) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The winner will keep its playoff hopes alive. The loser will all but be eliminated from CFP contention.

While Milroe’s passing will be important, his legs could prove the difference between a win and a loss at Tiger Stadium.

LSU’s defense showed susceptibility to the quarterback run in its most recent outing. Texas A&M switched Marcel Reed in at quarterback in the second half, and the Aggies offense became unstoppable. Reed rushed for three touchdowns on nine carries for 62 yards as Texas A&M won comfortably, 38-23.

“I‘m proud of him,” Milroe said Tuesday. “That‘s definitely a great performance on his end, being prepared to go in and play. He did a really good job of running the football in the game. He was effective against their defense. I‘m proud of his performance and how he played and his grit and determination, leading the guys for a win. That’s a hard opponent to play against in LSU.”

Milroe is much more proven and experienced of a player than Reed, a freshman. But is there anything Milroe can take from what Reed did to LSU’s defense?

“It‘s hard for any defense to go against a running quarterback,” Milroe said. “There‘s so much things they have to look at when it comes to stopping a quarterback who can throw and pass the football. That‘s just hard for any defense to go against, no matter if it‘s LSU or whatever opponent it is. That’s hard for any defense to stop.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.