Texas takes on the LSU Tigers this weekend in possibly the toughest environment in college football, Death Valley. The Longhorns are riding a three-game winning streak while LSU is on the heels of a 31-13 loss to Bama. Coming off their most complete performance of the season, Texas is looking to win and make the CFP a realistic outcome once again.
These are the four keys to Texas moving to 8-2 on Saturday night:
Force Lengthy Drives From LSU
This LSU offense struggled against Alabama, particularly in the red zone. All but one LSU drive in the first three quarters was shorter than nine plays. The Tigers kicked a FG to open the game but followed that with a missed FG, turnover on downs and an interception, all coming inside the Alabama 40-yard line. The final yardage tally favored
the Tigers by 182 total yards but Alabama’s ability in the red zone kept LSU from a good performance. If Texas can force LSU to march the ball down the field instead of allowing explosives, it could lead to multiple red zone wins for the Longhorns.
Squeeze The Pocket
As Longhorn fans learned in the Peach Bowl vs. Arizona State, Sam Leavitt is elusive. The ability to escape sacks and create outside the pocket can change the game. Because of that, the Texas pass rush can’t be too aggressive and need to keep Leavitt from creating with his legs. If Colin Simmons, Lance Jackson and the Texas DL could force Leavitt to make plays from the pocket, it could lead to multiple turnovers. If they allow him to escape, it could lead to multiple explosives.
Individual Excellence from Brown & WRs
The Missouri game was the first time this season the Texas offense found a complementary offense. While the OL played better, it was largely because of true individual excellence from Raleek Brown, Arch Manning and the Texas WRs. Brown forced multiple missed tackles, creating explosive runs in the process. Ryan Wingo, Emmett Mosley and Jermaine Bishop Jr. all made plays after the catch, turning solid gains into explosives. They’ll need that again, especially against a defense that’s tackled at a very high level this season.
Jump Out To Early Lead
There is an interesting fan dynamic at play in this game. While Death Valley is an intimidating environment, the disappointing season to date opens the door to change that dynamic early. LSU has struggled against their toughest opponents, losing to Ole Miss, Kentucky and Alabama. They enter this game on their final CFP chance and with a frustrated fanbase. If the Longhorns can jump out to a 14-0 lead, you could see that frustration boil over, mirroring Texas entering the Ole Miss game. Can Texas do what Ole Miss couldn’t and confirm the concerns of a disappointed fanbase?
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Keys to a Texas win vs. LSU: Individual excellence, Get an early lead
