Alabama and LSU get a Saturday off before the anticipated matchup in Death Valley on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. CDT. For now, each program gets to assess injuries and schemes.

The Crimson Tide corrected some pressing issues against Mississippi State after losing its first game of the year on Oct. 15. Alabama smashed the Bulldogs, 30-6, with a defense that allowed a touchdown on the last snap and an offense that was effective if somewhat limited.

The Tigers started the season 4-2 before a blowout loss to Tennessee. First-year head coach Brian Kelly’s offense responded with 90 points in the next two games, topping Florida and Ole Miss. Each team is 4-1 and atop the SEC West and the Tide is currently a two-touchdown favorite.

Here’s what Alabama said about its mid-season pause as well as an early look ahead to Death Valley with comments from LSU.

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Nick Saban, Alabama head coach

On self-scouting this week: “That’s basically what you do, and that’s how you figure out what you need to work on to improve. That’s certainly what we’ve done a lot this week.

“You do quality control from offense, defense, special teams as well as individual player sort of evaluations to find out what does this guy need to do? What do we need to do on offense? What do we need to do on defense? … The way we approach the bye week doesn’t change (year-to-year) administratively at least, how many times we practice, how long we practice, what we do in practice. It’s determined a little bit about what we need to do.”

Roydell Williams, Alabama running back

On improving the running game: “This week, just focusing on ourselves. That game’s gone, and we’re just focused on this bye week, focused on pass protection, how we’re gonna be efficient in the run game coming up on LSU week and just being able to execute as an offense.”

On a full Tiger Stadium (capacity 102,321) awaiting the Tide: “I really don’t stay on social media as much, but since that COVID year, I look forward to getting back there and playing in that stadium. I heard it’s a great environment to play in, very tough, I heard. But I try not to be on social media that much and looking at all the rah-rah stuff.”

Brian Branch, Alabama defensive back

On Tide secondary: “So far I feel like we’ve done an okay job during these eight games. This last game I feel like was a good turnaround from the Tennessee game to see what our character is like and I feel like we handled this game very good and it’s just one game at a time. As long as we can keep on moving forward, the rest of these four games is going to be good.”

On Tiger Stadium: “Oh, I’m very excited. Like you said, my freshman year there weren’t too many people in the stands. This year is going to be a packed crowd so I’m just ready to feel what the environment is like in Baton Rouge.”

What the Tigers said about the Tide

Head coach Brian Kelly:“I asked (injured Tigers wide receiver Jack Bech) what his plans were for the Alabama game and he said ‘There’s no doubt I’ll be playing.’”

On Bryce Young’s mobility: “I think what’s most difficult with him is improvising. His ability to improvise and as he’s improvising, he’s making plays. He’s getting the ball out to his skill players. An enormous challenge for our defense to contain him in some fashion. You have to look at how do you slow him down because he’s that good of a player.”

On if he’s excited about the atmosphere on Nov. 5: “Heck yeah! I don’t want the fans to think this will be the first and last event like this in Tiger Stadium. We expect to be playing in a lot of these games.”

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].