Championship-of-some-kind seasons almost always come down to beating Alabama

Every LSU football Division / Conference / National Championship season since 1958...


1958 - LSU 13 Alabama 3 - LSU SEC and National Champs

1961 - Did not play Alabama (LSU 6-0; Alabama 7-0 - LSU SEC Co-Champions)

1970 - LSU 14 Alabama 9 - LSU SEC Champs

1986 - LSU 14 Alabama 10 - LSU SEC Champs

1988 - LSU 19 Alabama 18 - LSU SEC Co-Champs

1996 - Alabama 26 LSU 0 - LSU SEC Western Division Co-Champs (Tied Alabama at 6-2 but lost head-to-head and did not play in SEC championship)

1997 - LSU 27 Alabama 0 - LSU SEC Western Division Champs

2001 - LSU 35 Alabama 21 - LSU SEC Champs

2002 - Alabama 31 LSU 0 - LSU SEC Western Division Co-Champs (Alabama 6-2 but on probation; tied at 5-3 with Arkansas and Auburn but lost to both of them)

2003 - LSU 27 Alabama 3 - LSU SEC and National Champs

2005 - LSU 16 Alabama 13 - LSU SEC Western Division Champs

2007 - LSU 41 Alabama 34 - LSU SEC and National Champs

2011 - LSU 9 Alabama 6 - LSU SEC Champs

2019 - LSU 46 Alabama 41 - LSU SEC and National Champs

2022 - LSU 32 Alabama 31 - LSU SEC Western Division Co-Champs (with Alabama but won head-to-head)


In 12 out of 15 seasons with at least a division championship, LSU beat Alabama.

The last time LSU beat Alabama and didn't win at least the division was 2010 (Cam and Auburn season).

To be the best, you have to beat the best (as much as I hate to say it - which Alabama most often was).


Multiple team tie all with 2 SEC losses and Co-Champs is still possible starting with another win over Alabama.