LSU Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2022
By Kathryn Rose
This is really not working out at Auburn for Bryan Harsin. He’s run off two offensive coordinators and one defensive coordinator in the span of the year, and all he’s done is promote former Boise guys internally.
It would be an effective strategy, if not for the fact Auburn faded down the stretch in a bad way last year.
The defensive unit was actually really good last year; Auburn was fourth in the SEC in yards allowed per play. It’s just the offense couldn’t hook anything up at the end of 2021.
They’ll try again this year with TJ Finley leading the charge at quarterback, but that drops the needle down a few points. LSU lost 24-19 to Auburn last year, but suspicions should be aroused at the possibility of a different result this year.
Projection: LSU 30, Auburn 20 (5-0, 2-0)
Tennessee was blessed to have found quarterback Hendon Hooker and receiver Cedric Tillman hanging out on the roster. All they did was lead the charge on an offensive explosion that was second in the conference in yards per game last year.
This year, Tennessee will run it back. Velus Jones isn’t on the team, and nor are defensive standouts Matthew Butler, Theo Jackson, and Alontae Taylor, but the Vols return 76 percent of their production from a year ago.
Tennessee’s tempo will cause big problems for the Tigers, who will have issues with depth. It’s just about whether the transfers LSU has brought in on the secondary can hold back a potent Vol offense. The problem is, that’s a lot to ask for a totally rebuilt secondary.
Projection: Tennessee 37, LSU 35 (5-1, 2-1)