Alabama – LSU football rivalry The Alabama – LSU football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the LSU Tigers football team of Louisiana State University . Both universities have been members of the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) since its founding in December 1932 , and both universities ' sports teams have competed in the SEC ' s Western Division since the conference was split into two divisions in 1992 . As of the November 3rd game of the 2012 season , Alabama leads the series 47 - 25 - 5 . Series history . The series started in 1895 , the Tigers were victorious 12 – 6 in the first meeting in Baton Rouge , Louisiana . The rivalry has been played in Baton Rouge ; New Orleans , Louisiana ; Birmingham , Alabama ; Montgomery , Alabama ; Tuscaloosa , Alabama ; and Mobile , Alabama . The teams began playing each other on an annual basis in 1964 , with Alabama playing its home games at Legion Field in Birmingham , and LSU playing its home games on campus at Tiger Stadium . The series has been marked by long stretches where the home team has struggled . Alabama holds a 25 - 9 - 2 record against LSU in Baton Rouge . Between 1971 and 1999 LSU was winless in Baton Rouge , going 0 – 14 – 1 . Alabama has gone 4 - 11 in games played in the state of Alabama since 1982 . In fact , in the series history , only 42 percent of games have been won by the team playing in its home state ( excluding ties ) , although Alabama has won far more games in the state of Louisiana than LSU has won in the state of Alabama . In 1988 Alabama began playing its home game in the series on their Tuscaloosa campus at Bryant - Denny Stadium . Alabama ' s 21 - 0 win in the 2012 BCS National Championship game marked the first time since 1986 that the teams played in a location other than Baton Rouge or Tuscaloosa . While Alabama controlled most of the series early history , the intensity and competitiveness has grown during the last three decades . Following Bear Bryant ' s retirment , the two teams have virtual split the series , with Alabama narrowly leading 16 – 14 – 1 . In 2007 , the meeting was even more heated following Alabama ' s hiring of head coach Nick Saban — who previously coached at LSU . With the hiring , many media outlets dubbed the 2007 meeting as the " Saban Bowl . " Alabama leads the series 4 – 3 in the games played so far during the " Saban Bowl " era . In their 2011 regular season matchup , No . 1 LSU defeated No . 2 Alabama 9 – 6 in overtime at Bryant – Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa , on November 5 . Later , during the 2011 post season , the two were selected by the Bowl Championship Series to play each other again for the 2012 BCS National Championship Game , which Alabama won 21 - 0 . The LSU - Alabama rematch was the first BCS Championship Game to feature two teams from the same conference ( as well as the same division ) , and was also the first shutout of any BCS bowl game in the BCS ' s 14 - year history . Game results . " Alabama victories are colored ██ crimson . LSU victories are colored ██ purple . Ties are white . " Series record sources : " 2011 Alabama Football Media Guide " , " 2011 LSU Football Media Guide " , and College Football Data Warehouse .