From our guy @JaxCrall
Arkansas is fresh off a bye week after a historic home victory over the Tennessee Volunteers. The Razorbacks (4-2, 2-1 SEC) will now shift focus to the Battle for the Golden Boot against the No. 8LSU Tigers (5-1, 2-0 SEC) this Saturday at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. This will be the first time in Arkansas football history that two top-10 opponents will be hosted in Fayetteville in back-to-back games.
With a win this weekend, the Razorbacks can achieve consecutive wins over ranked opponents for the first time since 2015. The Hogs could also secure two top-10 wins in a season for only the third time in program history (1964, 1965).
The Tigers opened their 2024 campaign with a back and forth 27-20 loss in Las Vegas against the USC Trojans. Since the loss, LSU has gone 5-0 with impressive wins over South Carolina, UCLA and most recently, the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels. The win over Ole Miss was a shootout that LSU trailed in the entire game. With 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter, quarterback Garett Nussmeier hit wide receiver Aaron Anderson for a touchdown on a 23-yard route to the end zone to send the game to overtime. In overtime, the Tigers got a crucial stop and capitalized again on the offensive side of the ball on the first play of the drive. Nussmeier connected with Kyren Lacy to score the game-winning touchdown from 25 yards out.
In the last two years, the outcome of the Arkansas vs LSU game has been decided by only three points with LSU winning both games. Below is a scouting report from all I’ve seen from the Tigers and how they will match up against the Razorbacks come Saturday. The game will kick off at 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN.
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LSU Tigers Resume:
Coach: Brian Kelly (3rd season)
Record: 5-1, 2-0 SEC
Offensive Coordinator: Joe Sloan and Cortez Hankton (co-offensive coordinator) (1st season)
Defensive Coordinator: Blake Baker (1st season)
Tale of the Tape:
Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers are always in contention for the top of the SEC. In Kelly’s three years at LSU, the Tigers are 25-8 with back-to-back 10 win seasons in 2022 and 2023. Kelly holds the crown for being the winningest active coach in the NCAA.
Even with one of the best resumes in college football, Kelly lost some major firepower on both sides of the ball before and during the 2024 season. First, the NFL Draft saw wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. along with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jayden Daniels all go in the first round.
As if that wasn’t enough, LSU also lost an AP preseason All-American in linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. on a season ending ACL injury. Perkins had a major impact on this Tiger defense, and that was shown by him earning the No. 7 jersey number, which is an LSU honor that goes to key playmakers for the Tigers.
Regardless, LSU has overcome these setbacks and performed better than expected. Besides their season opener, a lot of the Tigers' success can be attributed to their willingness to stay in games and get it done when it matters the most. In both of its SEC games, LSU has scored late touchdowns to help seal important victories to keep its season alive, and the Tigers' persistence to never waver is definitely something to consider when assessing the game this weekend.
Strengths:
The offensive line
The LSU offensive line has 128 total combined starts. This experienced group includes the offensive “No. 7” in left tackle Will Campbell and right tackle Emery Jones Jr.
Quarterback Nussmeier is known for having a quick release time when he drops back for a pass. In fact, the ball comes out quickly at an average of 2.63 seconds. Because of this, the LSU offensive line has only given up two sacks on the season, which is best in the SEC.
Going into the Ole Miss game, the Rebels had 24 sacks on the season, which led the nation. Even with one of the best front sevens in the country, LSU’s offensive line gave Nussmeier all the time in the world and didn’t give up a single sack.
The matchup between the Razorback defensive line and Tiger offensive line will play a big role in the outcome of the game. LSU’s group is one of the most experienced in the country, but we can’t forget about the Hogs' experience on the opposite side. Senior defensive lineman Landon Jackson came to Arkansas as a transfer from LSU in 2022 and definitely realizes how dangerous LSU's elite tackles really are.
