It’s another gameday. LSU and Vanderbilt on a Saturday night in Death Valley. This group has picked against LSU a total of two times in 10 weeks. Let’s see what the gang has to say as a scrappy Vanderbilt team shows up. Here’s the 104.5 ESPN Baton Rouge station survey.
Jacob Hester, Co-Host Off the Bench: Editor’s note: Jacob Hester did not make a pick on Off the Bench during the “Game Prediction” segment. Jacob Hester did not make a pick in the station “Pick ‘em” contest via text message. Jacob Hester did not make a pick when asked for the Station Survey via e-mail.
T-Bob Hebert, Co-Host, Off the Bench: When it rains it pours. The vibes in Baton Rouge could not be worse right now. Losers of three in a row, recruiting class falling apart, our pets heads are falling off. BUT, adversity reveals the man, and we are going to learn exactly what this team is made of. Don’t play for your coaches. Don’t play for championships. Don’t play for 10 wins. Play for pride. Play for yourself. Play for your brother besides you. Play because you’re a competitor who wants to win every single time they touch the field. You do this, and you will have the satisfied feeling of a man who did everything he could to accomplish the goal. LSU 24, Vanderbilt 20.
Taylor Sharp, Video Producer, Off the Bench: I love LSU, but I have to be realistic. This game will be a dogfight. Vanderbilt is a physical football team with a QB in Diego Pavia that could cause problems for the LSU defense. The Tiger offense also has to find some sort of consistency. I’m still going to pick LSU, but I think this game will come down to the wire. LSU 24, Vanderbilt 20
Alondra Villareal, Audio Producer, Off the Bench: What I’m going to be looking out for in this game is if LSU will actually score more than one touchdown. I’m gonna be conservative in this one and say LSU 21, Vanderbilt 17
Charles Hanagriff, Co-Host, Live at Lunch: Vandy beat Alabama and lost to Texas by 3, so it would be flat out arrogant to think they can’t beat LSU, especially off of a bye. Diego Pavia presents a variety of problems, some of which LSU has struggled with mightily in the run game. LSU has said all the right things this week, but people listen with their eyes. Low scoring, ugly, but at home the Tigers eek one out. LSU 19, Vanderbilt 17.
Hunt Palmer, Host, The Hunt Palmer Show: Vanderbilt’s 2024 was highlighted by the Alabama win but not defined by it. This team played Texas to the wire, dominated Kentucky and Auburn and beat Virginia Tech. Clark Lea’s team has been remarkably consistent. LSU is in a spiral, and the environment Saturday won’t be great. Vanderbilt’s ball control style can put you to sleep. I just don’t have a ton of confidence that LSU will wake up. Vanderbilt 28, LSU 26
Matt Moscona, Host, After Further Review: Both teams are 6–4. Both teams wear a bunch of stupid alternate uniforms. Both teams do one thing on either side of the ball very well and another very poorly. Both teams have had exceptional special teams moments and devastating collapses. Basically, these teams are the same. Brian Kelly even had Clark Lea on his Notre Dame staff for four years. I literally flipped a coin and it came up Vanderbilt. And with the month LSU is having, of course it did. Vanderbilt 24, LSU 20
Matthew Musso, Audio Producer, After Further Review: LSU has not lost four straight games since 1999. They HAVE to win on Saturday. LSU just got outbid for the No.1 player and quarterback in the 2025 class, a program changing player. They HAVE to win on Saturday. The optics around this program are tough right now. You need something good to happen. They HAVE to win on Saturday. It’s hard to justify picking LSU to win this game with what you’ve seen on the field the past month, in particular. I don’t have a shred of confidence in this pick. LSU wins on Saturday. Why? They HAVE to.
Paul O’Neill, Video Producer, After Further Review: It has been nothing but doom and gloom for LSU over the last month. You are on a three-game losing streak, your playoff hopes are over and you just lost the No. 1 QB commit that had been committed to you for nearly a year. Just imagine this fan base if the Tigers go out and lose to Vandy. LSU desperately needs something to finally go their way. This matchup brings up the same issues we’ve been concerned about. Can the Tigers stop a running quarterback? Can Garrett Nussmeier protect the football? Can LSU find a running game? Can the LSU secondary prevent the big plays? If LSU wants to make a statement and stop all the chatter about who’s to blame and calling for jobs, this is the week to make it. LSU 28, Vanderbilt 24
