How will LSU follow up its impressive 51-10 season-opening victory over Clemson?
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That’s the biggest question as the Tigers host Louisiana Tech Saturday night in a game LSU is expected to win comfortably.
After overwhelming a ranked Clemson team, LSU now faces a Group of Five opponent with the much-anticipated SEC opener against Ole Miss looming next week.
The challenge for coach Lane Kiffin is making sure his team maintains the same focus and intensity it displayed in the season opener.
Kiffin has reminded his players that Louisiana Tech has beaten LSU before.
Of course, that victory came in 1904, when the Bulldogs defeated the Tigers 6-0 in Ruston.
The schools are meeting for the second consecutive season and just the third time ever in back-to-back years. LSU won last year's matchup 23-7, scoring only two offensive touchdowns and raising questions about the Tigers' offense.
This year's matchup should provide another opportunity to see how much LSU has improved.
Here are five things to watch Saturday night in Tiger Stadium:
1. Blake Baker vs. Blake Baker
There will be two Blake Bakers on the field Saturday night.
One is LSU's defensive coordinator. The other is Louisiana Tech's starting quarterback.
Tech's Blake Baker is in his fourth season with the Bulldogs. Injuries have limited him over the past two seasons, including last year when he made seven starts and threw for 1,251 yards and five touchdowns.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound quarterback also has some mobility. He rushed for 260 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Baker looked sharp in Louisiana Tech's 80-6 season-opening win over Northwestern State, completing 10 of 14 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
Now he'll face a much tougher challenge against LSU's defense.
The Tigers completely overwhelmed Clemson, limiting the Tigers to just 145 total yards.
It will be interesting to see if Louisiana Tech can find any success against a defense that was dominant last week
2. Can LSU's offensive line improve?
It might seem strange to talk about improvement after LSU scored 51 points against Clemson.
But Kiffin specifically pointed to the offensive line as an area where the Tigers can get better.
Clemson was able to generate some pressure on quarterback Sam Leavitt, forcing him to scramble on several occasions.
Leavitt made plays with his legs, rushing for 113 yards and two touchdowns, but LSU would presumably like to see its quarterback spend more time operating from the pocket.
Better pass protection should also give Leavitt more opportunities to connect on some of the deep throws LSU didn't hit consistently against Clemson.
Saturday's game could provide a good opportunity for the offensive line to build confidence before the competition gets tougher.
3. Louisiana Tech has some players LSU fans will recognize
One Louisiana Tech player with a connection to LSU is linebacker Kolbe Fields.
Fields was a standout at Archbishop Rummel, helping the Raiders win a state championship in 2019. He began his college career at South Carolina before transferring to LSU after one season.
Fields was a reserve linebacker for the Tigers in 2022 before transferring to Louisiana Tech.
After sitting out a season, Fields broke out in 2024, earning second-team All-Conference USA honors.
His 2025 season was off to a strong start before a season-ending injury in Week 5.
Now healthy, Fields is part of a Louisiana Tech linebacker group that also includes Zheric Hill, Jadon Mayfield and Ayden Combs.
The Bulldogs also have an intriguing offensive weapon in tight end Eli Finney.
The 6-foot-6, 246-pound Finney caught four passes in Louisiana Tech's opener and is expected to make his 28th career start Saturday.
He's not only a capable pass catcher, but also an effective blocker.
4. How much will LSU's backups play?
LSU's dominant performance against Clemson allowed Kiffin to get a lot of players on the field.
The same could be true Saturday night.
One question is whether running backs Harlem Berry and Caden Durham will see meaningful action early in the game.
Saturday is also a chance for LSU’s young defensive linemen to be more impactful.
Freshmen Richard Anderson, Deuce Geralds and Lamar Brown combined for just two tackles against Clemson. Anderson also recorded a quarterback hurry.
Wide receiver could also be worth watching after Winnie Watkins led LSU in receptions against Clemson.
Who emerges as Leavitt's favorite target this week?
5. Will Tiger Stadium stay loud?
There's no realistic way to match the energy inside Tiger Stadium for the Louisiana Tech game that LSU experienced against Clemson.
But Kiffin is encouraging fans to bring plenty of energy back to Death Valley.
He's even encouraged fans to create their own replica ESPN "College GameDay" sets in the Quad and start their gameday celebrations early.
The bigger question may be whether fans stick around once the outcome appears to be decided.
Tiger Stadium has a reputation for emptying out early when LSU builds a big lead. LSU is trying to change that this season, offering students incentives to stay through the final whistle.
Students who remain until the end can scan a QR code as they leave for a chance to win prizes, including an opportunity to walk with the team down Victory Hill.
Kiffin has also made a direct appeal to all LSU fans.
His message is simple: The players aren't leaving in the third quarter, so the fans shouldn't either.
The prediction
This is a game LSU should control from the opening kickoff.
Louisiana Tech has some talented players, but LSU's depth and overall talent advantage should eventually take over.
The Tigers may not duplicate the offensive fireworks of the Clemson game, but they should have little trouble putting together another convincing victory.
LSU 41, Louisiana Tech 7.
