0

SportsBlog

USM Looks to go 2-0 Against The SEC

Next week the University of Southern Mississippi will host Marshall University for homecoming. But before the team can start to enjoy the festivities, it must first get past a showdown against Louisiana State University.

LSU is spending a good deal of time in the news this football season, and most of it is for what is not happening on the field. The Tigers have fired their head coach Les Miles, former Heisman candidate Leonard Fournette has spent most of the season injured, and LSU and the University of Florida have been fighting about a makeup date over a cancelled game.

Miles shouldn’t have been fired after a 2-2 start in the first four games. Where are the Tigers going to find a coach that will average 10 wins a year now? Former University of Mississippi coach Ed Orgeron is now the head Tiger and gets to make his case to keep the job after the season.

At this point, Fournette should shut himself down and get ready for the NFL draft. The running back has been injured for most of the last two seasons. He needs to heal up and show out at the combine. If he does play again this season, it will be just to show the folks at the next level his commitment and ability to get back on the field after injury.

Florida gave up a home game, and both schools have to buyout their Nov. 19 foes, but they will play. In the end, the Gators will need this game more than the Tigers if Tennessee loses to Alabama on Saturday and if UF can beat Georgia later.

Now, to LSU against USM.

This is an http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101416aaa.html">interesting match up.

Southern Miss is coming off a game where the University of Texas, San Antonio burned USM’s defense for 532 yards. The Golden Eagle defense wasn’t much of a “Nasty Bunch” as just plain nasty against the Roadrunners.

Much like the other loss this season against Troy University, USM started slow on offense, was sloppy on both sides of the ball and couldn’t cover or tackle on defense. When they go against LSU, the Golden Eagles can’t play the way they didn’t against Troy and UTSA and still have a chance to win.

USM scores https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/stat/points-per-game">40.2 points per game, and LSU scores 25.2 points. On the flipside, the http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101316aah.html">Golden Eagles’ defense is allowing 27 points per game, and the Tigers only allow 14.8 points.

The question is which team can reach its average. LSU struggles on offense and won’t have Fournette against USM.

Southern Miss can put up points, but can the Golden Eagles’ offense put up enough points on a very stout LSU defense? The Tigers struggle to score on offense and make it a struggle for foes to score on defense.

While LSU won’t have Fournette, it will have Derrius Guice at running back. This season, Guice has run for 402 yards and made four touchdowns.

The key for LSU will be Danny Etling‘s play at quarterback. If USM can’t get pressure, hits and sacks on Etling, the Tigers will be able to get yards through the air.

For the Golden Eagles, can they get their three-headed offensive monster of Nick Mullens, Ito Smith and George Payne to gain yards against LSU? If the Southern Miss offense can get going, USM will have a chance to go 2-0 against the SEC this season.

This game is going to be about which team plays better on offense against one of two pretty good defenses. But don’t be surprised if it comes down to a defensive touchdown or a special teams play to decide the winner.

Comments

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment