Four predictions ahead of LSU football versus Grambling State matchup

Game day is upon us, and it’s time to start making some predictions! The highlight of college football for fans of the purple and gold this Saturday is LSU football vs. Grambling State, and it’s officially the Tigers’ home opener. This is the first matchup between the two programs, and here are four predictions for the 2023 week two matchup.

Four predictions for LSU football vs. Grambling State

1. A true freshman leaves today with a starting job

Last season, coach Brian Kelly showed little to no hesitation when it came to playing true freshmen. So far, in 2023, it’s been a slightly different story.

We saw very little freshman involvement in the matchup versus Florida State, but this was likely an indication of the opponent rather than capabilities. Now, with Grambling State on the clock in week two, we could see an entirely new strategy.

Earlier this week, coach Brian Kelly expressed interest in playing true freshman offensive tackle Zalance Heard. Not only that, but he even mentioned getting him some first-team snaps.

“Yeah, I think the plan is to get him in, certainly, with the first unit and see how that mix goes as well,” coach Brian Kelly explained regarding the week two Grambling State matchup. “Look, I think part of it was to take an offensive tackle going against Florida State’s defensive ends didn’t seem to be the smartest thing to do in week one, but I think in week two, this is a good opportunity to get him in and give him an opportunity to play a little bit. So, I’m excited about getting the chance to see him play.”

Offensive tackle Zalance Heard was a five-star coming out of high school and has elite ability. If given the opportunity to see first-team snaps this week, don’t be surprised if we see him starting the rest of the 2023 college football season.

2. Quarterback Jayden Daniels throws for 3+ touchdowns

Quarterback Jayden Daniels needs a big game in week two versus Grambling State. I also touched on that earlier this week, but the fanbase is clearly beginning to lose trust in the starting LSU football quarterback.

Jayden Daniels has elite ability both in running and passing the ball and racked up 411 total yards versus Florida State. However, in addition to that yardage, he scored just one touchdown.

Jayden Daniels with an electric run to set up the Noah Cain 1 yard touchdown!!!
Tigers lead 14-7 pic.twitter.com/WrPW8xgOHC

— Boot Krewe Media (@BootKreweMedia) September 4, 2023

That can’t continue to be the case for the rest of the 2023 college football season. So, if he’s going to make adjustments, this is the week to do it.

I expect Daniels to take several shots down the field to test not only himself, but also his wide receivers. Furthermore, these shots will likely come early and often, as we could see him get subbed out early on if the game starts to get out of hand.

We’ll see what happens, but I expect plenty of big plays through the air this evening.

3. Harold Perkins Jr records his first sack of the season

Another LSU football player in need of a big game is star sophomore Harold Perkins Jr. The linebacker came into the year with some of the biggest expectations in college football. However, he followed that up with just five tackles versus the Seminoles in week one.

Looking ahead to week two, we could see a significant shift in how coach Brian Kelly utilizes the former five-star. Earlier this week, Kelly showed interest in finding a “happy medium” for Perkins Jr, which could mean more snaps coming off the edge.

If this is indeed the case, the star linebacker should be living in the backfield of Grambling State. Perkins Jr has the kind of speed you simply don’t see from a traditional linebacker. If utilized correctly, he should have no trouble finding several tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

4. Final score prediction

These games are often the hardest to predict because of the difference in talent level. However, I anticipate that Brian Kelly will be playing a ton of backups, which could lead to a slightly closer 2023 week two score than many fans expect. Grambling State is a solid FCS program with a passing game that has no trouble moving the ball.

With that said, the size and skill level of this LSU football team should shine today. While the Grambling offense might be able to get one or two, their defense shouldn’t provide too much resistance, even with some potential backups getting playing time on the Tigers’ side. For our prediction, Brian Kelly’s squad will come out on top with a final score of 52-7.

Thank you for reading LSU Glory. For more LSU Glory content, covering all things LSU athletics, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at lsuglory.fr@gmail.com or direct message us on our Twitter account. It is thanks to your support that we can continue to grow into one of the fastest-growing and most influential LSU media outlets there is.