LSU QB Anthony Jennings, Not Dak Prescott, Will Be Saturday Night's Star

LSU quarterback Anthony Jennings will shine on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. 

The buzz is all about Mississippi State gunslinger Dak Prescott, and rightfully so. Prescott is the closest thing to Cam Newton the SEC has seen since 2010. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in every game and takes no prisoners when running between the tackles.  

Impressive.

But Prescott has not seen a secondary the caliber of LSU's this season. If the Tigers front seven can defend the run effectively on early downs, defensive coordinator John Chavis will have a variety of blitzes and coverages ready to throw Prescott's way. 

Jennings is not on the same level of Prescott, but he does have a more favorable matchup.

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The Bulldogs defense is 13th in the SEC in passing yards allowed despite having not yet played a power-five conference team. The experienced unit allowed UAB to throw for 435 yards, which included three touchdowns of at least 70 yards. 

Jennings' favorite target, Travin Dural, has been the SEC's best deep threat. Dural is averaging 30.8 yards per reception and is tied for the conference lead in touchdowns with four. 

Mississippi State will likely blanket Dural, but the freshman trio of John Diarse, Trey Quinn and Malachi Dupre are primed for a breakthrough. Diarse is a physical force over the middle and is tough to tackle. Quinn and Dupre have the skills to shred soft coverage.

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The key will be LSU's pass protection. The offensive line will have to block reigning three-time defensive lineman of the week Preston Smith. The Bulldogs also get consistent push up the middle from the interior. 

Nevertheless, LSU's offensive line has performed admirably in pass protection this season. The group will have four starters from last year's line who will start on Saturday night. It has performed exponentially better at home than on the road dating back to last season.

Prescott's playmaking ability will keep the game close. But Chavis will make the proper adjustments to eventually slow him down, much like he did last season. The Bulldogs scored 23 points in the first half but only mustered three in the second. 

Jennings' best quality has been his ability to make clutch throws, so expect him to play his best in the second half. The sophomore is far from a polished passer but, if given proper time, should pick apart the porous Bulldogs secondary. 

Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will give Jennings ample opportunities to get the football down the field. He will throw for a career high against the Bulldogs, which will help lead the Tigers to their first conference win. 

Stats, rankings and additional information provided by cfbstats.com and LSU Sports Information. Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow me on Twitter @CarterthePower.