LSU owns the most intimidating home environment in all of college football, boasts three eventual top-20 NFL draft picks on their defense and has an offense that’s been rescued by Ohio State transfer quarterback Joe Burrow. The Tigers check in at No. 3 in the College Football Playoff standings, and they host No. 1 Alabama in college football’s annual Game of the Century this weekend.

Here’s the bad news: LSU also has no chance to win. After Yahoo Sports called around to a half-dozen coaches and NFL scouts familiar with both programs, it became quickly apparent the Tigers are in for the worst week this side of the Maryland public relations department. This isn’t shocking, as Vegas has installed Alabama as a two-touchdown favorite.

But the alternating tones of awe for Alabama and hopelessness for LSU was striking. Let’s start with Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson, who was on the business end of a 57-7 bruising from the Crimson Tide in Week 2.

“They’re physically the most complete team I’ve ever seen in my career,” said Anderson, who has coached for nearly three decades, including stops at Baylor and North Carolina. “With the quarterback playing at the highest level you can play at, they can beat your brains out in all three phases.”

View photos Nick Saban (R) and the Crimson Tide are two-touchdown favorites on the road in Death Valley against Ed Orgeron’s Tigers. (AP) More

Anderson hadn’t seen much of LSU, so he couldn’t comment much on the specific matchup. But the tone didn’t change much. Here are five reasons coaches and scouts gave explaining why the Tide will, well, keep rolling.

Alabama’s ‘decisive’ edge in talent

Perhaps the most surprising part was the talent gap. For many years under Les Miles, LSU earned a reputation for having high-end dudes and under-achieving despite them. The reverse may be true this year.

“I think Alabama has a decisive advantage from a talent standpoint,” said a veteran NFL scout who has studied both teams. “LSU has overachieved this year compared to other teams in the past, especially up front on the defensive line where they don’t have some of the talent of past teams.”

One thing Yahoo Sports gleaned from talking to scouts and coaches is that Alabama should have a distinct advantage both running the ball and protecting star sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. This is not the LSU of 2012, which had four defensive linemen taken in the first five rounds of the next NFL draft.

“There’s individual matchups available against LSU,” said an assistant coach who has studied both carefully. “LSU is not, top-to-bottom, 11-strong like Alabama’s defense.”

LSU playing without Devin White for first half

The biggest on-field storyline heading into the game has been LSU needing to play the first half without star linebacker Devin White, who is suspended for a questionable targeting call. This will be a big deal, according to those who’ve studied the teams.

“It’s a major loss,” said an NFL scout. “I think he’s a playmaker for them. Anytime you lose someone who can go sideline-to-sideline, it’s a huge loss. I don’t see any other way around it. They’re just not talented enough defensively to lose someone of that caliber. I wouldn’t say it’s a marginal difference, I’d say it’s dramatic.”

An SEC assistant coach agreed: “He’s one of the best defensive players in the country. He’s very active and can run and is physical. To me, he’s one of the best players that we’ve faced all year, and in a long, long time. I think he’s the best player on their defense.”

Best on best: LSU’s secondary vs. Alabama’s WRs

The matchup the opposing coaches are giddiest for is Alabama’s receivers going up against LSU’s secondary. If there’s a definitive strength of the Tigers, it’s the playmakers in the secondary. They include sophomore safety Grant Delpit, junior corner Kristian Fulton and junior corner Greedy Williams, all of whom have resplendent professional futures ahead of them.

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