Greg McElroy reveals his 'insane' prediction for Texas A&M at LSU

Tiger Stadium will feature a night game between Top 20 opponents on Saturday with No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 20 LSU. It should make for quite an environment, but who between the Aggies and Tigers will actually have an edge down in Death Valley?

This week on ‘Always College Football,’ Greg McElroy previewed and predicted this one with Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0) and LSU (5-2, 2-2). He sees a difficult matchup for the Aggies, who remain undefeated as a top-three team in the country, considering it’ll be the Tigers, whose season is on the brink, who have the homefield advantage on Saturday night.

“(Texas A&M is) undefeated, but they’ve only played one true road game this year against a legit contender, and that was against Notre Dame,” McElroy said. “The nighttime environment of Tiger Stadium will be, probably, their most intense test to date by a decent margin…Nighttime at Death Valley? Anyone that’s been there knows I don’t need to explain it. It’s insane.”

“It’s been an unbelievable start to the season for A&M. They’re 7-0, best start since 1994,” McElroy continued in his setup. “Then LSU, on the other side? It’s been a turbulent, turbulent season for them. They have had some high highs, they’ve had some low lows and they’re now 5-2. … This is got to have it-mode for Brian Kelly. This is got to have it-mode for the LSU Tigers.”

As for breaking down the actual game, McElroy highlighted six questions that essentially all had to do with the respective offenses for A&M and LSU. The Aggies, in need of a balanced attack again with their weapons at receiver and in the run game, will also need another do-it-all performance from Marcel Reed, who has posted 287.3 total yards per game and scored 19 overall touchdowns.

The Tigers, who then need a better showing from their offensive line to get any traction on that side at all, will also be looking to their quarterback to lead them in keeping their season alive. That is the responsibility of Garrett Nussmeier, despite having a down year to this point with 234 passing yards per game, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

“Will Marcel Reed’s mobility create problems for LSU’s defense?” McElroy asked. “We know about Marcel Reed and we know what type of challenge it is to keep him contained, and we also know that the kryptonite for LSU’s defense up to this point has been a quarterback that can break you down with his legs. Reed is a tremendous dual-threat weapon – is one of the most productive passers in the conference…but his ability to create explosive plays with his legs transforms how you want to defend a guy with this level of productivity.”

“Can Garrett Nussmeier find a rhythm?” McElroy also asked. “The offense, in general, has been pretty inconsistent…and, in the passing game, they have to design concepts that’s going to give Garrett Nussmeier quick, easy reads, and protect him long enough to deliver accurate throws.”

McElroy sounded much less confident in the Tigers, at least because of their offensive issues at 25.6 ppg., as he did the Aggies throughout the segment. But, in the end, LSU was his pick, maybe even against his better judgment, to win at home tomorrow night and end the unbeaten start to the season for Texas A&M.

“I’m taking the upset here. I shouldn’t. I’m going to be honest with you – I shouldn’t. It doesn’t feel good. It’s an insane thing to do, because, right now, there’s not a lot to feel good about with LSU. I’m going to be honest with you – There’s not a lot to love about what they’re doing offensively,” McElroy said. “I just think this is their last gasp…They’re just going to find a way to win this game. I think it’s LSU’s defense that will win this game for them, because I don’t trust their offense. But, I’m taking the Bayou Bengals, in desperation mode, to get a win against an undefeated, top-three Aggie team in Death Valley.”

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