Wake up, it’s game day! Today’s 2023 SEC opener features LSU football vs. Mississippi State in what is one of the more intriguing matchups of the day. Both teams have relatively new head coaches and could feature very different offenses than either college football fanbase might typically expect. Here are four predictions for how today’s matchup will turn out.
Four predictions ahead of LSU football vs. Mississippi State matchup
1. Jayden Daniels shines in the ground game
Last week, Mississippi State experienced one of the wildest games of the 2023 college football season. They played Arizona at home, and despite forcing five turnovers on the day, the Bulldogs still needed overtime to come out on top.
So, first off, as long as the Tigers avoid giving the ball away, they should be okay. Second off, there was one very specific thing we saw from the Arizona offense that worked like a dream.
Quarterback Jayden de Laura was running around the pocket and improvising practically at will. He recorded just eight carries for 44 yards and a touchdown, but it easily could have been more.
LSU football quarterback Jayden Daniels placed a pretty high emphasis on passing the ball last week, throwing five touchdowns in the first half. This week, however, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the opposite.
Daniels will likely be one of the fastest players on the field today and have the chance to make some big plays on the ground. I expect he’ll get close to 100 yards rushing today, which will undoubtedly make the Tiger faithful thrilled all afternoon.
2. Denver Harris takes a step forward
Coach Brian Kelly has not been shy about what he wants to see from his players. He wants to see some fight in them and a will to win the close ones.
Even after a slow start to the 2023 fall camp, could cornerback Denver Harris be that guy?
The star sophomore received the starting nod last week, which could be a continued trend. The sophomore has some of the best pure talent on the team, and it’s just a matter of time until he breaks out. I think today could be that day.
The Mississippi State offense will try and run the ball all day. This should hypothetically open things up for a play-action pass or two, which could lead to some wide receivers going one-on-one with the LSU football cornerbacks.
Lucky for Tiger fans, that’s where Harris shines.
The sophomore corner will get his opportunity to make a play today, and I expect him to thrive in that capacity. Last week, he was getting a feel for a game. This week, don’t be surprised to see him break out as he takes his moment and runs with it.
3. Logan Diggs and Kaleb Jackson continue to be featured at running back
LSU football very well might have found its running backs last week. Week one was unimpressive, to say the very least, and the Tigers needed a spark heading into 2023 SEC play.
That’s precisely where newcomers Logan Diggs and Kaleb Jackson come into play. Yes, it was a lesser opponent than what they’ll face the rest of the season, but 177 yards and three touchdowns on the ground is nothing to scoff at.
Add in experienced bruisers like Josh Williams and Noah Cain, and the Tigers have themselves a running back room.
Still, the combo of Logan Diggs and Kaleb Jackson felt different. If we see another big game from the newcomer duo, don’t be surprised to see plenty more of them heading into the rest of the college football season.
4. Final score prediction
This game has the potential to be close early on, but I don’t expect Mississippi State to hang along for too long. While experienced, the Bulldog defense doesn’t have great speed, which matches up incredibly poorly with the Tiger offense.
Additionally, I expect the LSU football rush defense to come up strong today and stop the Mississippi State running game. Maason Smith is slowly returning to full health, which doesn’t bode well for future opponents.
Ultimately, speed kills, and LSU football should be able to cruise to a relatively stress-free victory today. For today’s SEC opener, I think the Tigers come out on top 38-17 as the Tigers start 1-0 in SEC play.
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