After a disappointing 45-24 loss to Florida State in the season opener on Sunday night, LSU will be looking to get right against Grambling in week two. It will be the first meeting between the two programs and the second consecutive year that LSU is facing off against an HBCU. Last year, the Tigers took down Southern 65-7 in week two. This is an important game for the Tigers to get back on track before SEC play starts next week when they hit the road to face off against Mississippi State in Starkville.
LSU Gets Last Tune-Up Before SEC Play Starts:
LSU OT Will Campbell (66) – Kim Klement/USA Today Sports
LSU will be looking to turn the page after the Tigers let up 31 points in the second half to Florida State. There were a lot of missed opportunities in the first half for LSU to be able to extend their half going into halftime. LSU was able to drive all the way near the goal line on their first drive, and they were faced with a fourth-and-goal. The Seminoles were able to get to Jayden Daniels, as LSU wasn’t able to cash it in.
Whether it was dropped catches by the receivers, missed tackles, or not executing on fourth-down conversions, everything went wrong for the Tigers on Sunday night. LSU will now return home for the season opener to take on Grambling in what will be their last tune-up game before SEC play starts on week three.
LSU fans will be curious to watch on Saturday night if Harold Perkins returns to the role he played last year, where he was dominant off the line of scrimmage. Also, Maason Smith will be returning to the field after he served a one-game suspension for the Florida State game.
His presence in the middle was deeply missed on Sunday night, and having Smith back into the lineup will only help the Tigers defense that struggled to create pressure against Jordan Travis and the secondary will be a position group to watch as the season progresses.
This will be the last get-right game for the Tigers as they will begin a five-game SEC stretch that will determine if LSU’s College Football Playoff Hopes are dashed. With the opening loss, LSU doesn’t have a margin for error the rest of the way. After LSU faces off against Grambling on Saturday night, the next five SEC games include: @ Mississippi State, vs. Arkansas, @ Ole Miss, and @ Missouri. The Tigers will have to figure it out quickly before their challenging conference stretch coming up.
Know Your Foe: Grambling:
Grambling QB Myles Crawley (7) – Noah K. Murray/AP Photo
Grambling is coming off a 35-31 loss to Hampton in their season opener. Grambling quarterback Myles Crawley completed 25 of 38 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns. Grambling wide receiver Lyndon Rash caught eight passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. The offense was able to be the strength for Grambling in their four-point loss to Hampton, as they put up 31 points in that contest.
The Tigers offense has made a statement in their first game that they wanted to get the ball to their star wide receiver, Rash, as he had most of the teams yardage through the air. Grambling’s defense, on the other hand, had problems on Saturday against Hampton’s high-powered offense, as they allowed 434 total yards of offense and 35 points.
Grambling will be getting their first true road test when they travel to Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.
Prediction: LSU 51, Grambling 7
