After bouncing back at home, No. 10 LSU (5-1) travels to Nashville on Saturday morning for an early kick against No. 17 Vanderbilt (5-1) at FirstBank Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 11:07 p.m. CT on ABC and the LSU Sports Radio Network. Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer and Katie George will be on the television broadcast, while Chris Blair, Jacob Hester and Gordy Rush will be on the radio call.
Last week, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU offense made some improvements in both the passing game and the running game vs. South Carolina, totaling 420 yards of offense with 166 rushing yards. Tight end Trey’Dez Green was the star of the night, netting eight catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, seemingly unstoppable for opposing corners.
“It should be a regular occurrence,” said head coach Brian Kelly of Green’s performance. “He will be featured in the offense accordingly.”
Defensively, the Tigers did what they do, limiting the Gamecocks to just 10 points. Blake Baker’s unit has allowed the fewest points (71) in the first six games of an LSU season since 2007 (56), and they are showing not signs of letting up. A.J. Haucy led the unit in tackles last week with 11, while Tamarcus Cooley played an impressive game with six tackles, two PBUs and one interception.
“We know the areas we have to improve, and they are all very much within our grasp,” Kelly said Monday. “We have to get better. But the foundational principles are exciting to me.”
Saturday’s game against the Commodores will mark the first time since 1947 that LSU and Vanderbilt meet as Top 25 teams. That year, No. 18 LSU beat No. 19 Vanderbilt, 19-13, in Baton Rouge. LSU is 25-7-1 alltime against Vanderbilt with the last meeting in Nashville coming in 2020 (LSU won 41-7). LSU brings a 10-game winning streak over Vanderbilt into the contest, a streak that dates back to a 16-14 win in Tiger Stadium in 1991.
“They are so disciplined,” Kelly said. “They are a mature football team. You know what you are going to get in the SEC when you play a team of that caliber. Their record speaks for itself.”
Vandy is led by senior QB Diego Pavia, who enters Week 8 ranked 12th in the country and second in the SEC with 14 passing touchdowns. He also leads the team in rushing with 352 yards and two scores on the ground. At receiver, tight end Eli Stowers has tallied 323 yards on 25 receptions with two touchdowns, while Junior Sherrill has tallied 274 yards on 23 receptions for 5 touchdowns.
The Commodores are more than formidable on defense, too. Graduate edge rusher Miles Capers is wreaking havoc in opposing backfields, ranking third in the SEC and ranking 13th in the country with 1.42 tackles for loss per game this season. Safety CJ Heard leads the team in tackles with 31, while linebacker Bryan Longwell is second with 26.
“Their defense is fundamentally sound,” Kelly said. “All gaps, coverages, they keep the ball in front of them. They are stingy because they are so discipline in what they do and how they do it. They are so consistent in what they do.”
