Brian Kelly is looking at LSU’s Week 11 matchup with Texas and seeing a path the Tigers can exploit.
The LSU coach made it clear on CBS Sports where he thinks the edge lies, and it starts with the Longhorns’ protection issues.
“I think in this game, one can be fixed and the other can’t. And that is, I don’t know if Texas can protect. I don’t think you can fix that over a week,” Kelly said on CBS Sports.
He doubled down on that point by contrasting it with what LSU needs to clean up.
“For LSU, it’s situational football. They have to be better in the red zone.
They have to be better in fourth down situations. I think you can correct situational football with execution.
I don’t know if [the Longhorns] can protect. I’m going with LSU.”
That’s a confident call from Kelly, especially with both teams heading into the game in very different places. LSU has split its last two games and is coming off an ugly loss to Alabama, leaving the Tigers outside the playoff bubble. Texas, meanwhile, has won three straight, knocked off two ranked SEC opponents, and sits at No. 6 in the bracket.
The matchup in the trenches is the part that could swing everything in Death Valley. Texas has allowed 27 sacks of Arch Manning this season, the ninth-most in college football. The blocking problems have also dragged down the run game, with the Longhorns averaging just 128 yards per game on the ground, which ranks 108th nationally and 14th in the SEC.
Manning’s production tracks closely with the pressure he faces. When he isn’t under duress, he completes 70 percent of his passes. When pressure gets home, that number drops to 53 percent.
Texas has still found ways to win, and the offense has gotten a lift from Manning’s improved play at a key stretch of the season. But the line of scrimmage may be where this one gets decided.
LSU is projected by the ESPN Football Power Index to be 0.9 points better than Texas on a neutral field, a slim edge that reflects just how tight this matchup is.
The Longhorns are 4-0 against top 25 teams this season and are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive. LSU is 2-2 and trying to push its way back into the conversation.
Saturday night could reshape that picture.
In Other News...
Texas Suddenly Faces A Travel Problem Before LSU Showdown
Texas trip to Baton Rouge hit an unexpected snag before the Longhorns even left Austin, as the teams charter flight was grounded by a nationwide FAA ground stoppage tied to a communication issue affecting air traffic control. Players and staff deplaned and headed back to their stadium, leaving a routine travel day suddenly turned into a waiting game.
With the FAA still not lifting the ground stop, there has been no announcement on how the Longhorns will get to LSU for the upcoming showdown. For a team trying to keep its focus on the field, the logistics are now part of the story, and the next move remains unclear. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Gets An Early Read On Two Key LSU Week Concerns
Texas got a little clarity on its injury picture ahead of LSU, with defensive lineman Hero Kanu moving up to probable on the SEC availability report. On the other side of the ball, offensive lineman Cole Hutson remains questionable, leaving one of the more important pregame concerns still unresolved as the Longhorns continue to sort through a banged-up roster.
Texas is already working around several longer-term absences, with Trevor Goosby, Hollywood Smothers, Nick Townsend, and Richard Wesley all out for the season or for multiple games. LSU has its own mix of out, questionable and probable designations, so both teams will be watching the final availability updates closely before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces A Brutal Baton Rouge Test Under The Lights
Texas is heading into one of the sports most unforgiving road environments, with a trip to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1953. The setting alone makes this a measuring-stick game, and the matchup only sharpens the edge: LSU has been especially tough in Saturday night home games, while Steve Sarkisian and his players have been candid about the challenge waiting for them.
The Tigers bring a loaded profile on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Sam Leavitt and running back Dilin Jones driving a high-powered offense and a highly ranked defense backing it up. For Texas, the assignment is as much about handling the atmosphere as it is matching talent, and that combination is what makes this one of the more daunting tests on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]