How concerned should LSU football fans be about the Alabama game in the LSU mailbag to Texas A&M?

COLLEGE STATION, Texas. – The second-half performance, or more accurately the collapse, at Texas A&M seemed like something completely unlikely for LSU football given how it had been playing in recent weeks.

As wild as this Southeastern Conference season has been, a debacle of two halves shouldn't be a surprise. And it bit LSU in a game for the SEC's top spot. The Aggies outscored LSU 31-6 in the second half and cruised to a 38-23 win.

For LSU (6-2, 3-1 SEC), the loss was its first since a season opener against USC. Coach Brian Kelly's team is now tied for third place in the SEC with Texas and Tennessee.

How LSU fell apart at Texas A&M LSU football's problems at Texas A&M are more losses than turnovers and defense. It was also coaching

EVALUATION OF LSU'S HARD LOSS AT TEXAS A&M LSU football stumbles over Texas A&M. How we rated Tigers' Brian Kelly after first SEC loss

Should LSU football fans be worried about Alabama and Jalen Milroe?

If what A&M freshman quarterback Marcel Reed was able to accomplish against the Tigers' defense is any indication, LSU fans should be very fearful of Jalen Milroe and the Alabama Crimson Tide coming to town on November 9th.

Milroe is more sophisticated in the zone read and quarterback design run game, and Alabama is certainly using him in a more advantageous way than Texas A&M did with Reed on Saturday.

The good news for Kelly, defensive coordinator Blake Baker and the defense is that they have two weeks to prepare.

Would LSU be better off if Garrett Nussmeier ran more?

It's easy to distinguish LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier's performance at Texas A&M, where he threw three interceptions.

I don't think LSU's offense would improve drastically if Nussmeier ran the ball more. Can LSU's offensive line block quarterback-designed runs better than traditional running plays?

The O-line run blocking is the bigger story. LSU couldn't establish anything on site in games, it's lost. What would improve LSU's offense would be a more consistent traditional running game with Caden Durham and Josh Williams and the offensive line.

Does LSU still have a chance to make the College Football Playoff?

Despite the ugly loss in College Station, LSU is still very much alive in the College Football Playoff. The Tigers are also not eliminated from SEC Championship Game contention.

On Saturday, Kelly, Nussmeier and linebacker Greg Penn acknowledged that the margin for error is now virtually zero.

It appears LSU-Alabama will eliminate the CFP. If LSU wins, it will remain in the playoff bubble. If you lose, you may need to start planning travel to the Gator Bowl or elsewhere.

LSU CFP PICTURE Can LSU still make the College Football Playoff? What's next for the Tigers after the loss at Texas A&M?

SALES FOR GRADUATION LSU AT TEXAS A&M The LSU football league's revenue falls due to a tough loss to Texas A&M in the game for the top spot in the SEC

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Have questions about LSU athletics? Send it to Cory Diaz [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU football mailbag: Should LSU fans be concerned about Alabama game?