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The LSU Tigers have one last chance to reach 10 wins on the season, but they may have to do it without their best player.
LSU and Wisconsin officials have accepted their invitations to the ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly Outback Bowl).
The game is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2024, at 11 a.m. The 7-5 Badgers will face No. 13 LSU (9-3), led by Heisman candidate Jayden Daniels.
“We are excited for the opportunity to showcase our football program and represent our university in the ReliaQuest Bowl,” added LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward. ”Our student-athletes, staff, and fans will enjoy the chance to travel to Tampa Bay and compete in a New Year’s Day bowl against another program with great tradition and support.”
The game will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
LSU Coach Brian Kelly said at a Dec. 5 news conference that Daniels hasn’t decided on his participation.
“A SEC-Big Ten matchup always creates a lot of excitement, but facing a Wisconsin team led by a great coach in Luke Fickell makes this bowl game even more attractive,” Kelly said. “Wisconsin has a great tradition with a tremendous fan base. I know both teams are excited to be in Tampa during New Year’s to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl.”
The last encounter between LSU and Wisconsin was in the 2016 season opener, where Wisconsin upset No. 5 LSU 16-14 at Lambeau Field.
They also met in 2014, with No. 13 LSU beating No. 14 Wisconsin 28-24 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
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One of the most culturally rich experiences for a young American, especially a black collegiate, is to experience the Bayou Classic.
I’ve gone to several Bayou Classics over the years, but decided to chronicle my experience for the latest one so that others can benefit from what I share.
What is the Bayou Classic?
The Bayou Classic is the annual football game between the Southern University Jaguars and the Grambling Tigers. Both schools are well-known members of the nation’s small fraternity of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The game was first played in 1974, and for a while was the only black college football game televised on national TV (NBC).
The game is only part of the festivities of the Bayou Classic. There is also the history-making Battle of the Bands and the fanfare of the large fan bases that support each institution.
Where Is the Bayou Classic?
The Bayou Classic is always played in New Orleans at the Superdome. Each year for Thanksgiving weekend, the SWAC makes sure to book the Saturday after Thanksgiving so that fans of Southern and Grambling can travel to the game and enjoy the city.
The Bayou Classic 2023: My Experience
I went to the 2023 Bayou Classic, it had been several years since I last attended. This year, even though neither Southern nor Grambling were having a good season, it seemed like the perfect time to buy a ticket to the game and check it out.
As always city streets in and around Poydras Street, where the Superdome is located, were packed with cars. Interestingly, just a few blocks away in all directions, there seemed to be no problem with parking.
In fact, the parking for the game was way easier than I had ever remembered it to be. I eventually settled on a parking spot and walked to the game, which took me about 15 minutes.
How much did I pay for parking? Zero.
When I arrived at the game, I needed to buy a ticket, so I went on StubHub and bought the cheapest one I could find. It was about $50, but with taxes and fees, the total rose to about $83.
I was able to show my electronic ticket and enter the game in a manner of minutes, and just like that, I was inside the Superdome for the Bayou Classic.
Bayou Classic 2023: Football, Fantasia and Much Fanfare
Instantly, I heard a stream of trumpets from the Grambling Band (that’s the side I was sitting on) and I instantly picked up on the tune as the crowd got lively.
Check out Fantasia’s performance at the Bayou Classic:
The kickoff was just seconds away, but I couldn’t sit yet because I needed to find something to eat. Being in New Orleans, you can expect the Superdome to have all types of seafood, but the few places that I check out, didn’t really catch my eye or stomach.
I told myself that I’d just have to grab something after the game at one of New Orleans’ great restaurants, preferably on Bourbon or Canal Street.
In the first quarter, both teams struggled early, until Southern started to pull away with big play after big play in the second quarter. The crowd was going wild. Southern fans garbed in powder blue and yellow were screaming and Grambling fans in Marron and gold were booing.
At halftime, none other than Grammy Award-winning singer Fantasia Barrino performed her hit song When I See U. To say she was rocking would be an understatement.
Fresh from wrapping up filming for The Color Purple, Barrino came dressed in all black and did her thing.
In the second half, I wanted to see if Grambling was going to mount a ferocious comeback, but it didn’t happen: Southern whipped them 27-22.
With about 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter, I decided to bounce, so I slipped out of the Bayou Classic. What I didn’t realize when I walked out of those gates was that I had parked on the opposite of the Superdome, so I had to walk aaaaallll the way around the facility to find my car.
By the time I made it to my car, I saw that thousands of people were pouring out of the ‘Dome and the game was just about over.
Final Word
Travel to and from New Orleans was efficient and had all the hallmarks of a safe city that caters to visitors.
