LSU defensive tackle Deuce Geralds picked up SEC Freshman of the Week honors after turning in another disruptive performance in the Tigers’ 35-6 win over Texas A&M.
Geralds finished with two sacks and five tackles, and the award made him the first non-quarterback to claim the conference’s freshman honor this season. Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon took the award in the first two weeks, while Vanderbilt’s Jared Curtis earned it last week.
The freshman has been a fast riser for LSU since arriving in Baton Rouge. A four-star recruit from Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia, Geralds has started each of his first four games and already has four sacks, 13 total tackles and one forced fumble. His other two sacks came against Louisiana Tech.
“Deuce has done great, obviously, as a true freshman,” Kiffin said after Saturday’s win. “There aren’t many stories like that out there anymore because if you think about it, everyone’s portalized, right?
So there’s not many spots that aren’t filled where a lot of times sometimes you got to go to true freshmen to play them, and you see less and less of that around the country. So Deuce is really unique, done a great job.”
Geralds’ impact showed up all over LSU’s defensive effort against the Aggies and quarterback Marcel Reed. The Tigers held Texas A&M to 197 total yards and 11 first downs, forced two interceptions and limited Reed to -13 rushing yards after he had hurt LSU on the ground in each of the previous two seasons. As a team, the Aggies managed just 97 rushing yards and finished at 2.8 yards per carry.
SEC Players of the Week for Sept. 28, 2026 also included Florida’s Jadan Baugh at running back, Georgia linebacker Chris Cole on defense, Florida’s London Montgomery in special teams, Florida right tackle Bryce Lovett on the offensive line, Missouri defensive end Daeden Hopkins on the defensive line and Geralds as the freshman selection.
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For LSU, the more interesting part may be how little room there is left for error if the Tigers want the respect that usually comes with a late-season push. The AP list and the coaches version both showed movement elsewhere, with teams dropping out and others collecting votes, but LSU stayed planted just outside the top tier. In a week when some programs rose sharply and others faded from view, the Tigers were left in the middle, good enough to stay in the conversation but still waiting for the kind of change in perception that only comes with another statement win. [Read more 🡒]
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LSUs Texas A&M Grades Revealed One Breakout And One Lingering Concern
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The same report also flagged the Tigers rougher edges, with Jayce Brown drawing the lowest offensive grade and Dylan Carpenter landing at the bottom on defense. For LSU, that kind of split matters because it reinforces the difference between isolated standouts and full-game reliability, leaving the staff with clear evidence of who is elevating the group and where the lingering concern still sits. [Read more 🡒]
