Trey’Dez Green didn’t waste any time reminding everybody what LSU has been missing.
After sitting out the previous four games because of a lower-body injury suffered in the Week 3 loss at Ole Miss, the junior tight end stepped back onto the field Saturday at Auburn and made an immediate impact. He looked sharp, physical and fully capable of making a difference in a key road game.
Green, who had not appeared on LSU’s initial injury report Wednesday night, delivered the kind of play that can change the feel of a first half. With 9:48 left in the second quarter, he caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Sam Leavitt to put LSU ahead 17-3. It was Green’s second touchdown of the season, a reminder of how much time he had missed and how quickly he made his presence felt once he returned.
The score came on third-and-6 from the Auburn 15. Green hauled in the throw near the 10 and powered through a crowd of Auburn defenders at the goal line to finish the play.
Green’s return mattered even more because of how uncertain things looked after that injury at Ole Miss, when he was seen on crutches on the sideline. Instead, he was back in the fold at Auburn and contributing in a big way to LSU’s first-half lead in the Week 8 matchup.
LSU had built a cushion early, but with this being an SEC road game, there was still plenty of work ahead to finish the job on the Plains.
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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 🡒]