The Bayou Classic is more than just a football game; it’s a moment in time for millions of students and alumni who have went to Southern or Grambling. It means something when those two schools, which respect each other very much, hook up for an event.
And yes, I will be returning to the ‘Classic next year.
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Jayden Daniels for Heisman? That’s about the only thing left for the LSU Tigers after they routed the Georgia State Panthers 56-14 on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2023.
Daniels accounted for eight LSU touchdowns, tying a record set by former quarterback Joe Burrow.
Head Coach Brian Kelly said throughout LSU’s 2023 season, that Daniels has come into his own.
“People are starting to see how assertive and decisive of a football player he is,” Kelly said in postgame comments. “When you are 25 of 30 throwing the football, the decisiveness and decision making has to be that way.
“It was a great performance by our offense. Eight touchdowns on eight possessions; what more can you say.”
For GSU, quarterback Darren Grainger threw for 178 yards and a touchdown, but he was harassed all night.
Meanwhile LSU wideout Malik Nabers caught eight receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow wideout Brian Thomas Jr. had four receptions for 103 yards and one touchdown. Kyren Lacy had five receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
Watch the highlights here.
The Tigers (8-3, 5-2 SEC) face Texas A&M next. Here’s how you can watch the LSU game.
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The LSU Tigers padded their stats on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 as quarterback Jayden Daniels turned in another record-setting performance.
This time the opponents were the Georgia State Panthers.
Here’s how the Tigers 2023 schedule is playing out:
LSU Tigers 2023 Schedule: Wins, Losses, Scores
Date Opponent Time and Location Tickets / Scores Sunday, Sept. 3 Florida State Seminoles 6:30 p.m. ET Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee 17-45 L Saturday, Sept. 9 Grambling Tigers 6:30 p.m. CT Tiger Stadium 72-10 W Saturday, Sept. 16 At Missisippi State 11 a.m. CT, Starkville, Miss. 41-14 W Saturday, Sept. 23 Arkansas Razorbacks Baton Rouge, Tiger Stadium 34-31 W Saturday, Sept. 30 Ole Miss Vaught-Hemingway Stadium 49-55 L Saturday, Oct. 7 At Missouri Tigers Columbia, Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field 49-39 W Saturday, Oct. 14 Auburn Tigers Baton Rouge, Tiger Stadium 48-18 W Saturday, Oct. 21 Army Baton Rouge, Tiger Stadium 62-0 W Saturday, Oct. 28 BYE WEEK Saturday, Nov. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa 28-42 L Saturday, Nov. 11 Florida Gators Baton Rouge, Tiger Stadium 52-35 W Saturday, Nov. 18 Georgia State Panthers Baton Rouge, Tiger Stadium 56-14 W Saturday, Nov. 25 Texas A&M Aggies Baton Rouge, Tiger Stadium Buy Tickets Can Jayden Daniels Take LSU To A Bowl Game Victory?
Arizona transfer Jayden Daniels continues to prove the naysayers wrong in his second year under center for the Tigers.
While few people expected the Tigers to compete for a national championship last year, they came startlingly close after an upset win against Alabama.
Now Daniels says he’s as comfortable as he’s ever been for the Bayou Bengals.“I’ve grown as a whole as a quarterback within the system. When those opportunities present themselves I [need] to take them,” Daniels told reporters before the season opener against Florida State. “We have playmakers on the outside and it’s giving them a chance and throwing them the ball. I feel confident that nine times out of 10 they’re going to make the play. We’ve put the work in this offseason, so now it’s time to pay it off.”
Head Coach Brian Kelly has a monster offensive arsenal, which returns a handful of elite defenders and a lot of talent on offense.
We’re a smarter football team,” Kelly told Sports Illustrated. “We understand the systems, the process, the things necessary to become more consistent in everything we do to be a championship football team. That comes right down to the smallest of details.”
Week 1: LSU 24, Florida State 45
LSU got dominated in Orlando as Florida State took a methodical approach to pull away in the second half.
Week 2: LSU 72, Grambling 10
LSU took a 14-10 lead in the first quarter and scored the final 58 points of the game in a win against the Grambling Tigers on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2013. The Tigers are now 1-1 on the season.
Week 3: LSU 41, Mississippi State 14
LSU went to Starkville and beat Mississippi State Bulldogs 41-14 behind a stellar game from quarterback Jayden Daniels. On Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, everything went Daniels’ way, who set an LSU passing accuracy record (88% completion rate).
Week 4: LSU 34, Arkansas 31
For the second time out of four games, the Bayou Bengals played a lackluster opening stanza, but found a way to win 34-31 vs. the Arkansas Razorbacks. All the way back to the Florida State game, LSU has not opened strong out of the gate and has had to come from behind to win.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels looked out of sync in the first half, but he turned it around in a big way in the second half.
LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly saw that his defense couldn’t stop Jefferson. He defended his clock management late in the game, saying that he was just trying to win the game.
“It’s just the nature of two teams in proximity, playing for a rivalry trophy and a team we knew was going to play their very best — and they did,” Kelly said in post-game comments. “We were the last one to have the football and I wasn’t interested in letting Arkansas have another chance.”
Week 5: LSU 49, Ole Miss 55
LSU went on the road and put on a show against Ole Miss, but their defense couldn’t stop the Rebels. LSU gave up more than 700 yards in the 55-49 loss.
LSU will fall in the rankings after ending up on the losing end of a shootout against the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023 in Oxford.
Week 6: LSU 49, Missouri 39
LSU had great games on the ground from their running back and quarterback to escape Columbia, Missouri with a 49-39 win.
Here are the highlights:
Week 7: LSU 48, Auburn 18
Once again, quarterback Jayden Daniels looked like one of the best signal calls in college football as he picked apart the Auburn Tigers on the way to a 48-18 victory on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023.
“It’s just incredible offensive production — throwing it, catching it, running it and the offensive line; pretty impressive stuff,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said in postgame comments.
Let’s look at the highlights of LSU vs. Auburn in 2023:
As for rankings, look for LSU to advance a few spots after losses by a couple teams ranked ahead of them.
Week 8: BYE
LSU had a BYE for Week 8 of the season.
Week 9: Alabama 42, LSU 28
Refusing to dedicate a spy on him, LSU had no answer for Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who hurt the Tigers with his feet all night in a 42-28 loss in Tuscaloosa.
Making matters worse, Jayden Daniels was knocked out of the game.
Week 10: LSU 52, Gators 35
Jayden Daniels accounted for more than record 600 yards of offense as the LSU Tigers rallied for a 52-35 victory on Nov. 11, 2023, against the Florida Gators.
Week 11: LSU 56, Georgia State 14
The LSU Tigers routed the Georgia State Panthers 56-14 on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2023 at Tiger Stadium.
Daniels accounted for eight LSU touchdowns, tying a record set by former quarterback Joe Burrow.
Final Play
LSU’s 2023 campaign is one for the record books as the team looks to remain an offensive juggernaut but mask their struggles on the defensive end. Will the Tigers be accepted to a Bowl Game?
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This week, the LSU Fighting Tigers face the Texas A&M Aggies in their season finale. The game, which is always a tough contest, will be played on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, at Tiger Stadium.
LSU is eager to build on the momentum of its Florida win and the show that quarterback Jayden Daniels out on.
Where To Watch LSU Vs. Texas A&M
If you can’t get a ticket or don’t want to cheer the Tigers on from your local sports bar, and you want to watch the game on TV or your handheld device in the comfort of your own home, you’ve got options.
LSU vs. Texas A&M Game: Date, Time, Streaming Info
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
- Kickoff: 11:00 a.m. CT / 12:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.
- How To Watch: CBS
- Record: Texas A&M (7-4), LSU Tigers (8-3)
- Live Stream: fuboTV (Watch Free)
How To Listen: For radio, you can tune in to the LSU Sports Radio Network broadcast for free on the LSU Sports Mobile App, on a computer at LSUsports.net/live,
Georgia won it all and their season was one for the books, but so was LSU’s. Relive the Tigers’ 2022 campaign here.
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Jayden Daniels accounted for more than record 600 yards of offense as the LSU Tigers rallied for a 52-35 victory on Nov. 11, 2023, against the Florida Gators.
The game, which was played at Tiger Stadium, featured two quarterbacks wh passed for more than 300 yards, with Daniels finishing with 372 through the air and 234 on the ground.
Daniels, whom many are talking about as a Heisman Trophy candidate, electrified the crowd in the second quarter with an 85-yard touchdown, the longest by a quarterback in LSU history.
LSU improved to 7-3 on the season while Florida fell to 5-5. The Gators face two difficult games — vs. Missouri and Florida State — to wrap the season.
LSU will play the Georgia State Panthers and the Texas A&M Aggies to end their 2023 campaign.
Final Word
LSU’s defense still needs to improve if it’s going To be taken seriously. If you watch an LSU game, you see the same missed coverages and blown assignments in the secondary that plagued the Tigers in the first game of the season. Can they win a bowl game?
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The LSU Tigers face their perennially toughest opponent this week: the Alabama Crimson Tide.
There’s no question that Bama Coach Nick Saban is still smarting from last season’s last-second loss that knocked the Tide out of College Football Playoff contention and ripped the SEC West title out of his hands. Can the Tigers beat Bama again?
