If LSU -- ranked No. 10 in the College Football Playoff -- is to beat No. 6 Alabama, it will need QB Jayden Daniels to make plays such as this:
Jayden Daniels is BALLING
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 22, 2022
5 total touchdowns
LSU is up big pic.twitter.com/zt6rzbbeeQ
Daniels is arguably the most improved QB in football from Week 1 to Week 10. Through five games, Daniels was averaging 247.2 total yards per game with nine total touchdowns. In the past three games, Daniels is averaging 366.7 total yards and has been responsible for 12 touchdowns.
College football analyst Kirk Herbstreit listed Daniels as having the best QB performance the last time he took the field, a 45-20 romp over CFP-ranked No. 11 Ole Miss (8-1, 4-1 in SEC).
Here are my top performing players from week 8!
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) October 24, 2022
Jayden Daniels @LSUfootball
Bo Nix QB @oregonfootball
Spencer Sanders @CowboyFB
Brandon Johnson @DukeFOOTBALL
Dae Dae Hunter @LibertyFootball
Richard Reese @BUFootball
Ivan Pace Jr. LB @GoBearcatsFB pic.twitter.com/0wliIghBSz
Alabama has struggled in the past with mobile quarterbacks. As important as Daniels is to the outcome of Saturday's game, he might not be the most impactful Tiger this weekend.
That's because LSU (6-2, 4-1 in SEC) only has a chance if it can get stops against an Alabama (7-1, 4-1 in SEC) offense led by Heisman Trophy-winning QB Bryce Young.
LSU defensive end B.J. Ojulari is perhaps the best player on this LSU squad, and he'll need to be against the Crimson Tide. Ojulari is wreaking havoc on quarterbacks.
This highlight reel against Mississippi State shows just how much of a force Ojulari - wearing No. 18 -- is for the Tigers.
Big fan of LSU's BJ Ojulari! Bendy SEC pass rusher. Here's LSU's defense (he's #18) in the 4th quarter against Mississippi State. The game script forced MSU to pass, and Ojulari had his way with their OTs. He had 4 QB hits and 1 hurry in the 4th quarter. pic.twitter.com/mREy2dwd4u
— IgglesNest (@IgglesNest) October 31, 2022
Young is an electrifying quarterback that will hurt defenses if he has the time to make a play. Ojulari's speed off the edge could help neutralize Alabama's passing attack.
Head coach Brian Kelly was asked about the emergence of freshman Harold Perkins Jr. earlier this week, another strong pass rusher who can take matters into his own hands. Earlier in the season, Kelly struggled with getting both Perkins Jr. and Ojulari on the field.
"Yeah we figured it out. We're not the smartest group, but we got together and..."@LSUfootball @CoachBrianKelly joking with @LSUTigersVoice about getting both BJ Ojulari and Harold Perkins on the field at the same time. @TJRibsAcadian #LSU pic.twitter.com/pzgbYO4GAe
— Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) November 4, 2022
"We figured it out. We're not the smartest group, but we got together and said ... let's figure out how to get ... our best 11 on the field," said Kelly.
LSU is hitting its stride at the right time and appears to have figured things out on both sides of the football. If LSU is to win on Saturday, Daniels and Ojulari will be the two biggest reasons why.
The Tigers appear to have the keys to open a pathway to victory. Nick Saban and Alabama need to switch the locks.
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