LSU’s trip to Auburn brings more than a hostile crowd and a tough road setting. It also means dealing with a Tigers offense that can stress a defense in a few different ways, especially now that Auburn is in the first year under Alex Golesh and still settling in.
Golesh arrived from South Florida and brought some of his best players with him, and that group has already helped Auburn build around a quarterback who can hurt you both through the air and on the ground. Byrum Brown is not a flawless passer, but he has produced plenty anyway, completing 64.3% of his throws for 1,205 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.
His legs may be the bigger problem. Brown has run 107 times for 459 yards and five scores, a significant load considering Auburn’s offensive line has already given up 23 sacks, which ranks 135th out of 138 teams.
That combination makes Brown the central challenge for LSU. Dual-threat quarterbacks have caused Blake Baker issues before, although LSU did have some success slowing down Marcel Reed earlier this year.
Brown brings a different physical profile, though, at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds. He has also worked with Golesh since 2023, so this is a familiar partnership rather than a brand-new fit.
Auburn’s defense has its own player LSU has to account for in Elijah Melendez. His role only got bigger after Xavier Atkins was dismissed from the team, and he now stands out as the unit’s most versatile piece.
Melendez leads Auburn in most major categories with 35 tackles, nine TFLs, four sacks, an interception and five passes defensed. He’s a true all-around linebacker, and his background as a high school running back shows up in the way he moves.
LSU will need to keep him from disrupting Sam Leavitt and the run game.
The third name on the list is Jeremiah Cobb, who gives Auburn another layer in the backfield. Brown gets most of the attention as a runner, but Cobb has been efficient when called upon.
He has 58 carries for 306 yards and two touchdowns this season, and he was an All-SEC back last year despite the lighter workload. His speed and burst pair well with Brown, and Auburn’s best outings have come when Cobb is involved enough to make the offense feel balanced.
In Other News...
LSU Just Changed The Playoff Conversation With This Road Breakthrough
LSU's trip to Auburn brought more than a needed conference win. The Tigers walked out with a 38-17 victory that ended a frustrating skid of more than two years without an SEC road win, and it came with the kind of balance that has been missing at times this fall. Quarterback Sam Leavitt and receiver Jackson Harris helped drive the offense, while the defense kept Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown from finding much rhythm.
At 6-2, LSU still has a live path in the College Football Playoff discussion, and this was the sort of result that can change how the rest of the season feels. Road wins in the SEC are never easy, and this one mattered not just because of the standings, but because it suggested the Tigers can travel, execute and hold up on both sides of the ball when the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Heads To Auburn With Playoff Pressure And A Key Boost
LSU heads to Auburn on Saturday with the kind of November pressure that turns every snap into a referendum on a season, and Jordan-Hare Stadium figures to be a difficult place to manage it. Both teams are carrying two losses and trying to keep their College Football Playoff hopes in view, which gives this one a sharper edge than a typical SEC road trip. The game will air on ABC with an 11 a.m. CT kickoff, setting up an early test for a Tigers team that can no longer afford to waste chances.
A key piece of help is coming back, too, with tight end Trey'Dez Green expected to return from injury. LSU has been working through the final stretch of the regular season without much margin for error, and getting Green back adds another option as the offense tries to navigate a game that could shape the rest of the conversation around its postseason path. Auburn is in the same position, which only raises the stakes for a matchup that already feels like it belongs in the must-win category. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs New-Look Lineup Raised One Immediate Concern Before The Opener
LSUs first exhibition look offered a clear glimpse of how much change this roster is carrying into the season. In the 89-87 loss to Florida State, the Tigers started three recently eligible newcomers in Skyy Clark, Saliou Niang and Brice Desser, while Donovan Dent set the tone offensively with 24 points and nine assists. It was the kind of early test that can reveal both promise and pressure, especially for a team trying to sort out roles before the games start counting.
The concern that came out of it was just as obvious as the talent on the floor. LSU still had pieces unavailable, with Gilad Levy sidelined because of eligibility and Austin Nunez out with an injury, leaving the rotation thinner than it will need to be once SEC play rolls around. For a new-look group trying to find chemistry quickly, the opener hinted at how much the Tigers may have to manage in the backcourt and beyond before the lineup is fully settled. [Read more 🡒]