A week ago, it was all about winning to become bowl eligible. This week, as Team 130 of Oklahoma football prepares for a road test at LSU to close out the 2024 regular season, it's about one more win to finish off the Sooners' first SEC season with a winning overall record.
The Sooners (6-5, 2-5) and the LSU Tigers (7-4, 4-3) have played three different times previously, but Saturday's game at LSU is the first time the two programs have faced each other in the regular season.
Oklahoma is coming off a gigantic 24-3 upset win over then 7th-ranked Alabama, and in decisive manner, while LSU defeated Vanderbilt last weekend to snap a three-game losing streak.
The Sooners are the only team in the country that has played seven team this season currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, and LSU would have been the eighth ranked team on the 2024-25 OU schedule except that the Tigers dropped out of the top 25 a couple of weeks ago after losing three straight games.
Business trip to Baton Rouge ✈️ pic.twitter.com/b4Cx93SuN9
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) November 29, 2024
LSU leads the short-lived all-time series with OU 2-1 with all three meetings coming in bowl games. Oklahoma won the first meeting 35-0 in 1950 in the Sugar Bowl. The Tigers bested the Sooners and Heisman-winning quarterback Jason White, 21-14, for the BCS National Championship, again in the Sugar Bowl, in 2004, and the 2019 national champion LSU squad, quarterbacked by Heisman Trophy quarterback Joe Burrow, buried Jalen Hurts, the Heisman runner-up that same season, and Oklahoma, 63-28 in the national semifinals of the 2019 College Football Playoff.
Tiger Stadium is frequently referred to as Death Valley and for good reason. LSU is virtually unbeatable at home, and that dominance goes up even more when the game is played at night That's the setting for the OU-LSU regular-season finale on Saturday night before a national television audience and sellout crowd of 102,000 plus and on Senior Night.
The game will be televised by ESPN, kicking off at 6 p.m. CT, with Tom Hart, Jordan Rogers and Cole Cubelic announcing.
Keys to an LSU win
- LSU ranks second in the SEC in passing offense behind quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, averaging 321 yards per game, seventh best in among FBS teams. Pass defense is also the weak link in the Sooner defense, so the Tigers will certainly try to attack OU through the air.
- The Tigers have three receivers with over 50 catches each this season, led by WR Kyren Lacy with 55 receptions for 825 yards and a team-leading eight receiving touchdowns. Lacy has three 100-yard receiving games this season.
- While LSU is giant threat throwing the ball, the Tigers sit dead last in the SEC, averaging just over 100 rushing yards per game. That also happens to be an Oklahoma strength on defense. The Tigers need to be able to run the ball to avoid becoming one-dimensional against an opportunistic Sooner defense that has nine interceptions this season.
- LSU ranks seventh nationally in third-down conversions with a 50-percent success rate. The ability to sustain drives and wear down the Oklahoma defense could be an important factor in the outcome of the game. But the Tigers also must be able to score TDs and not settle for FGs in the red zone, something LSU has not been all that successful in this season.
- In three seasons under head coach Brian Kelly, LSU is 17-2 when leading at halftime and 16-1 when holding opponents to 24 or fewer points.
Keys to an Oklahoma win
- Quarterback Jackson Arnold needs to play another clean game and continue to make good decisions on run-pass option plays. The oft-criticized former five-star recruit ran for a season and career-high 131 yards in the win over Alabama, but the LSU defense will be mindful and prepared for that so he is going to need additional help from the running backs and receivers?
- The Sooners have been without their five best wide receivers most of the season. WR Brenen Thompson was added to that sidelined group after the Alabama game. So the opportunities through the air have taken an even deeper hit. It goes without saying that Oklahoma needs more help from the depleted and highly inexperienced receiving corps. Someone...anyone? Where has Jaquaize Pettaway been the last two games, or all season for that matter?
Oklahoma wants and needs to run the football. True freshman Xavier Robinson gained 107 yards on the ground against Alabama and the Sooners' leading rusher, Jovantae Barnes, should be back from the injured list to complement Robinson. OU gained 257 yards on the ground and 5.1 yards per carry against Alabama. LSU has had trouble stopping the run, which plays into the Sooners favor. If OU is effective running the football, LSU will be forced to respect the run, which will open up passing opportunities.
Oklahoma needs another outstanding performance from the offensive line. The O-line protection and run blocking was the best it has been all season last week against a very good and physical Alabama defensive front. The Sooners need another exemplary effort this weekend.
The Sooners have won the turnover battle in all six wins this season. They need to do so again against LSU.
Injury Report
Oklahoma (15 total): WR Jayden Gibson (out), WR Nic Anderson (out), WR Jalil Farooq (out), WR Deion Burks (out), OL Geirean Hatchett (out), OL Jacob Sexton (out), OL Jake Taylor (out), OL Joshua Bates (out), DB Kendel Dolby (out), DE Caiden Woullard (out), DB Gentry Williams (out), TE Kade McIntyre (doubtful), WR Andrel Anthony (questionable), WR Brenen Thompson (questionable), Jovantae Barnes (probable).
LSU (10 total): S Jordan Allen (out), LB Harold Perkins Jr. (out), CB JK Johnson (out), WR Kyle Parker (out), RB John Emery Jr. (out), DE Princeton Malbrue (out), DT Jacobian Guillory (out), OL Garrett Dellinger (questionable), WR CJ Daniels (probable), OL Miles Frazier (probable).
Weather forecast
Clear, 52 degrees at kickoff, no precipitation, wind 3 mph. Temp 44 degrees at end of game.
Key matchup
The Oklahoma defense needs to avoid at all cost explosive pass plays. The back end of the Sooner defense is vulnerable, and the LSU offense likes to take deep shots. The matchup between LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and the Tigers' pass receivers and the OU pass defense could be the determining factor in this game.
Prediction
LSU is a 6.0-point favorite over the Sooners. It will be interesting to see if the momentum and confidence gained from the win over Alabama will carry over to this week. LSU has been struggling down the stretch, losing three of their last four games, but they always seem to play well at home, especially at night (17 wins in LSU's last 18 night games). Oklahoma needs to come up with another creative game plan and then execute, execute, execute. Last week they earned bowl eligibility, this week they are playing for a better bowl game. Oklahoma 24, LSU 20