Nick Saban is sticking with LSU again for Saturday night’s SEC clash with Texas A&M, even after his pick missed last week.
The Tigers are back under the lights in Death Valley, where they’ll try to avoid a second loss before September is even over. LSU enters at 2-1 after falling at Ole Miss, a result that dropped the Tigers three spots in the AP Poll from No. 7 to No.
- Now they get another shot in a primetime spot, this time against No.
23 Texas A&M.
The Aggies are coming off a rough one of their own. Their home loss to Kentucky turned into what the source called an SEC catastrophe, and now they head into a road test that kicks off shortly after 7:30 p.m.
ET on ABC. Both teams are 2-1, and both had SEC openers that went sideways.
Saban, who has coached in Death Valley as both the home and visiting coach, believes the setting matters here. He pointed to the usual edge for home teams in night games around the SEC and backed LSU to respond.
“I think both teams will bounce back, but there’s a stat in the SEC that when you play at home at night in the SEC, I mean it’s like an unbelievable percentage of the home team winning. And LSU is obviously one of the most difficult places to play, and Lane is going to do a really good job of trying to get this team to come back. … But I think LSU’s defense will carry them,” Nick Saban said during his weekly Friday afternoon appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
Saban also flagged concerns on the Texas A&M side, especially after the loss to Kentucky.
“What I’m concerned about with A&M is, quarterback didn’t play very well last week and the defense was not very good at all, and Kentucky just controlled the game against them. They’re going to have to get the defense fixed if they’re going to have a successful season, and obviously Marcel Reed’s got to come around and play really well as well.”
For the second straight week, Saban is backing LSU to handle the moment at home.
In Other News...
Texas Just Gave SEC Fans A Debate Texas A&M Knows Well
Texas walked out of Knoxville with a 20-17 win over Tennessee, and the headline for SEC fans was easy to spot: pass rusher Colin Simmons was everywhere against freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. The Longhorns also got steady help from Raleek Brown, who ran for 67 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, while Texas handled the second half well enough to keep control after taking the lead.
For Texas A&M fans, the result lands as the kind of familiar conversation starter the SEC always seems to produce. Tennessee made things interesting late with a touchdown and an onside kick recovery, but could not find the final answer, and Texas' ability to close out a tough road game will only sharpen the talk around how the SEC race looks when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Gets A Huge Recruiting Sign With One Big Question Left
Donald Tabron IIs next step is suddenly a lot clearer for Texas A&M. The five-star quarterback commit from Cass Technical High School has canceled his planned visit to LSU for an upcoming game, a move that, according to reports, reads as a strong sign for the Aggies as they work to hold onto one of the top passers in the class. With multiple major programs having chased him, any shift in plans from a prospect of this caliber gets attention fast.
For Texas A&M, the development is encouraging because it suggests the Aggies still have momentum with a high-profile commitment who could have easily kept his options open. Even so, recruiting never really goes quiet this early, and Tabrons status could still change down the road. For now, though, the canceled visit gives A&M a useful update in a race where every decision matters. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Can Flip LSU Despite One Big Concern On Offense
Texas A&M heads into the LSU matchup with plenty to like beyond the rivalry backdrop. Mike Elko has sounded confident about where his team is mentally, and he has also stood by Marcel Reed even after the recent interceptions that can cloud any quarterback conversation this time of year. On the other side, LSU will be missing star tight end Trey'Dez Green, while the Aggies get a boost of their own with running back KJ Edwards set to return from injury.
Still, the odds are tilted toward LSU, at least according to ESPNs Matchup Predictor, which makes this a tricky spot for Texas A&M to prove it can handle a big road-style test in the SEC. The encouraging part for the Aggies is that this is not unfamiliar territory, because they have already beaten LSU with Elko on the sideline and Reed under center, giving them a blueprint to lean on even as the offense tries to clean up the mistakes. [Read more 🡒]