Can LSU recover from its disappointing defeat to Mississippi State? The Tigers certainly have a prime opportunity to do so Saturday when they host the New Mexico State Aggies.
How to watch LSU vs. New Mexico State: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
Can the Tigers make a statement after their Week 4 upset?
The Tigers opened the season with a 28-24 neutral-site victory over Wisconsin, recovering from a 24-7 third-quarter deficit to take the big win. Their next two non-conference games provided little contest -- shutout victories over Sam Houston State (56-0) and Louisiana-Monroe (31-0) -- but LSU ran into trouble in its SEC opener. The Tigers lost 34-29 to Mississippi State despite a frantic fourth-quarter comeback, thanks in large part to a Herculean effort from Bulldogs quarterback Dak Prescott.
New Mexico State opened the season with back-to-back victories over Cal Poly (28-10) and Georgia State (34-31), but is currently in the midst of a two-game losing streak. The Aggies fell to UTEP 42-24 on the road before dropping their rivalry game to New Mexico, 38-35.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network. Tom Hart is on play-by-play with Matt Stinchcomb as an analyst and Heather Mitts on the sideline.
Online streaming: WatchESPN
The numbers
Rankings and records: LSU is No. 17 in the AP Poll and No. 18 in the Coaches Poll. New Mexico State is not ranked in either poll. The Tigers are 3-1 this season, while the Aggies are 2-2. LSU holds a 1-0 lead in the all-time series, winning 63-7 in 1996.
Vegas: LSU is a 43-point favorite. The over/under is 56 points.
Weather forecast: 74 degrees with a chance of thunderstorms.
Two things at stake
With a tough game against Auburn around the corner, LSU will need a strong performance to recover from its disappointing loss to Mississippi State.
No one expects New Mexico State to put up much of a fight -- if it does, it would be a huge statement from Doug Martin’s program.
One big matchup
LSU rushing offense vs. New Mexico State rushing defense. The Tigers’ four-headed running back attack has had mixed results so far this season, but true freshman Leonard Fournette is starting to make an impact after struggling in the opener against Wisconsin. He’s now averaging 5.3 yards per carry (tops among Tigers running backs), and is second on the team in rushing yards behind Kenny Hilliard.
The Aggies have struggled against the run this season, giving up 6.1 yards per carry and 12 touchdowns on the ground. In their past two games, they’ve given up 776 yards on the ground and eight rushing touchdowns -- expect LSU to run quite a bit Saturday.
Further reading
For full coverage of LSU, head over to And The Valley Shook. For more on New Mexico State and the rest of the Sun Belt, check out Underdog Dynasty.
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