Chances no. 11 Alabama to reach the College Football Playoff are very much alive after a 42-13 win over no. 15 LSU saturday evening

Jalen Milroe rushed for four touchdowns as LSU’s defense struggled against a running back for the second straight game. Milroe opened the game with a 39-yard TD and then broke the game open in the fourth quarter with a 72-yard run.

Two weeks ago, LSU’s defense was caught completely off guard by Texas A&M’s second-half quarterback change. Marcel Reed replaced Conner Weigman as the Aggies scored TDs on Reed’s first four possessions. Reed scored three of them himself on quarterback runs as the Aggies rushed for 242 yards.

Alabama clearly wanted to test LSU’s defense again. Milroe’s ability to make magic happen with his speed and breakaway ability is a big part of Alabama’s offense, and LSU has had trouble stopping projected QB runs.

Milroe finished the game with 185 rushing yards on just 12 carries. He was able to watch the final minutes from the bench thanks to the Crimson Tide’s big lead.

The loss is LSU’s third of the season and certainly puts the Tigers out of playoff contention. LSU opened the season with a loss to USC — a loss that looks worse with each Trojan loss — and has a strong chance to win. But a 9-3 season probably won’t be good enough to make the extended postseason, regardless.

Because LSU’s defense couldn’t stop the run, the offense wasn’t explosive either. QB Garrett Nussmeier battled through a rainy night in Baton Rouge with two interceptions. Nussmeier’s first pick came on the first play of the second half as Alabama led 21-6.

The Tigers drove to the Alabama 4-yard line, but Nussmeier’s pass on second down was intercepted by Deontae Lawson at the goal line. It was the second drive inside the Alabama 10-yard line for the Tigers and the second time they failed to score a touchdown. In the first half, LSU had to kick a field goal after reaching the Alabama 6.

Is Milroe back in the Heisman conversation?

There are four clear Heisman favorites through the first 11 weeks of the season in Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Miami’s Cam Ward and Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. But Milroe put himself back in the conversation with his performance Saturday night and Alabama’s chances to win the SEC.

It’s a deadlock at the top of the conference, but the Crimson Tide is still alive for the SEC title game. And Milroe has stats that stack up well. He has 16 rushing touchdowns and has thrown 13 passing TDs. Only two players — Ward and North Texas’ Chandler Morris — are responsible for more than 30 TDs this season.

Milroe is unlikely to hoist the Heisman Trophy at season’s end. But don’t write him off as a Heisman finalist.