The Auburn Tigers travel to Baton Rogue, Louisiana, after their bye week to take on the 4-2 LSU Tigers as Auburn seeks its first SEC win.
The Tiger Bowl has had a slight advantage in favor of LSU 6-4 over the past 10 years. But, the last trip to Death Valley in the 2021 season resulted in a 24-19 win, Auburn’s first in Baton Rogue since 1999.
The Auburn defense will face its most challenging test of the season as it faces an LSU offense averaging 44.8 points per game. Led by Brian Kelly, the LSU Tigers return home for the first time since Sept. 23 after road games against Ole Miss and last week's come-from-behind victory over Missouri.
Players to Watch:
LSU Tigers:
Malik Nabers (WR):
The star LSU wide receiver has been dominant in SEC play. Through four games in SEC play, Nabers has totaled 617 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 17.6 receiving yards per game. Nabers is going to be tested against a rested Auburn secondary.
Harold Perkins (LB):
While the LSU defense has struggled this season, allowed 34 points per game, Perkins is a bright spot in that unit. The potential future first-round pick has been a true disrupter this season, tallying 27 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in six games this season.
Auburn Tigers:
Payton Thorne/Robby Ashford (QB)
The two quarterbacks have seen the field in significant moments this season, but Auburn has yet to throw for 100 yards or more against a Power Five opponent in 2023. This matchup sees Auburn, who currently sits at 118th in FBS passing yards per game, pinned against LSU’s 118th-ranked passing yards allowed per game.
Rivaldo Fairweather (TE):
The 6-foot-4, 251-pound tight end had a bounce-back game after posting five total yards on three catches against Texas A&M. Fairweather posted 44 yards on four catches against Georgia. The big-body tight end will need to continue to improve to give the lackluster Auburn offense a spark.
Keys to Victory:
LSU Tigers
Jayden Daniels and the LSU offense have been electric this season, clicking on all cylinders, and the Tigers will need to keep that up if they look to score against a gritty Auburn defense. Expect a high-scoring game as their season-low in points scored against an SEC opponent came in a 34-31 win over Arkansas.
The LSU Tigers will try to establish the offense in front of their home crowd in a high-pressure night game and will need to score early and often to put pressure on a struggling Auburn offense.
Overall, LSU must continue its offensive production and find a way to prevent the Auburn passing offense from getting into a groove.
Auburn Tigers
To march into Death Valley and take a win from No. 22 LSU in a late-night showdown is easier said than done, but here is what Auburn needs to do to escape with a win.
Controlling the clock will be crucial for the Auburn Tigers as they will need to keep Daniels and the rest of the offense on the sidelines for most of the game to keep the high-powered offense from doing damage.
Look for the Auburn secondary to limit the big chunk plays and keep the LSU offense out of the red zone and off schedule.
The 58th meeting between the Auburn Tigers and LSU Tigers will occur on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Tiger Stadium. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. CST and televised on ESPN.
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Craig Noyes is a junior from Kensington, Maryland, majoring in journalism. He joined The Plainsman in January 2023.
Twitter: @craignoyes58
