LSU football score prediction vs. Ole Miss: Scouting report on the Tigers' trip to Oxford
BATON ROUGE — LSU football faces arguably its toughest test yet in conference play this weekend, as the No. 12 Tigers head to Oxford to face No. 20 Ole Miss on Saturday (5 p.m., ESPN).
LSU (3-1, 2-0 SEC) heads into this matchup after taking down Arkansas at home last weekend, 34-31. The Tigers scored on their final six possessions, capping off the victory with a 20-yard field goal from Damian Ramos with five seconds left to play.
Ole Miss (3-1, 0-1) lost to Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 24-10.
Here's a breakdown of Saturday's showdown and a score prediction for the game.
Jayden Daniels, LSU's passing game must continue to be aggressive
Ole Miss's pass defense didn't have a strong showing last week against Alabama's offense, an attacking unit that scored 17 points against South Florida.
The Rebels allowed Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe to complete 17 of his 21 pass attempts and surrendered three completions of at least 30 yards. Against Alabama's underwhelming receiving corps, Ole Miss's secondary had trouble making plays on the ball and being physical in coverage.
That's good news for LSU. The Tigers' passing attack has exploded in recent weeks, as Jayden Daniels has thrown for 661 yards and six touchdowns over the last two weeks.
Get Jaxson Dart on the ground
Four weeks into the season, Ole Miss has leaned on its passing attack.
The Rebels, despite having arguably the top running back in the conference in Quinshon Judkins, is only 10th in the SEC in rush attempts and ran for just 56 yards last week against Alabama.
The weakness of LSU's defense may be its secondary, which could be a problem against Ole Miss' pass-happy attack. But if Maason Smith, Mekhi Wingo, Harold Perkins and company can fluster Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart as pass rushers, then the Tigers' defense should have the upper hand Saturday.
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Player to watch: Dayton Wade
Wade is a fast and shifty receiver, who recorded five catches for 88 yards for Ole Miss last week against Alabama. The Rebels have also utilized his speed in the running game, as he has four carries over the last two games.
But perhaps more than anything else, LSU will have to account for Wade's ability to stretch defenses deep. His average depth of target on throws that have come his way this season is 14.6 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
Score prediction: LSU 38, Ole Miss 24
Ole Miss has trouble slowing down LSU's explosive passing attack. The Rebels stay within striking distance thanks to Dart, but the Tigers' pass rush ultimately becomes too much for him to overcome.
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Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser. Email him at kriley@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU football score prediction vs. Ole Miss, scouting report
