CFN Prediction..

Louisiana Tech (3-6) at LSU (7-2), 7:00 EST, Saturday, November 14, ESPNU

Why to watch: Both teams are coming off of crushing conference losses, with LSU losing a battle at Alabama as hard hitting and as rough as any SEC game this year, and with Louisiana Tech roaring back to give Boise State a hard time in the second half in a 45-35 home loss. The Bulldogs have to win out to be bowl eligible, and that’s not going to happen with a trip to Fresno State up next week before closing out with a near-certain win against San Jose State. LSU is beaten up and is way due to come up with a mediocre performance in a meaningless game. The Tigers can’t go to the BCS, Alabama and Florida will take up the SEC’s two spots, and the rest of the league is just bad enough that they can go through the motions and end up with a New Year’s Day bowl. The real work comes next week at Ole Miss and closing out against Arkansas, and if LSU suffers an upset, nothing will be bruised but a few egos.

Why Louisiana Tech might win: Does LSU really have the SEC’s worst offense? Yes, and it’s not going to get a lot better with star RB Charles Scott out for the year with a broken clavicle and with QB Jordan Jefferson hobbling with an ankle injury. The team’s focus is going to be almost completely on Ole Miss, and the last thing it can afford is to not have Jefferson over the final two games. Does that mean more Jarrett Lee under center? If so, Louisiana Tech, with its ability to hang on to the ball, has a good chance to make this interesting. The mediocre LSU attack won’t get any freebies; it’ll have to score on long drives.

Why LSU might win: LSU’s defense might not be getting into the backfield and it might not be hitting the quarterback, but it should be able to tee off on the Bulldog running game. Against WAC teams, having a few speedsters like Phillip Livas and Daniel Porter can make all the difference, but that’s not going to work this week against the ultra-athletic Tiger D. Louisiana Tech’s wins have come against Nicholls State, Hawaii, and New Mexico State, all at home. This has been a disappointing year for the Bulldogs, and they have yet to prove they can beat someone with a pulse.

Who to watch: So now what is the LSU running game going to do without Scott? He ran for 83 yards against Alabama averaging 6.4 yards per carry, and now it’s going to take a slew of players to try to get the ground game going. Stevan Ridley got two carries and came up with a nice score against Alabama, Russell Shepard went nowhere, but will keep getting the ball, and Trindon Holliday will likely be used in a variety of ways. Ridley will likely be the main man now, with good size, nice power, and nice moves considering he’s coming off a knee injury. This is the sophomore’s chance to shine, and he needs to make the most of the opportunity.
What will happen: LSU will be uninspired, will want to get several backups in early, and it’ll still win without too much of a problem after Tech comes up with a few early scores.
CFN Prediction: LSU 34 … Louisiana Tech 6 ... Line: LSU -24.5