After coming up short against USC in Las Vegas on Sunday, the 18th-ranked LSU Tigers will return to Tiger Stadium to kick off their home slate in what will be the 100th season inside the “Cathedral of College Football”.
The Tigers will welcome in-state opponent Nicholls State for the first-ever meeting between the Colonels and LSU.
Kickoff from Death Valley is set for 6:30 p.m. and you can listen beginning with pregame at 4:30 on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.
100 SEASONS OF TIGER STADIUM
LSU is celebrating 100 seasons inside Tiger Stadium in 2024 with brand new videoboards, including a drastically bigger main scoreboard and replacing the two newer boards on the opposite ends. LED lights have also been installed, capable of creating the strobe light effect after touchdowns and other points throughout the game.
Tiger Stadium has been home to some miraculous moments such as Billy Cannon’s Halloween run, the Earthquake Game, and more recently, LSU defeating Alabama on a two-point conversion. The 2024 season will look to honor those moments and potentially create new ones in Brian Kelly’s third season with the team.
WHERE ARE THE RUNNING BACKS?
LSU entered the 2024 season with some questions about running back. Josh Williams leads the charge in his sixth season with the program followed by sophomore Kaleb Jackson and true freshman Caden Durham. John Emery exploded during the USC game but tore his ACL for the second straight season in practice earlier this week.
With just three running backs on scholarship in the rotation, LSU decided to make a change by moving defensive back and Lafayette Christian Academy product Ju’Juan Johnson to running back and changing his jersey number to 8. Johnson, a true freshman, holds the LHSAA records for total yards and touchdowns in a high school career and will look to add depth and athleticism to the Tigers’ backfield.
“FIRST TIME I’VE BEEN ANGRY”
After the loss to USC, Brian Kelly opened his press conference by saying “I think this is the first time since I’ve been here that I’m pretty angry at our football team.” A mixture of poor penalties down the stretch and questionable playcalling really plagued the Bayou Bengals, leading to their fifth straight season-opening loss.
“We’re sitting here again..we’re sitting here again talking about the same things, about not finishing when you have an opponent in a position to put ’em away,” Kelly said while slamming his fist on the table.
The Tigers will look to rebound at home against an opponent that according to ESPN Bet, they are a 50.5-point favorite over in Nicholls.
SERIES RECORD: First meeting
STAT LEADERS
LSU
Garrett Nussmeier: 30-of-39, 308 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
John Emery Jr (out for season): 10 carries, 61 yards
Kyren Lacy: 7 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD
Harold Perkins Jr: 9 tackles
Sai’von Jones: 5 tackles, 2 sacks
Damian Ramos: 2-of-2, long of 45
NICHOLLS
Pat McQuaide: 10-of-26, 138 yards, 1 TD
Collin Guggenheim: 18 carries, 79 yards
Quincy Brown: 4 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD
Eli Ennis: 10 tackles
Alex Villavaso: 7 tackles, 1 sack
Ray Vallee: 0-for-2, 2 XP