By Garin Turner
25 LSU (4-1, 2-0 SEC) hosts 8 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) in a Top 25 matchup noon EST this Saturday on ESPN. This is the first matchup where both teams are ranked in the Top 25 since the 2007 SEC Championship Game that saw the No. 5 Tigers defeat the No. 14 Vols, 21-14. The Tigers have won four straight against the Vols and 13 of the last 14 with the last meeting in 2017, a 30-10 LSU victory.
The Tigers are on a four-game winning streak coming into tomorrow’s game. This game will be the first of three games in five weeks against Top 25 teams. The Tigers rallied against Auburn last week 21-17 last week. They’ll look to get off to a better start against Tennessee. In three of the four wins for LSU, they had to overcome a double-digit lead.
LSU had problems moving the ball last week, only amassing 85 yards. The Vols have surrendered 309.3 yards a game thus far this season. Both defenses will be tested against the run. LSU averages 196 yards a game while Tennessee is at 193.5 a game.
Tennessee won a back-and-forth game last week against then 20 Florida 38-33 behind QB Hendon Hooker’s 349 yards through the air and 112 on the ground with three total scores. The Vols rushed for 227 yards in the game and three scores. Hooker has eight touchdowns threw the air and has yet to throw an interception. He’s thrown for 1,193 yards.
For the Tigers, QB Jayden Daniels has yet to throw an interception as well. He has six touchdowns and 915 yards through the air. He’s the team’s leading rusher with 321 yards on 60 carries and is second in touchdowns with three.
