No. 20 LSU (5-2, 2-2 SEC) will host the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium for a Top-25 matchup between the pair of SEC rivals.
After dropping a Week 8 matchup to the Vanderbilt Commodores, Brian Kelly and Co. will be looking to get back in the win column this weekend with a unique challenge inching closer.
“Well, I think we need to be more physical. I think there’s always the need for physicality, right? How you play this game really is about who you are. You know, football is a game of violent collisions,” Kelly said.
“Certainly, from an offensive line standpoint, everybody’s going to look towards the physicality there on the offensive line. Those are the best five guys we’ve got out there. If we had another group, we’d certainly play them as well.
"So listen, everybody is going to look at this and has their opinions, and I respect everybody’s. But there’s no doubt that any time you evaluate your football team, the first thing you’re going to look for is physicality.”
Now, with game day inching closer, the early predictions are coming in with the computer models favoring one program by a small margin.
Matchup : LSU Tigers vs. Texas A&M Aggies
Kickoff Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Venue: Tiger Stadium - Baton Rouge (La.)
TV Channel: ABC
Radio: LSU Sports Radio Network
LSU Tigers Record : 5-2 (2-2 SEC)
Texas A&M Aggies: 7-0 (4-0 SEC)
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
Moneyline
Total
LSU is currently listed as 4.5-point underdogs at home against No. 3 Texas A&M, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
According to the ESPN Football Power Index, the Texas A&M Aggies have the edge heading into Week 9 with a 52.2 percent chance to walk into Death Valley and win.
For the Tigers, the program will enter the matchup as underdogs with a 47.8 percent chance to win, according to the ESPN FPI.
According to Bill Connelly's SP+ expert computer model, the Texas A&M Aggies have the edge with a 52 percent chance to escape with a win at Tiger Stadium over No. 20 LSU.
Brian Kelly and Co. enter the matchup with a 48 percent chance to win with a final score prediction of 26-25 on Saturday, according to the SP+ model.
LSU enters the Week 9 matchup as 2.5-point underdogs with an opportunity to make a statement at home in Tiger Stadium.
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