LSU enters Saturday's game at Auburn with a 5-2 overall record and 2-2 in SEC play. That's not the start Tigers fans were expecting in Lane Kiffin's debut season as head coach. LSU opened with two straight wins, including an impressive 51-10 victory over Clemson in the season opener, but then fell 32-24 at Ole Miss.
They rebounded with convincing wins over Texas A&M and McNeese State, only to suffer another painful loss, falling 35-34 to Kentucky in overtime. LSU bounced back, though, with a 31-0 shutout of Mississippi State last weekend. Still, with two losses already, LSU doesn't have much room for error if they want to make the College Football Playoff.
They're ranked No. 18 nationally and have remaining games against No. 13 Alabama, No. 19 Texas, at No. 11 Tennessee, and at Arkansas. They need to start winning consistently against SEC opponents, especially on the road. Thankfully for Kiffin's side, they've received some good news on two star players before the crucial Auburn matchup.
Edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen and tight end Trey'Dez Green were both absent from Wednesday's initial SEC injury report, putting them on track to play Saturday. More news: Kentucky HC Will Stein Makes Feelings Clear on 24-Team College Football Playoff Umanmielen has been LSU's most impactful defender this season. Through seven games, he's already recorded eight sacks, the second-most in the country, along with 27 total tackles and 11 tackles for loss, giving the Tigers an explosive presence off the edge.
Umanmielen left last week's win over the Bulldogs with a head injury after playing just seven defensive snaps. Green, meanwhile, would provide a massive boost to the offense. Before injuring his knee against Ole Miss, the star tight end had caught 14 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown in just three games.
At a whopping 6-foot-7, 237 pounds, his size and ability to make plays down the field gives Sam Leavitt another reliable target. More news: Mississippi State Gets Concerning Update on QB Kamario Taylor More news: Texas’ College Football Playoff Odds Plummet After Loss to Florida A win on Saturday would help LSU build momentum entering a crucial point in the season, while a loss could put an end to it altogether. With three ranked opponents left on the schedule, the Tigers need to make their presence felt against Auburn on Saturday, and getting two key contributors back now could be the difference.
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