No. 25 LSU and No. 8 Tennessee will meet in a major SEC cross-division clash on Saturday when the Tigers host the Volunteers for the first time since 2010. LSU has won the last five of the series, but the Tigers they are slightly underdogs on their home field against a team from Tennessee that has risen to its highest ranking in the AP poll since 2006.
LSU just broke the poll for the first time this season under first-year coach Brian Kelly after improving to 4-1 with a 21-17 victory at Auburn. The Tigers began the season with a devastating 24-23 loss to Florida State, but have posted four straight wins since then as they looked to cement an identity under their new staff.
Whoever wins this game will enjoy a fair amount of national attention as the midway point of the 2022 season approaches. Including this game, LSU plays three of its next four at home against top-10 ranked teams, and one win. It would reinforce how difficult it is to win at Tiger Stadium before No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 1 Alabama visit in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Volunteers can prepare for a gargantuan home showdown with the Crimson Tide next week if they come out of Death Valley with a 5-0 record.
LSU vs. Tennessee: I need to know
Star Receiver Questions: Coming off a breakout 1,000-yard season in 2021, Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman was off to a fast start this season before suffering an ankle injury in Week 3 against Akron. Tillman had surgery and coach Josh Heupel was non-committal this week on whether he will play against LSU.
As for the Tigers, Kelly has found himself repeatedly answering questions this season about Kayshon Boutte. Ranked No. 10 in CBS Sports’ 2023 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings, the former five-star has just 11 receptions for 97 yards in four games this season. Boutte missed the Tigers’ win over New Mexico because of the birth of his child, but that one-game absence only partially explains why the junior star ranks fourth on the team in receptions and sixth in yards. “Would you like the ball better? Absolutely,” Kelly said, “but he’s handled himself the right way and continues to work for the team.”
A wild ending: The last time these teams met at Tiger Stadium in 2010, a particularly wild ending played out that could be painful for Tennessee fans to relive. LSU fans probably have fond memories, though, considering the Tigers escaped with a 16-14 victory following a timeless hiatus after it appeared the Volunteers had packed LSU on the last play of the game. The only problem was that, in the frenzy of the final seconds of the game, Tennessee ended up with too many players on the field. So, even though a botched snap ruined the Tigers’ chances of scoring a game-winning touchdown, they got a chance to run another play from the 1-yard line. From there, Stevan Ridley drove him in for a touchdown. The loss came to be seen as a microcosm of Tennessee coach Derek Dooley’s three-year tenure, and began a four-game losing streak for the Volunteers. LSU went on to finish 11-2 with a victory in the Cotton Bowl.
Quarterback Battle: Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is largely responsible for the Volunteers’ No. 1 offense, but his counterpart is still figuring things out. LSU’s Jayden Daniels hasn’t thrown an interception this season, he is completing 67.9% of his passes and has 321 rushing yards as a true dual threat quarterback. But he, too, was just 8-of-20 for 80 yards against Auburn last week and hasn’t quite meshed with Boutte. LSU’s passing offense is ranked 68th in the country and Daniels has just one passing touchdown in his last three games.
Playing with the Volunteers could be exactly what you need to get going. Tennessee ranks 128th in passing yards allowed per game at 309.2. in a 38-33 victory over Florida two weeks ago, Tennessee allowed Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson to throw for 453 yards, which surpassed his previous career high by more than 200 yards. As a freshman at Arizona State in 2019, Daniels threw for 2,943 yards and had seven performances of 250 yards or more. If he’s going to find that form again, this could be the week to start.
How to watch LSU vs Tennessee live
Date: Saturday October 8 | Weather: 12 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Tiger Stadium – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: fuboTV (Try it for free)
LSU vs Tennessee Prediction, Picks
featured game | LSU Tigers vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Auburn had 438 rushing yards against the LSU defense last week, which is a concern given how weak Auburn has looked offensively this season. While LSU did pull off a big road win, much of it was likely due to a +3 advantage in the losing margin. Playing that against Tennessee’s high-power attack can be a problem. LSU shouldn’t have too much trouble scoring against the Volunteers, but Tennessee is more consistent offensively and should be able to get past the Tigers. Prediction: Tennessee (-3)
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