We asked the team at 104.5 ESPN Baton Rouge to give us their final scores for LSU and UCLA. We’re still waiting on someone, anyone to predict a loss. Here’s what they had to say.
Jacob Hester, Co-Host Off the Bench: NO SCORE PREDICTION. I don’t really care about the spread to be honest with you. I just want them to dominate. I want to see them win, not only their individual matchups. I want to see them win their group matchups. I need to see a team effort. Offense, defense, special teams.
T-Bob Hebert, Co-Host, Off the Bench: This is an absolute MUST SMASH for LSU. UCLA had the single most disastrous offseason in the country. They had their legendary head coach take a DEMOTION at a conference rival, their defensive coordinator take a lateral move inside their OWN CITY to a hated rival, and your 5 star quarterback left for a conference rival to be a backup. UCLA’s HC Deshaun Foster has no experience while Brian Kelly has DECADES of experience. LSU beats UCLA and beats them badly. Tigers win 50-17.
Taylor Sharp, Video Producer, Off the Bench: 41-28 LSU. Key to the game on Saturday is finishing drives with touchdowns near the goal line. That’s what kept South Carolina in the game. Also, limit the mental mistakes. When you make a big play, you can’t have it called back due to a penalty. That’s something LSU has struggled with the last few weeks.
Alondra Villareal, Audio Producer, Off the Bench: 42-13 LSU. I want to see LSU play a complete game. That means start strong. These slow starts this season have been brutal.
Charles Hanagriff, Co-Host, Live at Lunch: LSU 44-20…UCLA is a program in transition and may have problems with the heat as well. LSU splits with the City of Angels.
Hunt Palmer, Host, The Hunt Palmer Show: 40-20 LSU. I know most are projecting a beatdown. I’m just not ready to forecast this defense holding someone to 7 or 10 points. I like LSU to score at will. But UCLA will have its offensive moments. The skill guys are decent. 20 points is fine…unless you bet the Tigers.
Jacob Beck, Audio Producer, The Hunt Palmer Show: LSU 41 UCLA 27. Could this be the spot where LSU’s defense finally bows its neck and shows a sign of life? I’m of the “wait and see” approach at this point. UCLA’s offense has been bad the 1st two weeks, but I don’t think anyone would consider Nicholls and South Carolina to be offensive juggernauts. The good news is LSU’s offense has been good, and UCLA got torched by Indiana last week. A comfortable win will be nice following last week’s antics, but still a lot to be desired on the defensive side of the ball. Cut out the big plays and they’ll prove me wrong.
Matt Moscona, Host, After Further Review: LSU 38, UCLA 17. It turns out DeShaun Foster’s embarrassing appearance at Big Ten media days was foreshadowing for his football team. This game is more about LSU getting right before the meat of the SEC schedule than it is about a bad UCLA team. The worst part is this is could have been an A+ uniform game with LSU wearing their home whites and the Bruins in their ‘sissy blue’ jerseys. Oh well.
Paul O’Neill, Video Producer, After Further Review: LSU 38, UCLA 17. All signs point to this being a get right game for the Tigers. First year UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster was left with a tall task after the departure of Chip Kelly. I look for LSU to fix their first half struggles against South Carolina and roll to a victory in Tiger Stadium. The Tigers passing game should be too much for the Bruins defense, and the Tigers secondary should feast on Ethan Garbers and the UCLA offense.
Matthew Musso, Audio Producer, After Further Review: LSU 45 UCLA 17. The Bruins have been plagued by slow starts scoring just seven points in the first half this season. Those seven points came with 42 seconds remaining in the first half against Indiana in week two. The Tigers have to get off to a fast start and keep the pedal down. Don’t give this UCLA team any belief they can hang around. That’s how you get beat by bad teams. UCLA is a bad team. The one strength they have is their interior defensive line. Keep an eye on that in short yardage. Otherwise, the Tigers should roll.
