Texas heads into another road test this week, and the assignment is a tricky one: LSU.
The Longhorns just came off a huge win at Missouri in Week 10, but there’s no easing into the next stretch. They stay on the road and now face a Tigers team that has been sliding lately, including a third loss of the season to Alabama under head coach Lane Kiffin.
For Texas, the challenge starts with LSU’s offense, which can pile up production in a hurry and also beat itself. The Tigers sit No. 22 nationally in points per game at 33.9, No. 6 in yards per game at 475.8, No. 33 in yards per play at 6.0, and No. 10 in third-down conversion percentage at 49.57.
But that efficiency hasn’t carried over near the goal line. LSU ranks No. 76 in red zone scoring, turning trips into points just 83.33 percent of the time, and that issue showed up again in the loss to Alabama.
A lot of what LSU does well comes through the air. Sam Leavitt is willing to push the ball downfield, but that aggressiveness comes with risk. He has thrown nine interceptions this season and has had only two games without a pick, which gives Texas a clear opening if the Longhorns can force him into obvious passing situations.
The ground game is where LSU has been less convincing. The Tigers are averaging just 3.9 yards per rush, which ranks No. 82 in the country. If they can’t get more going on the ground, they may be forced to lean even harder on Leavitt and that’s where the mistakes can start to show up.
Texas will also have to deal with a defense that gives up yards in one way but not always in another. LSU is fourth in the SEC in passing yards allowed per game at 207.67 in conference play, but the Tigers still allow explosive plays at a rate of 10.5 percent, a mark that sits in the middle of the SEC.
The biggest strength on that side of the ball is the front. LSU is sacking opposing quarterbacks on 12.2 percent of dropbacks, which ranks No. 1 in the country, and the Tigers have 36 sacks on the season. If Texas can hold up against that pressure, both in the run game and in pass protection, there should be chances to hit big plays and move the ball downfield.
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Will Muschamp has spent enough time around Lane Kiffin to know the challenge by now, and Texas will get another crack at it when the Longhorns head to Tiger Stadium to face LSU. Their coaching history has leaned Kiffins way overall, but Muschamps last answer came in emphatic fashion in 2023, when his Georgia defense overwhelmed Ole Miss and smothered the kind of offense Kiffin usually wants to unleash.
For Texas, that meeting matters because Muschamps approach has already shown it can disrupt Kiffins rhythm. The Longhorns are walking into a game where the defensive coordinators past success against one of college footballs most inventive offensive minds could shape the plan, even if the bigger test is proving that blueprint still works in Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]
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Now the challenge gets sharper in Baton Rouge, where Sarkisian called LSUs defense the most talented group Texas will see all season. For a team that has already shown it can win big games, this trip is about more than carrying momentum - it is about preparation and offensive efficiency against a front that will ask far more questions than Missouri did. [Read more 🡒]
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Even with the offense humming at a 100-point pace, the bigger takeaway may be how much easier Texas looks when Vokietaitis is involved early and often. The Longhorns now turn to Baylor in San Antonio, where the level of competition rises and the same questions about consistency and interior production will get a more revealing test. [Read more 🡒]