LSU vs. Oregon: News, Notes and Updates Before the Season Opener

Sean MerrimanJun 3, 2018

The potential game of the year is upon us, and with the smell of college football in the air, anyone would be exciting about this upcoming matchup.

Over 80,000 fans are expected to be on hand at Cowboys Stadium as Oregon and LSU square off in what should be a memorable game on Saturday night.

With the game just around the corner, let's take some time to go over all the news, notes and updates to get you all set before the big game kicks off.

The Suspensions for LSU

1 of 9

This much-anticipated matchup has been overshadowed by several off-the-field issues involving both of these teams.

In LSU’s case, the Tigers will be playing this game without their top quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who was arrested and suspended indefinitely for his involvement in an Aug. 19 bar fight.

Also suspended for LSU is reserve linebacker Josh Johns, who was also involved in the confrontation in Baton Rouge. Johns was not expected to play a huge role in the contest, so Jefferson will certainly be the one missed here from this incident.

The Tigers will also be without another top offensive weapon in receiver Russell Shepard, who was suspended just this past week. Shepard was said to have violated NCAA rules by discussing an NCAA inquiry with a teammate who was scheduled to be interviewed about the same matter.

This suspension stems from LSU’s potential relationship with scouting service owner Willie Lyles.

Shepard finished 2010 with 226 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 254 yards and a touchdown.

The Suspensions for Oregon

2 of 9

As we know, the Oregon Ducks are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. But the Ducks will be forced with the challenge of playing LSU without their top defensive playmakers.

Cliff Harris, who is considered to be one of the top defensive backs and return specialists in college football, will not play in the game due to a suspension that came from earlier this summer.

Harris was pulled over and cited for speeding while driving with a suspended license. Oregon head coach Chip Kelly announced the suspension shortly after the incident occurred.

Harris recorded six interceptions last season at Oregon and also set a school record with four punt returns for touchdowns.

Also suspended for Oregon is linebacker Kiko Alonso, who was arrested in the offseason for trespassing and criminal mischief. Alonso was a projected starter this season, looking to replace Casey Matthews at the middle linebacker position.

Welcome Jarrett Lee

3 of 9

With the recent suspension of senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson, LSU coach Les Miles turned to his second option by naming Jarrett Lee the starter for Saturday night’s game.

If the name sounds familiar to you, that’s because Lee was the starter for the Tigers back in 2008. That year, Lee threw for 1,873 yards with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Lee played sporadically throughout the following two seasons, serving primarily as a backup to Jefferson. His best season came last year when he passed for 573 yards and two touchdowns with just one interception.

Coach Les Miles has made it clear that he has strong support for Lee, despite his shaky career numbers up to this point.

The positive here is that Lee has improved in each of his seasons. Hopefully for LSU, that trend will continue into Saturday night’s matchup.

TOP NEWS

Bleacher Report1w

Bleacher Report1w

College Football Playoff National Championship: Head Coaches News Conference

Bleacher Report1w

Injury Update

4 of 9

From the looks of it, everyone who was expected to play in this Week 1 showdown should be a go.

The one question mark with Oregon was sophomore receiver Josh Huff, who very well could be the best athlete on the field when these two teams take the field on Saturday night.

Huff was recovering from a knee injury and his status had been up in the air, but according to reports, Chip Kelly has said that Huff is good to go, which is great news for the Ducks’ already high-powered offense.

Dominant Offense

5 of 9

It was more than obvious that Oregon was one of the most dominant offenses in college football last season.

But just how dominant were they?

Looking back at the 2010 college football statistics, the Ducks led all Division I-A schools with a 46.8 points-per-game average. The Ducks led the nation with 608 total points scored, while the next highest was Boise State with 586.

Oregon ranked fourth in the country with 6,899 total yards in 12 regular season games. The only teams to eclipse that mark were Nevada, Hawaii and Auburn.

Dominant Defense

6 of 9

While Oregon flashes brilliance on the offensive side of the ball, LSU is dominant on the defensive side.

The Tigers ranked in the top 10 in the country in most major defensive categories, including tackles for loss, interceptions and yards from turnovers.

Despite losing three of their top defenders to the NFL, the Tigers are still loaded on the defensive side of the ball. Linebacker Ryan Baker and cornerback Morris Claiborne could both be All-Americans at the season's end.

New Uniforms

7 of 9

There isn’t another program in the entire country that features as many uniform combinations as the Oregon Ducks do.

We have all seen the feather on the sleeves, the thick yellow on the helmets and the neon green shoelaces from last year’s National Championship game. But yet again, as so many have come to expect, Oregon will roll out with a new look for Saturday night’s showdown against LSU.

The Ducks will be wearing all-black Nike Pro Combat Uniforms for the 2011 opener.

These uniforms are sharp and don’t feature some of the tacky elements that have been featured in previous years. In fact, one can make an argument that this uniform might be the best yet.

Are those gloves included in the package too?