Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
A spirit that is not afraid

No. 9 Auburn to face rising LSU defense in Baton Rouge

Auburn Head coach Gus Malzahn speaks to his quarterbacks prior to Auburn vs. Florida, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Gainesville, Fla.
Auburn Head coach Gus Malzahn speaks to his quarterbacks prior to Auburn vs. Florida, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Gainesville, Fla.

While most of the conversation has been on LSU's 50-points-a-game offense this season, LSU's defense rebounded after a slow start against Texas where it gave up 38 points to the Longhorns.

It turned in impressive performances against Florida and Mississippi State, giving up a combined 41 points in those two games. 

Defensively, LSU is led by junior defensive back Grant Delpit. The 2018 All-SEC first team member through seven games has a fumble recovery, interception and four pass deflections. He forms a formidable secondary with freshman cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and veteran corner Kristian Fulton.

Stingley leads the SEC in passes defended with 12 and against Florida this season he had a career-high six tackles and an interception off Kyle Trask. His interception off Trask brought his season total to three interceptions.

The freshman cornerback has been targeted 41 times in 2019 and only allowed 19 receptions for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Last week against Mississippi State, Stingley was not targeted.  

LSU has been allowing on average 259.3 passing yards per game against its three SEC opponents this season. LSU has played Vanderbilt, Florida and Mississippi State this season. 

The school that calls itself DBU, or "defensive back university," will be looking to make things tough on the freshman Bo Nix and the Auburn passing game. Nix is making his first trip to Death Valley this weekend and knows that the LSU defense is a confident group of playmakers. 

“I think they’re just very athletic and they’re very confident,” Nix said. “Coming up there and getting in your face and making you make plays. As a defense if you have those kinds of players, why wouldn’t you do that. We have to have a good scheme and come out there and win one on one matchups, run the ball effectively. So that when it comes down to it at the end of the game, we’re in a tight game and we can win the game.” 

Nix knows that LSU can get up in opposing offense's faces and a big part of that is outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson. The outside linebacker missed the 2018 season with a torn ACL after tearing it in LSU's first game. This season he has haunted QBs with two sacks for a combined loss of 21 yards and three QB hurries.

He helped seal the win for LSU against Florida when he stopped Trask for a loss of two yards on fourth-and-goal with a minute remaining in the game.

No. 9 Auburn travels to Baton Rouge this weekend to take on No. 2 LSU at 2:30 p.m. CST on CBS.  


Share and discuss “No. 9 Auburn to face rising LSU defense in Baton Rouge” on social media.