LSU Has Key Injuries Heading Into Alabama Game
Tigers Coach Brian Kelly talked to the media on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, telling them that LSU defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo is likely out for the season after undergoing surgery during the bye week.
Kelly said the earliest Wingo could return would be six weeks. Wingo, who has having a breakout season, will be a major blow to the Tigers stoutness upfront.
Other key injuries for the Bayou Bengals include defensive backs Duce Chestnut , Zy Alexander and Denver Harris, who won’t play against Alabama.
If there is any good news for LSU, it’s that Ashton Stamps will suit up and is likely to see action, according to Kelly.
Can LSU’s Young Defense Stop Alabama’s Young Offense?
Alabama is sort of green on the offensive end itself with first-time starter Jalen Milroe behind center. He will face a young LSU secondary that has been burned early and often this season, although things have improved a bit over the past two weeks.
Kelly said that he expects the youthfulness of his cornerbacks to be balanced by their knowledge of the defensive scheme eight weeks into the season.
“More than anything else, you have to have confidence in your players and I have confidence in those guys,” Kelly told reporters.
“These guys are ready to go. They’ve got no choice,” Kelly said.
How To Watch the Game
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The LSU Tigers shut out Army 62-0 on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at Tiger Stadium.
The homecoming game was one of the largest margins of victory ever for LSU, who moved to 5-2 on the season.
Jaden Daniels once again had a Heisman-worthy performance, throwing for three touchdowns and running for another as he amassed 382 yards in the air.
His four-touchdown total put him in rareified air as he now has 30 total touchdowns, a 73.1% completion rate and 2,573 Passing Yards.
He also has 521 Rushing Yards.
The Tigers are atop the NCAA in total offense 4,423 yards this year. No other college team has more than the 4,000-yard mark.
“Offensively this is the seventh consecutive week we had at least 500 yards of total offense,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said after the game. “Consistency of performance on that side of the ball and continue to make that improvement necessary to have a team that can compete for an SEC Championship. That was the goal coming into this year.
Final Word
LSU’s defense still needs to improve if it’s going to beat Alabama. If you watch an LSU game, you see the same missed coverages and blown assignments in the secondary that plagued the Tigers in the first game of the season. Can they win the SEC West?
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The LSU Tigers are starting to hit their stride against their SEC schedule. One week after scoring 49 points, the Tigers put 48 on the Auburn Tigers for a 48-18 win on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023.
Once again, quarterback Jayden Daniels looked like a Heisman Trophy candidate, finishing with 418 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, he amassed 93 yards.
“It’s just incredible offensive production — throwing it, catching it, running it and the offensive line; pretty impressive stuff,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said in postgame comments. “We need to continue to improve on the defensive side of the ball and continue the consistency from the offensive standpoint. But, I’ll put this team up against anybody in the league right now.”
Let’s look at the highlights of LSU vs. Auburn in 2023:
LSU (5-2, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) scored has put up at least 48 points three straight weeks.
As for rankings, look for LSU to advance a few spots after losses by a couple teams ranked ahead of them.
How Many Home Games Does LSU Have In 2023?
LSU has seven home games in the 2023 season. They are looking to go undefeated at home, which something they achieve 80% of the time.
Final Word
LSU’s defense still needs to improve if it’s going to beat Alabama. If you watch an LSU game, you see the same missed coverages and blown assignments in the secondary that plagued the Tigers in the first game of the season. Can they win the SEC West?
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It wasn’t pretty and was in doubt until only seconds were left, but LSU beat an undefeated Missouri on the road, 49-39, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.
The game was a tale of two halves for the LSU defense, who gave up 9 catches and 110 yards to receiver Luther Burden in the first half. In the second, he only snagged 2 catches for 39 yards.
Missouri led by 15 points, 22-7, midway through the second quarter and led 32-27 at the start of the fourth.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels took some big shots, and briefly left the game due to a rib injury. When he returned, he put the Bayou Bengal offense on his back. One standout play was his electrifying 35-yard run in the fourth quarter.
“That LSU quarterback is pretty good,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said after the game. Kelly seemed to take umbrage at the fact that Missouri scheduled LSU for homecoming.
Missouri quarterback Brady Cook equaled his career high with 395 yards and two touchdowns but had two costly interceptions, with one of them being a pick six by LSU linebacker Major Burns.
Now let’s watch some LSU-Missouri highlights:
Final Play
If you watch an LSU game, you see the same mistakes and miscues by what should be a seasoned squad. We’ll see if the team can reach expectations in the tough SEC West.
LSU has another Tiger team up next: Auburn.
