LSU heads to Lexington on Saturday night with a simple need: the Tigers have to get their best players going if they want to handle a Kentucky team that’s riding a three-game winning streak and trying to make life miserable at home.
After rebounding from the loss to Ole Miss, LSU should arrive with some confidence. But in SEC play, confidence only goes so far. The Tigers have the talent to win this one; now it’s about the stars delivering when the pressure rises.
At quarterback, Sam Leavitt is the obvious swing factor. LSU has seen two versions of him this season.
At his best, he’s a gamer who uses his legs to extend plays, even if his throwing has sometimes been uneven. Over the past two games, though, injury has forced him into more of a pure pocket role, and that version of Leavitt has arguably looked even better.
The ideal outcome Saturday would be a healthy balance. That matters because Kentucky’s secondary is the strongest part of its defense, and Leavitt will have to be sharp.
On the other side of the ball, S Ty Benefield has a big job waiting for him. Kentucky receiver Kenny Darby has been its top target, hauling in 12 catches last week and reaching 322 yards on the season.
He works almost entirely from the slot and could come in with extra fire after once being an LSU commit before flipping away. He also has a relationship with Lane Kiffin and his staff.
Up front, LT Jordan Seaton may be one of LSU’s most important names. He’s long been known as a strong pass protector, but his run blocking hasn’t always matched that reputation.
Lately, that has started to change. LSU’s ground game has a chance to take over this matchup, but only if the offensive line can generate movement.
If Seaton keeps showing more power and starts moving defenders the way he has over the past couple of weeks, that could open things up for Dilin Jones and Harlem Berry. It would also strengthen his case to be the first non-quarterback taken in the draft.
Then there’s LB Davhon Keys, who becomes even more important with Whit Weeks injured. LSU opened the season with elite linebacker play, and the depth has to help keep that standard in place.
Keys isn’t as versatile as Weeks, and few players are, but he has been extremely dependable in his snaps. He tackles cleanly, though at three inches shorter than Weeks he may not be as effective rushing the passer or taking on blockers.
He could still be better in coverage, and LSU will need that steady presence on Saturday.
In Other News...
LSU Enters Kentucky With One Big Edge And A Real Concern
LSU got a clean bill of health change-wise on its final injury report for the Kentucky game, while the Wildcats are dealing with a more damaging list on the other side. Kentucky will be without defensive lineman Kalen Edwards, and that matters in a matchup where trench play already shapes how both teams want to control the game. For the Tigers, the headline is not a new setback, but the chance to lean on an edge that has been there since the report first came out.
Still, LSU is not exactly walking into this one untouched. The Tigers will be missing five players, including linebackers Whit Weeks and Charles Ross II, safety Dashawn Spears, wide receiver Phillip Wright III and tight end Trey'Dez Green, which leaves the roster thinner in a few key spots. Even so, the most intriguing part of the matchup may be how LSU's running game holds up against a Kentucky defense trying to absorb its own injury losses and keep the Tigers from dictating the pace. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Freshman WR Is Forcing A Rethink Before Kentucky
LSU has spent plenty of effort rebuilding its wide receiver room through the transfer portal under coach Lane Kiffin, adding nine newcomers and creating one of the rosters most watched battles for snaps. But after the McNeese game, true freshman Corey Barber Jr. made a real case to be part of the conversation, giving the Tigers another young option to consider as they sort out who belongs on the field.
The timing matters because Kentucky is next, and the competition is not just about depth anymore. Kansas State transfer Jayce Brown is still in the mix, but Barbers breakout has forced LSU to at least rethink how the rotation should look going forward, with both players expected to keep fighting for playing time this week. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Know This Kentucky Series Has Never Felt Normal
LSU and Kentucky spent a stretch meeting every season from 1952 to 2002, and even with LSU holding the upper hand in the series, the matchup never settled into anything routine. There were old Kentucky wins from the Bear Bryant era, and there was the kind of back-and-forth history that makes this SEC pairing feel a little off-kilter compared with more familiar league rivalries.
More recently, the game has kept finding ways to look strange, including LSUs dramatic finish in 2002 and Kentuckys latest victory over the Tigers in 2021, a 42-21 result in Lexington. For LSU fans, the memory bank on this series is full of odd turns and uncomfortable surprises, which is part of why Kentucky week has never quite felt normal. [Read more 🡒]