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LSU football is no stranger to big matchups, and the Tigers have yet another one in Week 8. The Tigers will play host to seventh-ranked Ole Miss, the last undefeated team in the SEC West, in a crucial showdown on Saturday afternoon. This game has big implications in the SEC race, so it's only natural to make some bold predictions for this LSU football contest.
LSU has had an up-and-down season in Brian Kelly's debut campaign. After a season-opening loss to Florida State in New Orleans, the Tigers rattled off four straight wins to climb into the AP Top 25. A blowout loss to Tennessee ended their hot streak, but they bounced back with a road win over Florida last Saturday.
Ole Miss may have an undefeated record, but it hasn't been easy. Most recently, the Rebels defeated Auburn 48-34 at home, but allowed over 300 yards rushing to a team that has struggled all season. With a brutal schedule to close the season, the Rebels will need to tighten up to maintain their perfect record.
The Tigers may be out of the College Football Playoff race, but they are still very much alive in the SEC. Plus, they'd love to to spoil their rival's perfect season. With that said, let's make some bold LSU predictions for Saturday's college football showdown.
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3. Jayden Daniels throws and runs for a touchdown
A transfer from Arizona State, Daniels has quietly had a very solid season in his first at LSU. Through seven games, he has completed 69.2% of his passes for 1,64 yards and 10 touchdowns, along with 403 yards and six scores on the ground. He has also been very safe with the ball with only one pick this season, down from 10 in 2021.
Daniels had easily his best game as a Tiger in the win over Florida. The senior accounted for 393 total yards and six total touchdowns, three passing and three rushing. If Daniels can keep up that level of play, the sky is the limit for him and LSU.
Ole Miss' defense has been around the middle of the pack this season. The Rebels sit ninth in the SEC in passing defense, seventh in rushing and sixth in total. They have been strong in scoring defense, though, with their 17.3 points allowed per game sitting third in the conference.
Ole Miss' defense will be the biggest test yet for Daniels and the LSU offense. He may not put up quite as spectacular numbers as he did in his previous game, but he should still be effective. Expect him to score at least twice, once through the air and once on the ground.
2. The Tigers allow less than 200 rushing yards
The Rebels' rushing attack has been the focal point of their offense this season. Ole Miss is averaging an absurd 271.4 rushing yards per game, third-most in the entire country. The Rebels' ground game tore Auburn apart last week, rushing for 448 yards and three touchdowns.
The running back duo of Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins has led the charge this season, combining for 1,325 yards and 17 touchdowns. Quarterback Jaxson Dart has also been a solid runner with 371 yards on the season. All three players are averaging at least 5.9 yards per carry, and no one has been able to slow them down yet.
Meanwhile, LSU's run defense sits eighth in the SEC, allowing 145.6 yards per game. The Tigers have struggled to defend the run in recent games, allowing 263 yards against Tennessee and 199 against Florida. They have allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards only twice this season, against Mississippi State and New Mexico.
If LSU wants to win this game, the defense has to find a way to slow down Ole Miss' run game. The Tigers will have the home-field advantage on their side on Saturday, and the Death Valley crowd can definitely make a difference.
1. LSU ends Ole Miss' undefeated season
Tiger Stadium has earned a reputation as being one of, if not the, toughest stadiums to play at in the country. Many highly ranked teams have come into Death Valley with high hopes, only to have their dreams dashed. This game feels like it could be another trademark LSU upset.
Furthermore, this exact scenario has played out before. In 2014, No. 3 Ole Miss rolled into Tiger Stadium to play LSU, which looked to be in a down season. In a huge upset, the Tigers upended the Rebels 10-7 to hand them their first loss of the season.
History has a way of repeating itself, and this could be deja vu for the Rebels. If enough goes the Tigers' way, they could earn another massive win and deal a huge blow to Ole Miss' College Football Playoff hopes.
