Tiger Predictions: LSU Starts 2021 Season on the Right Note Against UCLA

Slowing down Bruins run game, Johnson statement performance some of the keys to victory for Tigers in opener

LSU enters this season opener in need of a statement. Moreso than any other year, coach Ed Orgeron has preached the importance of starting 2021 on the right note.

For the Tigers, that all begins with UCLA, a team coming off a momentum building win of its own to begin the season against Hawaii. The Bruins won't be a team Orgeron and LSU take lightly as the program has spent the better part of two weeks preparing for the game. With that in mind, here are some predictions that could come to pass Saturday evening.

Prediction: LSU 34, UCLA 20

Out of sight, out of mind has been the national outlook on LSU this offseason after a disappointing 2020 year. National analysts always know there's talent in Baton Rouge but with a new coaching staff and much of the core of last year's team still in place, there are differing opinions on how 2021 will go for Ed Orgeron and company.

The purple and gold enter Saturday's opener at UCLA No. 16 in the AP Poll with plenty to prove in Los Angeles. LSU is one of the teams that have been put on upset alert by various media outlets over the last week, particularly after the 44-10 thrashing the Bruins put on Hawaii to kick off their season. Many are wondering if this is the year Chip Kelly starts to turn around that program. 

But the Tigers are looking to change their image as well and with the team starting to get back to full strength, this will be a tremendous opportunity to start changing the perception of this group. Having to pick up and move to Houston for the week was an unforeseen wrinkle but the team was able to get the practice it needed in before flying to Los Angeles on Thursday. 

Of course all eyes will be on quarterback Max Johnson to see if he can extend the momentum of those final two performances in 2020 into the start of the 2021 season. He has all of the tools to thrive in this Jake Peetz led offense and it'll be interesting to see how much the Tigers lean on him and the passing game with the veteran running backs now back from injury.

"I think the understanding of our offense," Orgeron said of Johnson's improvements Wednesday. "Jake [Peetz] has done a great job. Learning how to stay in the pocket, learning his reads and I just hope he find Kayshon Boutte. I think he'll be fine if he does that."

Expect a big game from Johnson, who should have no problems finding open receivers against a UCLA defense that just simply doesn't have the athletes LSU does at receiver. How the offensive line holds up will be the biggest question mark leading up to the game.

It's been the unit criticized most since the start of last year and was a concern of Ed Orgeron's as recently as this week because of all the injuries up front the unit is just now starting to get back. 

"I think the offensive line is going to take time to gel a little bit because we haven't had our starting offensive line the whole camp," Orgeron said. "I think that's the area where it's going to have to gel and we have to gel fast because UCLA looked pretty good on the defensive front."

This LSU offense will be predicated on quick reads so that combined with Johnson's mobility to get out of the pocket and still make throws should help make up for some of the chemistry issues the o-line is still working through. With Tyrion Davis-Price, John Emery and Corey Kiner all expected to be involved in the running attack, how well this line can open up holes will be a key as well.

On defense, the buck starts and stops with the front seven's ability to contain the run. UCLA has the speed to get around the edge, even against LSU's defensive line which has dominated throughout fall camp. Staying gap sound and not allowing the Bruins offensive line open up holes of its own against the Tigers will go a long way in shutting down this offense. 

LSU will have Derek Stingley and Elias Ricks healthy and likely locking down the outside. Making quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson beat the secondary through the air should be the gameplan as the Bruins quarterback threw for 130 yards in the win over Hawaii while the running game exploded for 244 yards. 

If LSU can contain the run early, it likely to be a good first look to see how the communication issues have improved over the offseason in the secondary.

Jumping off to a fast start against UCLA with a controlling win will be the goal and LSU has the means and talent to pull it off.