HANAGRIFF: Similarities and differences between LSU and A&M

By Charles Hanagriff

The football seasons of LSU and Texas A&M feature a number of similarities. 

They both lost their season opener in a high-profile game, and both have won six in a row since. 

They have both won a pair of games by less than a touchdown, one potential play away from the outcome being reversed. 

They both have a win over a Top 10 team at home, and both teams have blown out an SEC opponent. For A&M, those two things happened in the same game. 

Following Saturday, both teams have four games remaining, but that is where the similarities mostly stop. 

LSU has 3 of 4 in Tiger Stadium and will be favored in every game.  A&M has 2 of 4 in College Station, but the two road games are both in the SEC, and one of the home games is against Texas, when the Aggies are likely to be underdogs.  

The winner Saturday will be the SEC’s lone remaining unbeaten team in league play, and while the lead at the half mile mark doesn’t guarantee anything, it’s a nice piece of real estate to occupy. 

The loser is not out of either the SEC Championship Game or the playoffs, but the margin for error will be all but gone. 

It’s too early to start plotting potential scenarios for the postseason. What matters now is the sustainability of the improvements both teams have made since they came up short in their respective openers. 

For LSU, it starts on defense. The team that allowed Southern Cal to score two fourth quarter touchdowns in that come from behind Trojan win, have allowed only one second half touchdown in their last four games combined.   That score was against South Alabama after the issue had been decided. 

The positions have been locked down in the secondary. Every player looks like they are comfortable at their best position.  The young interior defensive linemen are improving.  The ends are moving toward some postseason accolades. 

Greg Penn is the glue. Whit Weeks is the superstar. 

What started as a liability, and moved towards improving, has suddenly become a minor strength. They’re far from perfect, but they’re pretty far from 2023, too. 

LSU is also running the ball better, but more needs to be seen there.  The Tiger run game could finish Saturday in a wide range of potential outcomes. 

That’s because A&M allowed 378 yards rushing in their first two games, but the Aggies have given up only 434 in the last five.  Mississippi State rushed for 125 on A&M last week, which is exactly what LSU averages per game. 

It could be good, bad or ugly. 

But rush defense is not the most variable thing wearing maroon.  That distinction belongs to quarterback Conner Weigman, whose temperamental accuracy has been cause for concern in Aggieland. 

Weigman has thrown four interceptions in his four games this season.  That’s twice as many as he threw in nine games the previous two years. 

On the other hand, Weigman could not have been any more impressive coming off a recent injury than he was against then No. 9 Missouri. He completed 82 percent of his passes at a whopping 12.5 yards per attempt in the 41-10 thrashing. 

Last year, Weigman was good against New Mexico and ULM, quiet against Auburn and erratic against Miami. 

Two seasons ago, Weigman was good against LSU, bad against Auburn, and A&M split with the two Tigers in large part because of their quarterback. 

And so it goes. Weigman isn’t quite the current “good Bo/bad Bo,” but there are similarities. 

The winner has the inside track to Atlanta, and some, like ESPN’s Greg McElroy, think that guarantees a playoff spot, win or lose that game. With the number of SEC teams still vying for invitations, this will be an invaluable leg up on the field.