“I’m excited for it all. It is really preparing [and] watching and studying a lot of film,” Jackson said in Tuesday's player press conference. “[Will Campbell and Emory Jones Jr.] are both really talented players.”
Losing Perkins: no big deal
This is a stat I did not expect to be on the strength list going into this week. A big factor why… losing your best player on defense in Harold Perkins Jr. With this injury, three players have stepped up to the point where you could say they never missed a beat.
First is the recent SEC defensive player of the week in linebacker Whit Weeks. Weeks currently leads the SEC in total tackles and put on a show against Ole miss last weekend. In the contributing win, Weeks put up his personal best with 18 total tackles including one of the six sacks on Rebels' quarterback Jackson Dart.
LSU linebacker Greg Penn has also been huge for the Tigers this year. Penn is currently in his fourth season with LSU and is returning after totaling the second most tackles on the team a year ago (89).
After the loss of Perkins, the two linebackers combined for 25 tackles against South Alabama. Penn produced his career best with 14 of those 25 tackles.
Although he is more of an edge rusher and not a linebacker, Bradyn Swinson has been huge for the Tigers in terms of getting pressures and sacks to the quarterback. Swinson has three multi-sack games on the season including last week’s win over Ole Miss. His other multi-sack games came on the road against South Carolina with three sacks and he produced two against the UCLA Bruins. On the season, Swinson has 26 total tackles alongside seven total sacks. Those seven sacks rank 2nd in the SEC and 5th in all of college football.
Weaknesses:
Run game
When looking at the Tigers on paper, the running game should be a strength because of a highly recruited running back room and powerful offensive line, but lately, it has been a weakness.
LSU’s rushing offense has been pretty inconsistent in the 2024 season. In the latest NCAA rushing offense rankings, the Tigers barely crack the top 100 sitting at 99. In both SEC games this season, LSU has been out-rushed by 207 yards. Most recently, the Tigers were held to 84 rushing yards in their overtime victory versus Ole Miss. Overall, LSU ranks 15th in the SEC with an average of 123.3 rushing yards per game.
It is worth noting that running back John Emery Jr. suffered a season-ending torn ACL in practice after the Week 1 loss to USC.
Penalties
LSU football has been known for not being a disciplined team when the pressure starts to rise. In their season opener against USC, the Tigers committed 10 penalties for 99 yards, including a big targeting call with under 20 seconds left in the game. Defensive back Jardin Gilbert’s targeting call helped set up the game winning touchdown for the Trojans to take the game, 27-20. Nine penalties against South Carolina and six against Ole Miss also were not positive for the Tigers.
In Arkansas’ win over Tennessee, the Volunteers committed 10 penalties, and some could be attributed to the loud Razorback crowd. LSU now comes into Fayetteville for a 6 p.m. kickoff and Arkansas is calling for a "Red Out" from fans. The stadium is going to be rocking, and we could see some critical mistakes from the 5-1 Tigers.
Prediction
After seeing Arkansas take down 4th-ranked Tennessee, it seems as if the Hogs can compete with any team in the country, especially if it is at home. A big question arises for me, though. Did Arkansas get comfortable on the bye week?
Having a top -5 upset at home in front of all of your fans can be pretty satisfying for teams and they could forget to hit the reset button. LSU just won a huge game at home and is going to come ready to play.
Having Taylen Green start would be huge, and he hasn't been listed on either availability report so far. Green’s threat to escape the pocket and use his legs could be all the difference in this week’s match up. Having these advantages gives problems for the Tigers and opens up the Arkansas offense.
Finally, Arkansas needs to play its game like it did against Tennessee. The total time of possession for the Hogs was 35:28, while the Volunteers had the ball for just 24:31. If the Razorbacks can keep their defense off the field, I believe Arkansas will step up again when it matters most.
Regardless, I think this game will be loud and close in scoring. I can easily see a way in which LSU wins this game. In a lot of ways the Tigers' team is much better than Arkansas’, but that was exactly the same with Tennessee.
