First Glance: LSU Tigers in Death Valley

What You Need to Know:

• LSU is 8-3 on the season and 5-2 in the SEC. The most inexplicable loss came at the hands of Troy. A&M can relate to losing to Alabama and Mississippi State this season. LSU’s best win is against Auburn in week 7. The Tigers of Louisiana held the Tigers of Auburn scoreless in the second half and scored 13 points in the 4th quarter to complete the come-from-behind win 27-23.
• LSU is currently ranked #20 in the nation and is currently in 3rd in the SEC West.
• LSU was founded in 1853 and is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
• Texas A&M is nicely ranked 69th in total offense averaging 399 YPG (66th in passing YPG; 61st in rushing YPG); while LSU is ranked 74th in total offense with 395 YPG (94th in passing YPG; 30th in rushing YPG).
• LSU defense is only allowing 18.5 points per game; while Texas A&M Defense is allowing 27.2 points per game.

Association of Former Students Events:

• Midnight Yell: The Association of Former Students has not announced a Midnight Yell Spot at this time. Check back Here for updates.
• All-Aggie Tailgate: Tailgate location has also not been determined at this time. Check back with the Association of Former Students for the location.

Betting Lines:

• LSU opened as an -11.5 point favorite; however, the line has settled at LSU -10 for the moment.
• LSU is 6-5 Against the Spread; while Texas A&M is 6-4-1 ATS.
• Texas A&M is 6-13-1 ATS in its last 20 games.
• Texas A&M is 0-5 ATS and straight up against LSU since joining the SEC.

Historical Notes:

• LSU leads the all-time series 32-20-3. LSU is currently on a 6 game winning streak dating back to the 2010-2011 Cotton Bowl. Texas A&M last beat LSU in 1995.
• From 1923 to 1986, the Tigers and the Aggies played 29 times. All but 2 of those games were played in Baton Rouge. The other 2 games were played in Dallas and Miami. LSU went 20-8-1 against the Aggies during that stretch.
• Famous LSU Alumni include Shaquille O’Neal, Pete Maravich, Herbert Humphrey, Lolo Jones, Mose Allison, Andi Dorfman, Odell Beckham, and Leonard Fournette. Please add to the list in the comments section.
• Last year, LSU lost its famous live mascot, Mike VI, to cancer. A new Mike the Tiger (Mike VII) is now the current tiger of LSU. Make a point to stop by and see Mike’s tiger cage and watch him go for a swim or lounge around. I love live mascots, and Mike is near the top of favorite live mascots.

Tigers to Watch:

Derrius Guice Junior RB - 5’11” 212 lbs

LSU’s offensive mindset has not changed too drastically from the Les Miles days as the Tigers want to ground and pound through the run game. Guice is their go-to back and has 1026 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns on 188 carries. Guice has four 100+ rushing yard games this season. He rushed for a season high 276 yards on 22 carries against Ole Miss. Guice did not play against Troy as Guice injured his knee but appears to have been solid after the rest earlier this season.

Devin White Sophomore LB - 6’1” 255 lbs

White is the leading tackler in the SEC with 114 tackles. He also has 4 sacks and 3 pass deflections on the year. White is all over the field and has a nose for the ball. White was also known for stating that LSU was “bigger and stronger, and its time to beat them (Alabama) up” before the Alabama game. LSU did not beat up Alabama.

Media Blitz:

• Channel: SECN
• Game Time: 6:30 pm CT
• Venue: Tiger Stadium, “Death Valley”, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Newsreel:

• Texas A&M Freshman Safety, Derrick Tucker, named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
• Game Notes: The win against Ole Miss guarantees the Aggies their eighth straight winning season, the third longest streak in school history.

Weather:

• The weather should be perfect tailgating/football weather (unless you enjoy Midwest snow blizzards) in Baton Rouge as the forecast calls for sunny and clear with high of 75 degrees with a low of 51 degrees. Should be much different than the downpour the Tigers played in last week.