There’s probably no really good time to play Alabama.

But among the worst would probably be the week when your head coach — let’s call him Ed Orgeron of LSU — is asked on a teleconference if he’ll have enough players to meet the Southeastern Conference numbers requirements to play a game.

The alternative would be to send regrets and simply forfeit the game.

“Oh no,” Orgeron said, of the rule, which was put into effect last year without the forfeit clause in response to pandemic complications. “Not at all. No, we’re fine.”

He paused for a moment, almost as if he was double-checking his depleted roster and recalculating the math in his head.

Finally … “If we’re not, we’ll fake it ’til we make it.”

So apparently LSU — some of the Tigers, at least, probably a quorum — will show up tonight at Bryant-Denny Stadium for what is usually one of the season’s most anticipated games.

This time, whatever mixture of Tigers are available will be a four-touchdown underdog against the Tide (7-1, 4-1 SEC), which comes in ranked No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings but likely can’t afford another loss and hope to reach the playoff.

LSU (4-4, 2-3 SEC) is just trying to survive the season.

“Things are different now, but it’s still LSU-Alabama,” Orgeron admitted. “My job is to get these guys to play as hard as they can.”

He may have to draw straws.

Depending on the math one uses — and assuming LSU doesn’t lose any more bodies during pregames warm-ups — the Tigers will be missing as many as 12 projected starters.

The wounded include four of five starters in the secondary, both edge rushers and a defensive tackle, along with their best offensive weapon in wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.

The latest casualty is likely promising freshman defensive tackle Maason Smith, who Orgeron said has been on crutches since Tuesday after an injury early in the week.

“We’ve got to play with the guys we have,” Orgeron said.

If things weren’t dire enough, Alabama is playing the revenge card from the Tigers’ last visit, a 46-41 LSU win that is still Bama’s lone loss in its last 42 home games.

The Tide took offense some of Orgeron’s disparaging (and unprintable) remarks toward the Tide that leaked out of the LSU dressing room in the midst of that postgame celebration.

“I wish it wouldn’t have got out,” Orgeron said of his chant, which made it to social media after an LSU player taped it. “I meant no disrespect to anybody at Alabama. I just wish that wouldn’t have got out. That was not supposed to get out. And it wasn’t intended to.”

Orgeron, who has agreed to step down at the end of the season, is trying to stay upbeat in a trying situation.

“I just want them to be positive, give them a shot that we can go in there and believe that we can play with them,” Orgeron said. “We know at LSU you’ve gotta go through Alabama to do anything and we’re up for the challenge.

“We’re coming.”