Arkansas 28, LSU 27
Arkansas is fresh off a bye week after a historic home victory over the Tennessee Volunteers. The Razorbacks (4-2, 2-1 SEC) will now shift focus to the Battle for the Golden Boot against the No. 8LSU Tigers (5-1, 2-0 SEC) this Saturday at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. This will be the first time in Arkansas football history that two top-10 opponents will be hosted in Fayetteville in back-to-back games.
With a win this weekend, the Razorbacks can achieve consecutive wins over ranked opponents for the first time since 2015. The Hogs could also secure two top-10 wins in a season for only the third time in program history (1964, 1965).
The Tigers opened their 2024 campaign with a back and forth 27-20 loss in Las Vegas against the USC Trojans. Since the loss, LSU has gone 5-0 with impressive wins over South Carolina, UCLA and most recently, the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels. The win over Ole Miss was a shootout that LSU trailed in the entire game. With 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter, quarterback Garett Nussmeier hit wide receiver Aaron Anderson for a touchdown on a 23-yard route to the end zone to send the game to overtime. In overtime, the Tigers got a crucial stop and capitalized again on the offensive side of the ball on the first play of the drive. Nussmeier connected with Kyren Lacy to score the game-winning touchdown from 25 yards out.
In the last two years, the outcome of the Arkansas vs LSU game has been decided by only three points with LSU winning both games. Below is a scouting report from all I’ve seen from the Tigers and how they will match up against the Razorbacks come Saturday. The game will kick off at 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN.
----------------
LSU Tigers Resume:
Coach: Brian Kelly (3rd season)
Record: 5-1, 2-0 SEC
Offensive Coordinator: Joe Sloan and Cortez Hankton (co-offensive coordinator) (1st season)
Defensive Coordinator: Blake Baker (1st season)
Tale of the Tape:
Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers are always in contention for the top of the SEC. In Kelly’s three years at LSU, the Tigers are 25-8 with back-to-back 10 win seasons in 2022 and 2023. Kelly holds the crown for being the winningest active coach in the NCAA.
Even with one of the best resumes in college football, Kelly lost some major firepower on both sides of the ball before and during the 2024 season. First, the NFL Draft saw wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. along with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jayden Daniels all go in the first round.
As if that wasn’t enough, LSU also lost an AP preseason All-American in linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. on a season ending ACL injury. Perkins had a major impact on this Tiger defense, and that was shown by him earning the No. 7 jersey number, which is an LSU honor that goes to key playmakers for the Tigers.
Regardless, LSU has overcome these setbacks and performed better than expected. Besides their season opener, a lot of the Tigers' success can be attributed to their willingness to stay in games and get it done when it matters the most. In both of its SEC games, LSU has scored late touchdowns to help seal important victories to keep its season alive, and the Tigers' persistence to never waver is definitely something to consider when assessing the game this weekend.
Strengths:
The offensive line
The LSU offensive line has 128 total combined starts. This experienced group includes the offensive “No. 7” in left tackle Will Campbell and right tackle Emery Jones Jr.
Quarterback Nussmeier is known for having a quick release time when he drops back for a pass. In fact, the ball comes out quickly at an average of 2.63 seconds. Because of this, the LSU offensive line has only given up two sacks on the season, which is best in the SEC.
Going into the Ole Miss game, the Rebels had 24 sacks on the season, which led the nation. Even with one of the best front sevens in the country, LSU’s offensive line gave Nussmeier all the time in the world and didn’t give up a single sack.
The matchup between the Razorback defensive line and Tiger offensive line will play a big role in the outcome of the game. LSU’s group is one of the most experienced in the country, but we can’t forget about the Hogs' experience on the opposite side. Senior defensive lineman Landon Jackson came to Arkansas as a transfer from LSU in 2022 and definitely realizes how dangerous LSU's elite tackles really are.
“I’m excited for it all. It is really preparing [and] watching and studying a lot of film,” Jackson said in Tuesday's player press conference. “[Will Campbell and Emory Jones Jr.] are both really talented players.”
