With just hours remaining until the start of tonight’s 2024 LSU football vs. Nicholls matchup, here are four predictions on what fans can expect to see from coach Brian Kelly and his squad in week two’s bounce back game.
LSU football vs. Nicholls: Four predictions ahead of the week two matchup
1. Ashton Stamps solidifies himself as CB1
The potential was always there. In fact, from the moment cornerback Ashton Stamps stepped foot on campus, he immediately began to move in an upward trajectory, garnering plenty of praise from the LSU coaching staff throughout the 2023 spring and summer camps.
In turn, when he ultimately found himself as a solidified starter by the end of last season, it really didn’t come as too much of a surprise, and if anything, it just felt earlier than most expected.
However, due in large part to injuries and off-field issues, his number was called upon, and while he undoubtedly had his fair share of freshman mistakes, it wasn’t hard to see that the future could be bright for the budding star.
Now, as we find ourselves officially IN the future, that budding star is now turning himself into one of the most promising players on the entire LSU football defense, and week two should only help to finalize that status.
Having recorded four tackles and three passes defended in week one vs. USC, he served as one of the lone bright spots in a defensive backfield that needed anything it could get, and in many ways, it seemed to get to the point where the Trojans were even avoiding his side.
Likely to be paired up against 6-foot-4 wide receiver Quincy Brown in this week two matchup, keep an eye on the true sophomore as he looks to solidify himself as the top dawg in this LSU cornerback room.
2. Three different Tiger wide receivers catch a touchdown reception
Despite the loss, and plenty of concerns exiting the 2024 first week of college football, the one thing that left LSU fans feeling encouraged was the sheer number of playmakers they have on roster. In their pass catching group alone, several Tigers found a way to make some big-time plays, as 10 different players recorded at least one reception in the season opener.
The craziest part about that is the fact that they somewhat got away from passing the ball in the second half, leaving plenty to be desired from the group heading into week two and beyond.
While it’s important to note that the Tigers likely won’t be needing to toss the ball through the air all too much vs. Nicholls, we very well could see an even longer list of pass catchers make their way on the field as coach Brian Kelly looks to get as many players game experience as possible.
From senior star Kyren Lacy to sophomore breakout candidate Shelton Sampson Jr, expect to see a hefty dose of LSU wide receivers not only getting some snaps, but making winning plays before the 60 minutes come to a close Saturday evening.
3. None of the Tiger kickers will attempt a field goal in week two
Of all the predictions being made today, this very well might be the boldest. Coming off a week one performance that included three trips within the USC 15-yard line and just six points to show for it, LSU has some serious work to do with their red zone offense.
Luckily, as we look ahead to week two of the 2024 season, the purple and gold have two very important things going for them.
For starters, they’re playing Nicholls at home in Tiger Stadium. While the Colonels aren’t a pushover FCS program by any means, the Tigers should still be able to out-strength the in-state opponent, which would almost certainly help with red zone efficiency.
Second, because of last week’s struggles, it’s a fairly safe assumption that one of the top priorities during practice over the past few days was execution and putting points on the board.
Entering his third season as the primary field goal kicker, Damian Ramos is truly a known commodity for the LSU special teams. What we don’t know is just how good this 2024 team can be in the red zone, so expect the Tiger coaching staff to emphasize this aspect of the game all evening long.
Final score prediction
Picking an exact score for today’s week two LSU football vs. Nicholls matchup is like searching for a black cat in a coal cellar. While it’s not exactly impossible, you’re still probably not gonna do it.
With that said, we at the very least have a slight idea of how this game should end up panning out, as the Tigers have every reason to roll all evening long en route to their first victory of the 2024 college football season.
Offensively, the purple and gold can be expected to emphasize a steady rotation among their running backs to go along with a boatload of pass catchers, as coach Brian Kelly looks to emphasize early season game experience.
Defensively, the team is making major strides towards what should be a competitive group come the start of SEC play, but they aren’t quite there just yet. There will likely be a busted coverage or two before things are all said and done, but for the most part, LSU should be able to assert themselves enough physically to keep this one largely out of reach.
Final score prediction: LSU 56, Nicholls 10
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