NCAAF Game Preview - Texas A&M at LSU
Sat Nov 30, 2019 7:00 PM EST

TxAM
7
LSU
50
F
OSU
56
Mich
27
F
Clem
38
SCar
3
F
UGA
52
GATec
7
F
Bama
45
Aub
48
F
Colo
15
Utah
45
F
Okla
34
OkSt
16
F
FlaSt
17
Fla
40
F
Wisc
38
MIN
17
F
Bayl
61
Kans
6
F
Rut
6
PSU
27
F
OreSt
10
Oreg
24
F
ND
45
Stan
24
F
Cin
24
Mem
34
F
Iowa
27
Neb
24
F
Boise
31
ColSt
24
F
App
48
Troy
13
F
VaTec
30
UVA
39
F
Navy
56
Hou
41
F
Ohio
52
Akr
3
F
WestMI
14
NIU
17
F
Miss
20
MissSt
21
F
Kent
34
E Mi
26
F
Toled
7
C Mi
49
F
BGSU
7
Buff
49
F
MiaOH
27
Ball
41
F
TxTch
24
Tex
49
F
MIZ
24
Ark
14
F
WaSt
13
Wash
31
F
WVU
20
TCU
17
F
ArkSt
30
SoAl
34
F
SoFL
7
UCF
34
F
TxSt
21
CoCar
24
F
Tuls
49
ECU
24
F
NW
29
Ill
10
F
Ind
44
Purd
41
F(1OT)
FLInt
27
Marsh
30
F OT
Lou
13
KY
45
F
Wake
30
Syr
39
F OT
Wyo
6
AF
20
F
MidTN
26
W Ky
31
F
UNCC
38
OD
22
F
NMS
28
Lib
49
F
UNLV
33
NEV
30
F OT
Rice
30
UTEP
16
F
UConn
17
Temp
49
F
UTSA
27
LT
41
F
BC
26
Pitt
19
F
MD
16
MSU
19
F
SMiss
17
FlAtl
34
F
MiaFL
17
Duke
27
F
Tul
20
SMU
37
F
UtSt
38
NM
25
F
UAB
26
NorTx
21
F
Vand
10
Tenn
28
F
GASt
10
GaSo
38
F
IASt
17
K St
27
F
UNC
41
NCSt
10
F
ULMon
30
ULLaf
31
F
BYU
3
SDSU
13
F
Ariz
14
AzSt
24
F
Cal
28
UCLA
18
F
Fres
16
SJSU
17
F
Army
31
Hawaii
52
F
Texas A&M-LSU Preview
Fri Nov 29, 2019 1:21 PM

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) LSU’s regular season finale against Texas A&M has deep personal meaning for Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow.

It goes beyond any desire to avenge last year’s seven-overtime, 74-72 loss in College Station. It’s about more than the opportunity for No. 1 LSU (11-0, 7-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 2 College Football Playoff) to remain unbeaten and shore up their College Football Playoff credentials against the Aggies (7-4, 4-3).

Burrow’s college career has been transformed dramatically in a matter of two seasons since the seldom-used backup at Ohio State transferred to LSU, where he not only became a starter, but smashed school records and emerged as a Heisman Trophy favorite this year. Now comes Burrow’s final game in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.

“This place means so much to me,” Burrow said. “Everyone has been so great. I never could have dreamed that this was going to happen, the reception from the people in Louisiana to an Ohio kid who transferred here. It's been such a great two years and I hope I can show some appreciation to the fans.”

It probably doesn’t hurt that Burrow, who last season led LSU to its first 10-win season since 2013 and a Fiesta Bowl victory, followed that up with single season school records of 4,104 yards and 41 touchdown passes this season while completing 78.9% of his throws.

“Remember, here's a guy who moved all the way across the country from Ohio to Louisiana and had to make adjustments,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “People don't take into account how that affects guys, and I'm sure he's more comfortable there. ... He's obviously the leader of that team, and you can see it. I think the guy's playing outstanding football. He's playing as good as any quarterback I've seen in a long, long time.”

Some other things to know about Saturday’s Texas A&M-LSU matchup:

DEFENSIVE REINFORCEMENTS

LSU safety Grant Delpit is expected to return this week from an ankle injury that sidelined him last week against Arkansas and which has hobbled him since mid-October.

Delpit, a preseason All-America selection, is having a down year statistically, primarily for two seasons. Not only have injuries nagged him, but he’s been positioned deeper in the secondary this season than last, when he often played closer to the line of scrimmage, where he could blitz, help with the run, or cover shorter pass routes. Delpit was moved in part because coaches believe he has the versatility to play deep while fellow defensive back Jacoby Stevens, who had three sacks last week, is better suited to playing a hybrid safety-linebacker role.

“A lot of people don’t understand what goes on behind the scenes,” Delpit said. “I haven’t made a lot of big-time plays or anything like that, but at the same time I’m playing a different position and I’m not really around the ball a lot. But I’m not complaining. We’re winning.”

FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS

Fisher and one the Aggies’ top receivers, Jhamon Ausbon, have considerable ties to Baton Rouge.

Fisher was an assistant at LSU for seven seasons under Nick Saban and Les Miles. Ausbon, who grew up in Houston, has visited family in Baton Rouge throughout his life and strongly considered playing for LSU. This season, he’s been one of A&M’s offensive leaders statistically, with 63 catches for 840 yards, and Fisher noted that Ausbon even contributes when he doesn’t get the ball.

“He's a guy who could go get the numbers and want to be the superstar, but he'll go do all the little things a lot of people don't like to do,” Fisher said. “He is a true, true team guy that I can't say enough good things about. Tremendous character. Tremendous human being.”

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

While odds makers have listed LSU as more than two-touchdown favorites, Burrow was quick to point out that all four of A&M’s losses have come against quality teams.

“We feel like if we play the way we're capable of playing, we'll win the game,” Burrow began. “But they obviously have four losses this year and three of those teams (No. 3 Clemson, No. 5 Alabama and No. 4 Georgia ) are in the top five currently and (No. 16) Auburn was in the top 10 for a lot of the year, so their losses are really good losses.”

MATCH-UP QUESTIONS

The Aggies’ Kellen Mond presents the type of dual-threat challenge against which LSU’s defense has struggled at times, particularly at Mississippi.

Mond ranks third in the SEC with 2,710 yards passing and fourth in TDs passing with 19. He also has 392 yards and seven TDs rushing.

“Last year he had a lights-out game against us, running the ball, throwing the ball,” Orgeron said. “This is one of the better players we're going to see all year.”

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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeFootballPoll and https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

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