Losing Perkins: no big deal
This is a stat I did not expect to be on the strength list going into this week. A big factor why… losing your best player on defense in Harold Perkins Jr. With this injury, three players have stepped up to the point where you could say they never missed a beat.
First is the recent SEC defensive player of the week in linebacker Whit Weeks. Weeks currently leads the SEC in total tackles and put on a show against Ole miss last weekend. In the contributing win, Weeks put up his personal best with 18 total tackles including one of the six sacks on Rebels' quarterback Jackson Dart.
LSU linebacker Greg Penn has also been huge for the Tigers this year. Penn is currently in his fourth season with LSU and is returning after totaling the second most tackles on the team a year ago (89).
After the loss of Perkins, the two linebackers combined for 25 tackles against South Alabama. Penn produced his career best with 14 of those 25 tackles.
Although he is more of an edge rusher and not a linebacker, Bradyn Swinson has been huge for the Tigers in terms of getting pressures and sacks to the quarterback. Swinson has three multi-sack games on the season including last week’s win over Ole Miss. His other multi-sack games came on the road against South Carolina with three sacks and he produced two against the UCLA Bruins. On the season, Swinson has 26 total tackles alongside seven total sacks. Those seven sacks rank 2nd in the SEC and 5th in all of college football.
Weaknesses:
Run game
When looking at the Tigers on paper, the running game should be a strength because of a highly recruited running back room and powerful offensive line, but lately, it has been a weakness.
LSU’s rushing offense has been pretty inconsistent in the 2024 season. In the latest NCAA rushing offense rankings, the Tigers barely crack the top 100 sitting at 99. In both SEC games this season, LSU has been out-rushed by 207 yards. Most recently, the Tigers were held to 84 rushing yards in their overtime victory versus Ole Miss. Overall, LSU ranks 15th in the SEC with an average of 123.3 rushing yards per game.
It is worth noting that running back John Emery Jr. suffered a season-ending torn ACL in practice after the Week 1 loss to USC.
Penalties
LSU football has been known for not being a disciplined team when the pressure starts to rise. In their season opener against USC, the Tigers committed 10 penalties for 99 yards, including a big targeting call with under 20 seconds left in the game. Defensive back Jardin Gilbert’s targeting call helped set up the game winning touchdown for the Trojans to take the game, 27-20. Nine penalties against South Carolina and six against Ole Miss also were not positive for the Tigers.
In Arkansas’ win over Tennessee, the Volunteers committed 10 penalties, and some could be attributed to the loud Razorback crowd. LSU now comes into Fayetteville for a 6 p.m. kickoff and Arkansas is calling for a "Red Out" from fans. The stadium is going to be rocking, and we could see some critical mistakes from the 5-1 Tigers.
Prediction
After seeing Arkansas take down 4th-ranked Tennessee, it seems as if the Hogs can compete with any team in the country, especially if it is at home. A big question arises for me, though. Did Arkansas get comfortable on the bye week?
Having a top -5 upset at home in front of all of your fans can be pretty satisfying for teams and they could forget to hit the reset button. LSU just won a huge game at home and is going to come ready to play.
Having Taylen Green start would be huge, and he hasn't been listed on either availability report so far. Green’s threat to escape the pocket and use his legs could be all the difference in this week’s match up. Having these advantages gives problems for the Tigers and opens up the Arkansas offense.
Finally, Arkansas needs to play its game like it did against Tennessee. The total time of possession for the Hogs was 35:28, while the Volunteers had the ball for just 24:31. If the Razorbacks can keep their defense off the field, I believe Arkansas will step up again when it matters most.
Regardless, I think this game will be loud and close in scoring. I can easily see a way in which LSU wins this game. In a lot of ways the Tigers' team is much better than Arkansas’, but that was exactly the same with Tennessee.
Arkansas 28, LSU 27
