I’ve always been taught to be grateful, and I was excited for Week 0 football. I also thoroughly enjoyed West Virginia/Pitt on Thursday night. However, excitement doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel as LSU prepares to take the field Sunday. It’s similar to when the older family member finishes blessing Thanksgiving dinner after I’ve starved myself since the day before to achieve maximum gluttony; the wait is over. LSU had a decimated roster and a culture crisis when Brian Kelly arrived, and that cannot be fixed overnight. A win against Florida State won’t signify the return of LSU as a national contender, but it can be a positive step in galvanizing the team and fan base. As the anticipation builds, I will finally preview the first game of the Brian Kelly era.

LSU Offense vs. Florida State Defense

LSU’s offensive line has been one of the biggest question marks throughout the offseason. They’re actually a talented group, but there is no way to know how long it will take them to build chemistry. Frankly, they will be tested. Robert Cooper eats space at nose tackle but does have the quickness to disrupt plays. If Cooper becomes a problem in the middle, LSU could have some bad snaps, as first-time center Garrett Dellinger is still learning the position. Derrick McClendon will be a force off the edge. This defensive line has legitimate NFL talent. For Florida State’s sake, they’ll have to be a force to compensate for the mismatches on the perimeter. FSU has improved their talent level under Mike Norvell, but they do not currently have the talent to match up with the LSU’s group of receivers. Any success LSU has with the run will put more pressure on Florida State’s secondary as safeties start to peek in the backfield. I’ll give LSU the advantage here.

LSU Defense vs. Florida State Offense

Florida State running backs Treshaun Ward, Trey Benson, and Lawrence Toafili all rushed for over 100 yards last week…against Duquesne. Don’t get me wrong, these are good backs to go along with a dynamic runner at quarterback, but you won’t have one running back breaking 18 tackles (this is a real stat) on Sunday. Jordan Travis returns at quarterback as a junior and has improved his passing after arriving as a one-dimensional prospect. I’ve mentioned it before on this site but watch out for Johnny Wilson at wide receiver. I’m curious to see how the LSU secondary handles the 6’7″ wideout with so many new faces at corner. As always, the game will be won in the trenches, so it’s time for the LSU defensive line to live up to the hype. The defensive line has been considered the strength of the LSU defense, if not the whole team. Hype, NFL draft stock, and big names won’t win the game for the Tigers; they’ll have to prove their worth on the field. If the line is as good as it’s thought to be, it should be a win for LSU. The Tigers get the nod in this matchup.

LSU has better personnel and a more proven coach than Florida State, but FSU has more continuity and familiarity within its program. This game will come down to how quickly LSU can learn to trust each other. Football is a game of keys, or responsibilities. It’s more challenging to read your keys when you’re not sure your teammate can adequately handle his assignments. Florida State will put constant pressure on LSU with multiple options for the quarterback on almost every running play. It will say a lot about the LSU coaching staff if the players can be disciplined and make FSU earn every yard. Expect the Tigers to outpace the Seminoles on offense and limit the big plays on defense. The Brian Kelly era starts off with a win. LSU 27 – Florida State 21. Geaux Tigers!!