The LSU Tigers (7-4, 4-4 SEC) will wrap the regular season with its first trip to Norman to take on the No. 8-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (9-2, 5-2 SEC).
LSU enters the finale having won two straight games against Arkansas and Western Kentucky, despite continued issues on offense, including scoring one touchdown against the Hilltoppers last week.
Oklahoma is coming off three straight wins against ranked foes (Tennessee, Alabama, and Missouri), and the Sooners are in position to earn a berth in the College Football Playoffs.
Kickoff between LSU and Oklahoma from Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 2:30 PM on Saturday.
SEC’S BEST DEFENSE
As stout as LSU’s defense has been this season, the Tigers are not the league’s best — that belongs to the team they face on Saturday. Brent Venable’s Sooners are allowing a league-best 14 points per game. OU has done some of its best work against the league’s better offenses. In last week’s win over Mizzu, the Tigers were held to 301 total yards, and bottled up one of the nation’s best running backs (Ahmad Hardy) to 57 yards on 17 carries. The week prior, Alabama’s Heisman hopeful quarterback Ty Simpson threw for 326 yards but only had one touchdown and had one interception returned for a touchdown. LSU, meanwhile, enters the game with the SEC’s 15th-ranked offense with 22.64 points per game, and is led by backup quarterback Michael Van Buren.
LANE TRAIN BUILDING UP STEAM
While the LSU football team looks to spoil Oklahoma’s chances of making the CFP in Saturday’s finale, the constant speculation about whether or not Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is going to fill the LSU vacancy continues to build steam. The latest in the ongoing drama is that, allegedly, a decision will be made this Saturday about whether or not Kiffin stays in Oxford, bolts for Baton Rouge, or Gainesville. Ole Miss wraps up its season on Friday in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. That means that reports may be coming out during Saturday’s finale, whether LSU has found its next head coach or not, or if the soap opera will continue.
BOWLING IN TENNESSEE?
With the win over Western Kentucky, LSU, led by interim coach Frank Wilson, reached the seven-win mark and has locked itself into a spot in a bowl game. That extra game for the Tigers appears to be taking them to Tennessee. This week, USA Today Sports Illustrated projected LSU to play in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, while CBS Sports, ESPN, and Athlon Sports have the Tigers slated to play in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. With the regular season wrapping up on Saturday and bowl games to be finalized on Dec. 7th, it appears LSU is headed to Tennessee for a bowl game. Of course, a victory over Oklahoma would dramatically improve what game they would play in and change their destination.
SERIES RECORD: LSU leads 3-1
Previous Meetings
2024: LSU 37 – Oklahoma 17
2019: LSU 63 – Oklahoma 28 (Peach Bowl-CFP Semifinal)
2004: LSU 21 – Oklahoma 14 (Sugar Bowl-BCS Title Game)
1950: Oklahoma 35 – LSU 0 (Sugar Bowl)
STAT LEADERS:
LSU
Garrett Nussmeier: 194-288, 1,927 Yards, 12 TD, 5 INT
Caden Durham: 100 Carries, 463 Yards, 3 TD
Barion Brown: 49 Catches, 486 Yards, 1 TD
A.J. Haulcy: 81 Tackles (46 Solo)
Harold Perkins Jr: 4 Sacks
7 Players Tied: 2 INT
Damian Ramos: 22-of-26 Field Goals, Long of 52
Oklahoma
John Mateer: 198-318, 2,260 Yards, 10 TD, 7 INT
Xavier Robinson: 74 Carries, 408 Yards, 4 TD
Tory Blaylock: 98 Carries, 402 Yards, 4 TD
Isaiah Sategna: 56 Catches, 827 Yards, 6 TD
Kip Lewis: 68 Tackles (34 Solo), 8 TFL, 3 Sacks
2 Players Tied: 2 INT
Tate Sandell: 22-of-23 Field Goals, Long of 55
