This Alabama-LSU rivalry really isn’t like the others in the Crimson Tide’s Rolodex.

9-6. 10-0. 21-0.

You just don't see scores like that in any other modern-day series, yet all three were recorded in a lopsided, yet competitive decade. Alabama's won seven straight after falling in that 9-6 game in the 2011 regular season.

The theme? Defense.

These have been programs that won the blue-collar way. The average score since 2010: Alabama 21, LSU 11. Over that same span, the Tide is beating Auburn 34-21 and Tennessee 41-12 on average.

Anyway, these are different days in Tuscaloosa and Baton Rouge.

Both still have top-25 defenses, but they are also have a few different dimensions offensively entering the 7 p.m. CT Saturday game in Tiger Stadium. Nick Saban said this LSU team is unlike any Tiger team they've seen in recent years.

“They’re going fastball, they’re playing tempo, they’re a lot more open formations than what they have been in the past,” Saban said. “They’re not in the I-formation just trying to run the ball against people. Creating a lot more issues and problems for you the way they utilize the personnel. This team is nothing like any team that we’ve ever played before at LSU.”

Transfer quarterback Joe Burrow had a big afternoon beating No. 2 Georgia in Week 7. He uncorked an assortment of deep passes completing 15 of 30 passes for 200 yards. That included big passing plays covering 37, 50 and 36 yards, respectively. This is an Alabama defense that's allowed 36 plays of 20-plus yards to rank 59th nationally.

"I see that they like to do a lot of hurry up offense," Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson said. "They try to catch you making substitution errors. Stuff like that. We just need to make sure that we stay on top of our game and making sure that everyone communicating what personnel is supposed to be on the field. I feel like we should be able to go out and execute."

Dynamic and explosive are two words Alabama defenders used to describe LSU's offense.

The Tide's attack is little different too.

For the first time since 2010, its passing game is ranked better than the ground attack that's produced two Heisman winners in the Saban era.

Tua Tagovailoa is a front runner to become the first Alabama quarterback to strike the pose in early December with big-play passing game nobody's ever seen around here.

""RPOs. RPOs are prevalent," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said of Alabama’s offense. “Pre-snap reads. Get rid of the ball quicker, taking shots down the field. I think the run game is very similar to what Lane had, inside zone, outside zone, not as much run game for the quarterback that was with Jalen Hurts. I think they have Jalen hurt, and they can’t afford to get another quarterback hurt.”

This Alabama offense is averaging 54.1 points a game -- well ahead of LSU's pace at 30.4. The Tigers scored 36 points against a Georgia defense that No. 12 in scoring defense and allows 16.4 points a game. Only one other Bulldog opponent scored more than 17 points other than LSU.

This Alabama-LSU series has been historically low scoring beyond just this decade. In 82 games, the average score is Alabama 19, LSU 12. No team has scored more than Alabama's 47-3 win over the Tigers back in 1922. The Tide hit 38 in a relative blowout win in 2013 when the Tigers managed 17.

This is also the first trip back to Tiger Stadium since Alabama won the 2016 game 10-0. They went to the fourth quarter in a scoreless tie that threatened Alabama's streak of avoiding shutouts that now stands at a national-best 235 games.

“It was one of those 15-round fights where it went down to the wire and we were able to out-execute them at the end,” said Alabama running back Damien Harris who ran 12 times for 53 yards in that game. "It’s kind of what we train for, to be in situations like that and to be able to outlast our opponents.”

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.