LSU Football vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Nick Saban, College GameDay Crew Make Picks

Nick Saban and the College GameDay crew make their picks, split decision for the SEC clash.

Nov 4, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly and Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban talk together at midfield before the Alabama vs LSU game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images / Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

ESPN sent the College GameDay crew to Austin this weekend for a pivotal SEC showdown between the Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs.

The celebrity guest picker was none other than former Texas golfer and PGA Tour superstar Scottie Scheffler to help make the Week 8 picks.

The picks are now in with the GameDay crew having a split decision on the LSU versus Arkansas battle on Saturday night.

A look into the game information for Week 8 in Fayetteville, the picks and what Nick Saban had to say of Garrett Nussmeier prior to the 2024 season:

The Game Information: LSU Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

When: Saturday, Oct. 19
Where: Fayetteville, Ark.
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Channel: ESPN Network

The College GameDay Picks:

Desmond Howard: LSU
Scottie Scheffler: Arkansas
Nick Saban: Arkansas
Pat McAfee: Arkansas
Lee Corso: LSU
Kirk Herbstreit: LSU

It's a split decision for the GameDay crew with Saban worried about LSU coming off of an emotional victory over the Ole Miss Rebels in Week 7 paired with what's ahead next weekend against Texas A&M.

For Pat McAfee, he's intrigued with the dual-threat ability of Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green and the problems he gives defenses with his legs.

Now, it's a 3-3 split heading into Saturday night in Fayetteville with experts and analysts believing it'll be a close one between the pair of SEC programs.

Nick Saban's Thoughts on Garrett Nussmeier:

Prior to the 2024 season, Nick Saban commented on LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier and the belief he has in the first-year starter.

"I think Garrett Nussmeier is going to be one of the all-time sleepers in college football this year," Saban said on Saturday's College GameDay.

Along with commenting on Nussmeier, he also predicted the Tigers to make the College Football Playoff this season.

"LSU always has skill guys. They're talking about all the receivers they lost -- you could shake a tree in Louisiana and them guys would fall out," Saban said.

In Nussmeier's first start of his career against Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl, he finished the game 31-for-45 with three touchdown passes and only one interception.

Now, it's his team as he continues working through the 2024 season as one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC. LSU currently sits at 5-1 (2-0) with a date against the Arkansas Razorbacks inching closer in Week 8.

“It wasn’t his car, he was driving that thing fast, and he didn’t care if he dented it. It’s his car now. And he’s really careful that he doesn’t, you know, mess it up," Kelly said of Nussmeier during Fall Camp. “He understands that he can’t put the ball in the other team’s hands. So, I just think it’s, you know, being a starter, understanding how important it is, and recognizing that taking care of the football is absolutely crucial to our success.”

More LSU News:

Instant Takeaways: No. 13 LSU Stuns No. 9 Ole Miss in 29-26 SEC Thriller

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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