LSU heads to Lexington for a Saturday night SEC test, and the mood around this one is pretty straightforward: if the Tigers handle the ball and avoid giving Kentucky easy chances, they should leave with a win. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.
That’s the common thread in the predictions from LSU’s beat team, even if the final scores vary a bit. The biggest concern is turnovers, and more specifically what those mistakes could turn into for a home crowd waiting to get involved. LSU has the edge on paper, but this game could tighten fast if the Tigers start gifting short fields.
Scott Rabalais sees LSU pulling away 31-23. He points to LSU being statistically better in nearly every area, including points off turnovers, where the Tigers hold a 31-30 edge.
His view is that the deciding factor will be whether LSU plays the cleaner game. Sam Leavitt has thrown at least one interception in every contest, and Rabalais warns LSU cannot afford to hand Kentucky quick scoring chances that would ignite the atmosphere.
Jon Blau also has LSU winning, 31-21, but he frames it as a ball-security game first and foremost. He notes that LSU’s offense has to protect the football against a Kentucky team that ranks top 50 nationally in rushing and has a veteran quarterback in Kenny Minchey, who has 11 touchdowns and just one interception. Blau’s bottom line is that if LSU avoids extra possessions for the Wildcats and doesn’t let Kentucky dictate the tempo, the Tigers should have enough talent to win - though he puts plenty of weight on that “should.”
Koki Riley is the most comfortable of the three with LSU’s margin, taking the Tigers 28-17. He describes Kentucky as a promising program with an exciting young coach and a surprisingly deep war chest of financial resources, but he also notes that unranked teams are just 6-70 against ranked teams across college football this year. Riley sees LSU with a clear talent advantage on at least one side of the ball, probably both, and expects defensive coordinator Blake Baker to have his way against former LSU and current Kentucky offensive coordinator Joe Sloan.
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