12th ranked LSU hosts Arkansas Saturday night and it’s not November. Usually, these two teams meet in the final weeks of the season, but this is the earliest these two teams have played each other in a season since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992.
Here are some things to watch for:
1. Can LSU bring that competitive edge again?
LSU didn’t have the competitive edge to beat Florida State in the season opener, but they brought it last week by blowing out Mississippi State in the SEC opener. Football coaches like to talk about stacking wins, LSU needs to show they can put together back-to-back quality performances.
You know Arkansas will come to play after losing at home to BYU last week. Also, this begins a difficult stretch of the season for the Razorbacks. After their trip to Baton Rouge, they play Texas A&M in Arlington, visit Ole Miss and then head to Alabama.
2. Can LSU keep Arkansas out of the backfield?
The Razorbacks are third in the country in tackles for loss per game. Former LSU Tiger Landon Jackson leads the way with six tackles for a loss, including two sacks. Jaheim Thomas and Trajan Jeffcoat have also been good at causing havoc in the backfield.
3. Will Harold Perkins go off?
If it wasn’t for Harold Perkins last season, LSU might not have beaten Arkansas. Despite dealing with an illness, Perkins had eight tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. The three sacks were the most by a freshman in school history.
Arkansas’ offensive line didn’t play well last week, as they gave up four sacks and committed several penalties. If they can’t block Perkins, it will be a long day for Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson.
4. Whit Weeks expected to start again.
LSU Coach Brian Kelly said on Thursday night it’s unlikely Omar Speights will play on Saturday night so that likely means true freshman linebacker Whit Weeks will get another start. In his first collegiate start, he had eight tackles against Mississippi State. He might have surprised Mississippi State, but Arkansas will be ready for him.
5. Playing for Greg Brooks Jr.
The LSU team was aware of what was going on with one of their co-captains prior to the Mississippi State game. Coach Brian Kelly gave Brooks the game ball. Now the world knows, and LSU fans are wanting to see a spirited effort by that defense in honor of Brooks, who is recovering after undergoing surgery to remove a large brain tumor.
Kelly said on his radio show that Brooks was able to stand with some assistance on Thursday and the team will a number 3 decal on their helmets, which is Brooks’ jersey number.