LSU idle on Halloween weekend before Alabama comes to Tiger Stadium on Nov. 7

LSU does not play this Saturday. The Tigers have their open date on Halloween weekend, and when they come back they host Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 7. Kickoff in Tiger Stadium is 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. local), and ABC has the game, The Sporting News reported.

The start time stands out. LSU Athletics noted that this is the first daytime kickoff for the series in Baton Rouge since 2010, when the Tigers won 24-21. Alabama also has this week off, so both teams get two weeks to prepare for one of the biggest games on the SEC schedule.

LSU's November is the harder of the two. After Alabama, the Tigers host Texas on Nov. 14, visit Tennessee on Nov. 21 and close the regular season at Arkansas over Thanksgiving weekend. Alabama's path after Baton Rouge is gentler, according to The Sporting News' Crimson Tide schedule rundown: a trip to Vanderbilt, Chattanooga at home and then the Iron Bowl against Auburn.

What it means for Alabama week

Both teams are 6-2, but they got there in different ways. Lane Kiffin's LSU is 3-2 in the SEC and comes in playing its best football. The Tigers won 38-17 at Auburn and shut out Mississippi State 31-0, two weeks after losing 35-34 in overtime at Kentucky. Alabama is 4-2 in league play and is steadier now than it was a few weeks ago. The Tide lost back-to-back games to Georgia (20-17 at home) and at Tennessee (26-10) before beating Texas A&M 31-20 heading into the bye.

The season numbers lean toward LSU. The Tigers have outscored opponents 321-128, about 40 points scored and 16 allowed per game, and they have given up 17 or fewer in six of eight games. Alabama averages roughly 38 points but allows a little over 21. Its last three games were its lowest-scoring of the year: 17, 10 and 31.

Three common opponents help frame the matchup. Both teams beat Texas A&M at home, LSU 35-6 and Alabama 31-20. Both beat Mississippi State, LSU 31-0 at home and Alabama 56-23 in Starkville. Kentucky goes the other way. Alabama won 45-17 in Lexington, while LSU lost there by a point.

Location may decide it. LSU is 5-0 at home this season, and only Clemson and Mississippi State came within 41 points of matching the Tigers' scoring there. On the road the Tigers are 1-2. Alabama is 3-1 away from Tuscaloosa, and its only road loss came at Tennessee.

The Tide arrive ranked No. 10 and LSU No. 15. For LSU, a win would start the toughest stretch of its schedule well. A loss would mean facing Texas and a trip to Knoxville with a third conference defeat already on the record.