Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Prediction: LSU Tigers Too Much for UNC Tar Heels

Get ready football fans!

The start of the 2010 college football season is only a month away.

The season will be kicked off by what should be a great matchup with The University of North Carolina traveling to Atlanta, GA to take on your LSU Fightin’ Tigers in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in the Georgia Dome on September 4.

UNC boasts a strong defensive front seven with four All-ACC players that can matchup with any offense in the country.

The challenge will be a huge one for the offensive line of the Tigers, which was one of the weakest links on the team in 2009.

LSU Head Coach Les Miles has emphasized toughness and hard hitting blocks this offseason and the hope for Tigers fans is that this new attitude will help to turn things around in 2010.

Either way, UNC is coming into the game ready to prove that they can compete with the big boys of the Southeastern Conference, which is readily referred to as the strongest conference in college football.

The Tar Heels don’t want to hear that talk anymore.

They want to come out and hit LSU in the mouth early and establish themselves as an elite team.

How will the Tigers respond?

If asked this question at the end of the 2009 season, I would have probably given the edge to the Tar Heels. 

But things are different in 2010.

First Half Prediction:

With a new attitude and some changes in the offensive play-calling, LSU comes out swinging and puts up some early points with two first quarter touchdowns, one on each side of the ball.

The key will be to neutralize UNC’s speed on defense.

Misdirection, screen, or “gadget” plays using Rueben Randle and Russell Shepard's speed could be just what the Mad Hatter (head coach Les Miles) has in mind to get the ball moving and build a little confidence for Junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson .

On the other side of the ball, veteran defensive players Kelvin Sheppard and Patrick Peterson will have no problem containing the Tar Heels' offense.

An exceptional player, quarterback T.J. Yates just doesn’t have enough weapons around him to overcome a defense loaded with speed and athleticism.

Second Half Prediction:

Despite an early lead by the Tigers, the Tar Heels keep the game close through the middle of the third quarter when frustration sets in for T.J. Yates and the Tigers pull away.

While I have a lot of respect for UNC and think that they are on the verge of becoming an elite program that can compete for a BCS spot each and every year, I don’t think they have the fire power on offense to compete with SEC defenses in 2010.

Game Prediction:

LSU 27

UNC 13