No.8 LSU and No.14 Texas A&M Collide for First Place in the SEC

The LSU Tigers and the Texas A&M Aggies will square off on Saturday night for first place in the SEC. In the preseason, few people had this matchup circled as a game with this high of stakes. This will be the 58th all-time meeting between the two schools, and it’s a series that LSU has controlled.  The Tigers hold a record of 35-20-2 all-time. However, even with a series so heavily in favor of the Bayou Bengals, Texas A&M has won the last three times the game has been played in College Station, where Saturday’s showdown takes place.

.@billyliucci can't wait for Saturday night's showdown at Kyle Field:

"It's the biggest LSU-A&M ever…I think it's the biggest home game the Aggies have had since they joined the SEC."

— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) October 22, 2024

Texas A&M Keys

Be Balanced on Offense

The Aggies will need to remain balanced on offense if they want to have success Saturday. Handing the ball off to star running back Le’Veon Moss will be a good start. Moss has had success this season rushing against SEC opponents. He’s tallied 430 yards rushing with 5 touchdowns, all while averaging over seven yards per carry. It’s an LSU rush defense that is in the middle of the pack but has been improved in the last few weeks. Even against a tough defense, it feels like A&M will need to have a big night on the ground. 

If the Aggies can run the ball effectively, quarterback Connor Weigman will be able to take advantage of a sub-par LSU secondary. LSU ranks 103rd in pass defense, giving up over 240 yards per game. While A&M isn’t exactly setting the world on fire in their own right throwing the football, Weigman has played a lot better post-shoulder injury. Since returning, he’s averaging 246.5 yards per game, with a 71% completion percentage. If Texas A&M can replicate how they performed offensively against Missouri, then they should be just fine against LSU.

Get Pressure on Nussmeier

It’s been the biggest challenge in college football this year: putting pressure on LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. LSU ranks 2nd in the nation in sacks allowed (2) and hasn’t allowed a sack since week 3 when South Carolina got home twice. A&M has the guys to do it, but can they is the question? Shemar Turner, Nic Scourton, Albert Regis, and Cashius Howell will be tasked with solving the near-impossible puzzle that is the LSU offensive line. If the pass rush is unable to get home, then this top ten passing unit will make plays down the field.

 LSU Keys to Victory

Get Pressure on the Quarterback

This LSU defense has been one of the best units in the country the last few weeks at getting after the quarterback. Getting pressure on Connor Weigman will be the biggest key for LSU. Luckily for them, they are one of the best teams in the country in pressure rate and are ranked 8th in the country in team sacks. This ferocious group of pass rushers is averaging almost four sacks a game. A big reason for that is the stepped-up play of linebackers Whit Weeks,  Bradyn Swinson, and Sai’vion Jones, who have combined for 14 sacks.

CBS College Football crew compares Whit Weeks to Luke Kuechly, reveal their #LSU-Texas A&M picks for Saturday:https://t.co/CajRpdXmXc pic.twitter.com/bUdCNKk4QO

— TigerDroppings (@TigerDroppings) October 23, 2024

Stay Disciplined

LSU is one of the most penalized teams in all of college football. The Tigers are averaging about eight penalties a game, which is 104th in FBS. They’re also averaging 57 penalty yards per game, which ranks 77th in FBS. Now they head into a hornet’s nest on Saturday night called Kyle Field, where the 12th man will try to get their money’s worth and make a huge impact on the game. In last week’s win versus Arkansas, the offense had 11 penalties called on them, including seven pre-snap penalties. They must get that cleaned up if they want any chance at sustaining drives and putting points on the board.

Where to Watch

Cath the action between LSU vs Texas A&M on ABC, at 7:30 on Saturday night.