Tagovailoa (ankle) starts for No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 LSU

by: RALPH D. RUSSO, Associated Press

Posted: Nov 9, 2019 / 03:51 PM EST / Updated: Nov 9, 2019 / 03:51 PM EST

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) warms up before an NCAA football game against LSU, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Tuscaloosa , Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt))

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa is starting for No. 2 Alabama against No. 1 LSU, 20 days after having a surgical procedure on his sprained right ankle.

The junior quarterback was injured against Tennessee on Oct. 19 and had surgery the next day. He sat out against Arkansas the next week and then Alabama was off, giving him an extra week to recover for the biggest game of the season.

Tagovailoa practiced all week and was expected to give it a go, though Alabama coach Nick Saban called the Heisman Trophy runner-up’s status a game-time decision.

Tagovailoa went through a typical pregame warmup and was wearing a black sleeve on his right leg. He comes into the game with 27 touchdown passes and one interception this season.

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