LSU vs. Auburn: Predictions for Colossal SEC Matchup's Key Players
Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, will be rocking Saturday night for one of the best tilts on the Week 6 college football slate.
In what will be the first of many daunting games for Auburn, the team plays host to LSU in one of the week's premier contests.
| October 4 | (15) LSU |
| October 11 | at (12) Miss St |
| October 25 | South Carolina |
| November 1 | at (11) Ole Miss |
| November 8 | (6) Texas A&M |
| November 15 | at (13) Georgia |
| November 22 | Samford |
| November 29 | at (3) Alabama |
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
For the boys from Alabama, establishing themselves as a legitimate playoff and title contender as well as getting that grueling schedule of games started off with a win is vital.
The Tigers from Baton Rouge look to climb back up the rankings after they took a tumble following a loss at home to Mississippi State two weeks ago.
Who will step up for each team, and who will emerge from this one with a big signature win on its resume?
Here are predictions for the key players in Saturday's clash.
Nick Marshall, Auburn, QB
If the Auburn Tigers are to hold off the upset bid from LSU, they're going to need a big day from their dual-threat quarterback, Nick Marshall.
His ability on the ground makes him a tough player to game-plan for and stop. His passing, however, could still use some work, with his pass completion rate barely ranking in the top 100 of college football, per The Game radio show:
That number isn't a promising one, but when Marshall targets his top wideout—D'haquille Williams—he's much more efficient, per ESPN College Football:
If he makes smart decisions with the football, targets Williams more often and uses his ground game, Marshall is poised for a big week.
Keep in mind that he'll be playing the same defense that conceded 268 yards through the air and another 105 on the ground to Mississippi State pivot Dak Prescott.
Reaching triple digits in both rushing and passing isn't unfamiliar territory for Marshall either, per Auburn Football's twitter account:
Prediction: You have to like this matchup for Marshall. He can confuse some of the better defenses in college football, and this week, he's taking on a defensive unit that has shown it struggles when trying to contain a quarterback who has the ability to run and scramble.
If Marshall can stay somewhat efficient through the air, he should be able to throw for 180 yards, dash for another 110 and pick up three scores.
Brandon Harris, LSU, QB
From one quarterback to the other.
Since coming in for Anthony Jennings, Brandon Harris has been absolutely lights out.
Up to now, Harris has completed 22 of 30 passes for 394 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception. The freshman's numbers eclipse those of Jennings across the board.
| Brandon Harris | 73.3 | 13.1 | 6 | 1 | 243.0 |
| Anthony Jennings | 50.6 | 8.8 | 5 | 3 | 137.5 |
Now, the young gun is set to start his first game at the college level, per ESPN College GameDay:
So far this year, having Harris under center has been crucial to the Tigers' offensive success, per GameDay:
According to ESPN analyst Brian Griese, Harris is the quarterback of the future for LSU, and it appears as though the future is now:
Prediction: Harris has looked excellent in the games he's played so far—including that loss to the Bulldogs. The fact that Auburn could also be without a few key players on defense, per The Associated Press, bodes well for Harris and the LSU offense. Having a dynamic wideout like Travin Dural to throw to doesn't hurt, either.
Watch for Harris to play a solid game, but don't get carried away with your expectations. He's still playing one of the top defenses in the country in both yardage and scoring, per Yahoo Sports. Look for him throw for 280 yards and two scored. His inexperience may also cost him in a big conference game, though. He also throws one interception.
Montravius Adams, Auburn, DT
Time to give some love to a defensive player.
Montravius Adams has been an absolute monster on Auburn's defensive line and is a big reason why the Tigers rank 12th in the nation at stopping the run, per Yahoo Sports.
Bleacher Report's Auburn lead writer Justin Ferguson noted Adams' impressive first-half stats and recovery time from last week's victory over Louisiana Tech:
Being able to stop the run against LSU is key, as it has five players with over 30 rush attempts and five guys with at least 100 rushing yards through their first five games.
If Auburn is going to contain Leonard Fournette, it'll need Adams to have a big game.
Luckily for the team, the stage has been set for just that.
Adams will probably line up opposite LSU's center—an area of the field where the team has had problems, according to Jim Kleinpeter of NOLA.com and The Times-Picayune.
Something else to consider: When LSU went up against the tough run defense of Mississippi State—ranked just ahead of Auburn at ninth—Fournette and Kenny Hilliard combined for just 68 yards on 16 carries.
Prediction: With LSU struggling at the position that Adams will match up against—and Adams being so good to begin with—look for him to have a big game.
I wouldn't put it past him to wrap up a slew of tackles near the line of scrimmage on run plays and come up with a tackle for loss or sack when he does break through to the backfield.
Game Prediction
LSU has dominated the recent history of this head-to-head, per GameDay:
This year, Auburn gets some revenge, though. It simply matches up too well against this LSU squad.
Not only does it have a versatile quarterback going up against a defense that struggles against that type of player, but it also has a very good run-stopping defense, which could force LSU to put the ball in the air early and often.
Harris may be off to a hot start, but he's still a freshman, and he's still playing on the road in what is sure to be an electric atmosphere. I say he ends up having a solid game, but it's not enough to pull off the upset.
LSU 17, Auburn 31
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
