LSU doesn’t need a reminder about what Marcel Reed can do. The Texas A&M quarterback has already spent two games making the Tigers pay, and both meetings have left a mark.
Reed first changed the game in 2024 after coming off the bench for a struggling Conner Weigman. As a freshman, he entered in the third quarter with Texas A&M down 17-7, then flipped the night with a three-touchdown burst. His first snap went for an eight-yard touchdown run, and the Aggies rolled to a 38-23 win.
Last season brought a different kind of pain for LSU. With Reed fully installed as the starter, Texas A&M went into Tiger Stadium and left with a 49-25 win, its first victory in six games at Death Valley. By the end, the Aggies had emptied the place out.
Now Lane Kiffin is the one helping LSU prepare for Reed, and he isn’t pretending this is a simple assignment.
“Well, this is a big test. Like you said, we’ve struggled here with him before,” Kiffin said.
“I think we lead the country in rush defense, but that hasn’t been against a ton of quarterback-schemed runs. … So, that’s a different set of challenges.”
That challenge starts with LSU’s run defense, which enters Saturday’s matchup ranked first in the country at 33 yards allowed per game. The Tigers have already handled a physical back in Kewan Lacy and a mobile quarterback in Trinidad Chambliss, and they held Ole Miss to 63 rushing yards in the 32-24 loss.
But Kiffin’s point matters: Texas A&M doesn’t just use Reed as a passer. The Aggies will put him on the move in ways Ole Miss didn’t with Chambliss, and that changes the job for LSU across the defense.
The front seven will have to stay disciplined, avoid losing leverage and handle designed quarterback runs without overpursuing. But the secondary can’t drift out of the picture either.
Starting safety Ty Benefield put it plainly.
“Yeah, I just got a plaster drill, when he gets out of the pocket, keep him in the pocket as much as we can,” Benefield said of slowing down Reed. “Stay disciplined in coverage, don’t be too greedy, but he’s gonna test your rules. He’s good at what he does.”
The numbers back up why LSU is keyed on Reed’s legs. In his two games against the Tigers, he has rushed for 170 yards and five touchdowns. Last year alone, he piled up 100 rushing yards while also throwing for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns, though he did toss two interceptions.
This season, though, the passing game has been the shakier part of Reed’s profile. That showed up in Texas A&M’s 31-21 loss to Kentucky on Saturday, when Reed completed 26 of 39 passes for 236 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
For LSU, the formula is clear: make Reed stay in the pocket, keep the run game from taking over, and force the Aggies quarterback to beat them without the extra room he’s had before. If the Tigers can do that, they give themselves a real shot at finally solving the player who has given them the most trouble in this matchup.
In Other News...
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LSU said it went through its Title IX process after the incident was first reported by the student-athlete and added that it is cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues. For a team that already lives under constant scrutiny, the next steps in the legal review may matter as much as anything happening in practice, with the university and prosecutors now moving on parallel tracks. [Read more 🡒]
Ty Benefield Put LSUs Defense On Notice Before Texas A&M
After LSUs loss to Ole Miss, Ty Benefield was one of the defenders asked to help frame what comes next as the Tigers turn toward a key SEC matchup with Texas A&M. The safety spoke to reporters with a focus on discipline and response, making it clear the standard on defense has to hold even as the season keeps testing the group. He also voiced confidence in the teammates around him, a small but important sign that the room still believes its best football is ahead.
Benefields comments were especially notable because LSU is still sorting through adjustments tied to injuries, which has put added pressure on the players available right now. He described a next-play mentality and explained what drives him to compete in Baton Rouge, a reminder that the message inside the building is as much about resolve as it is about correction. With Texas A&M up next, LSUs defense will need both. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen A. Smith Just Gave LSU Fans A New Lane Kiffin Debate
A setback in a big game was enough to stir the conversation again around LSU and Lane Kiffin, and Stephen A. Smith added a fresh jolt to it on ESPNs First Take. Smith said Kiffin deserves credit for restoring LSUs national relevance, a notable endorsement for a coach who has already made the Tigers a constant topic in the sports weekly debate.
Smith did not ignore the uneasy start, either, pointing to the early deficit that had LSU fans gripping the moment before the team battled back to tie the game. Even with that comeback in the mix, the conversation around Kiffin is far from settled, especially with Paul Finebaum still firmly in the opposing camp. [Read more 🡒]