LSU-Alabama football games always deliver. These two teams are always in the thick of the College Football Playoff race and the battle for supremacy in the SEC West division. But this matchup will be a little different. LSU already has two losses, meaning their path to the College Football Playoff is almost already out of reach. Alabama, however, still has one loss, and that was to the seventh-ranked Texas Longhorns. Their path to the playoff is still very much alive and well.

But this game could decide who makes the SEC championship game out of the SEC West. Alabama is 5-0 in the conference, while LSU and Ole Miss are both 4-1. Alabama already notched a win over Ole Miss, who were able to withstand LSU in a 55-49 shootout earlier this season. LSU's only chance at an SEC championship berth is with a win in this game. Alabama needs to win this game for its playoff positioning. There are a ton of stakes in this game. So much so that this game warrants some bold predictions.

2) Malik Nabers will gain at least 150 receiving yards

Malik Nabers is an absolute problem. He leads the country in receiving yards at 981. Nabers has racked up at least 100 yards in five of the eight games he's played this season. He's averaging 17.5 yards per reception this season. Nabers has nine touchdowns in eight games. He's been absolutely sensational.

He should be able to keep it up against Alabama's secondary. Nick Saban has prided himself on having elite secondaries during his time in Tuscaloosa. While this Alabama unit is very good, it isn't quite the elite units Saban has had before. Alabama allows 197.6 yards per game through the air, which ranks 29th in the country.

They got off to a sour note to begin the season after Quinn Ewers dropped 349 passing yards on the Tide in Alabama's only loss, but Alabama has tightened up since. They held Ole Miss and their high-flying offense led by Jaxson Dart to 10 points. But Dart did throw for 244 yards. Joe Milton of Tennessee threw for 271 yards. Teams can have success throwing against Alabama. LSU football should be able to do the same. And if they do, Malik Nabers will be Jayden Daniels' target early and often.

1) Both teams score at least 30 points

This would be a far cry from the iconic 9-6 game these teams played way back in 2011 when both rosters were oozing with NFL players. But these teams are different, especially LSU football. The Tigers have one of the most potent offenses in the entire country. They lead the country in yards gained per game at 552.9. They average 47.4 points per game, which also leads the country.

Their offense is one of the best, but their defense isn't. They allow 395 yards per game. They're sandwiched between the UNLV Runnin' Rebels and the Western Michigan Broncos for most yards allowed per game in the country. That's bad. Very bad. While their defense has tightened up against the likes of Auburn and Army in their last two games, they allowed over 30 points in each of their three previous games before that. Arkansas scored 31 points against them in the Battle for the Golden Boot. A week later, Ole Miss scored 49 points against LSU. The next week, Missouri scored 39 points.

Arkansas' offense is far from potent, but those other two are. Alabama's offense has had its lumps along the way, but Jalen Milroe does specialize in hitting bombs down the field. This LSU defense is happy to oblige those.

Vegas projects this game to see 61.5 points. But with Alabama being three-point favorites, they don't think LSU football will get to the 30-point threshold. LSU should get there and there should be more points in this game than the 61.5 points Vegas is forecasting.