TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - SEPTEMBER 28: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to pass against the Mississippi Rebels at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)The biggest game of the college football regular season takes place in Tuscaloosa this weekend.
No. 3 Alabama hosts No. 2 LSU in a battle of SEC West foes that will likely determine which plays in the SEC title game.
Easily the most-important news heading into the match-up is the health of star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He suffered an ankle injury and underwent tightrope surgery to repair the damage.
Despite suffering the injury two weeks ago, Tua was back at practice this week. However, one college football analyst doesn’t think he’s fully healthy.
CBS analyst Gary Danielson said he doesn’t think Tua is 100-percent after watching him at practice.
“I watched Tua practice yesterday, he’s not 100%. I don’t care what Alabama says…he doesn’t have that spring in his step, it’s not natural. He’s okay…I’d be playing if I was him, but he’s not the Tua that started season,” Danielson said.
"I watched Tua practice yesterday, he's not 100%. I don't care what Alabama says…he doesn't have that spring in his step, it's not natural.
He's okay…I'd be playing if I was him, but he's not the Tua that started season"
– Gary Danielson on #SECThisMorning @SiriusXM
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) November 8, 2019
Not having a fully healthy Tagovailoa isn’t great for Alabama, but he’s still an upgrade over backup quarterback Mac Jones.
The Crimson Tide haven’t faced a team the caliber of LSU yet this season. Alabama’s defense will be tested against one of the highest-scoring offenses in college football.
Alabama and LSU kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
