Preview and Predictions: LSU Football vs. UCLA Bruins in Week 4

No. 16 LSU hosts the UCLA Bruins in a non-conference clash, Tigers eyeing third straight victory on Saturday.

Brian Kelly and the No. 16 ranked LSU Tigers will take on the UCLA Bruins this weekend in Death Valley with the program eyeing its third straight victory.

After dropping the Week 1 showdown against Southern Cal, Kelly and Co. have captured back-to-back wins over Nicholls State and South Carolina.

Here's a dive into the game information, injury report, keys to the game and a final score prediction for Saturday afternoon in Death Valley:

LSU vs. UCLA Game Information

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024
Time: 2:45 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ABC
City: Baton Rouge, La.
Venue: Tiger Stadium

The LSU Injury Report: Week 4 Edition

Chris Hilton: Active

LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton has been sidelined since the middle of August after suffering an ankle injury during Fall Camp.

Hilton has been battling a bone bruise for the last few weeks with the starting wideout missing the first three games of the season.

Now, heading into Week 4 against the UCLA Bruins, Hilton is listed as probable for the matchup, according to Brian Kelly. The expectation is that he will play on Saturday.

“He’s been in the program three years so he adds experience, he knows the offense really well,” Kelly said. “It’s easy to talk about speed and he certainly has it, but what emerged late in the season was tracking the ball down the field. That’s an element we’re hopeful we start to see more of, although we did a much better job against South Carolina pushing the ball down the field.

"You can’t be out for a month and then show up and start tearing it up. It takes a while for him and I hope everyone’s expectations where he can’t come in and just pick up where he left off. It’s going to take a few weeks to get him back to where he was, but he’s going to help us. He’s going to be a main player in what we do before the season is over.”

The Bayou Bengals have relied on Kyren Lacy, Mason Taylor and Aaron Anderson as the trio of pass catchers for the Tigers with Hilton sidelined.

Jalen Lee: Out

LSU defensive lineman Jalen Lee will be out for Saturday's matchup against the Bruins with a shoulder injury, Kelly said on Thursday.

The Tigers are already without starting defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory for the year after suffering a torn Achilles in Week 2 against Nicholls.

Now, they'll be without another defensive tackle with Lee sidelined for this weekend's matchup after suffering a shoulder injury.

West Weeks: Questionable

LSU linebacker Whit Weeks has been battling a lower leg injury for the last couple of weeks, and fast forward to Saturday's showdown against the UCLA Bruins, and he's once again found himself on the injury report.

Weeks has played a key role with the second-team linebackers with his status in jeopardy for this weekend's showdown.

The Keys to the Game: LSU Tigers vs. UCLA Bruins

No. 1: Get Off to a Hot Start in Death Valley

Brian Kelly and Co. have notoriously come out sluggish in big games over the last few years, and despite being heavy favorites on Saturday, it's imperative the program comes out clicking early.

We've seen the Tigers come out flat this season in all three games. From trailing early to USC to going down 17-0 early in the second quarter against South Carolina, LSU hasn't impressed in the first half against opponents this season.

Now, facing a UCLA squad that is in rebuild mode, the Bayou Bengals are 24-point favorites with Las Vegas holding high expectations for the program.

Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU offense must come out firing early in order to ignite the team in what's expected to be a rowdy atmosphere in Tiger Stadium.

No. 2: Take Advantage of UCLA's Inefficient Offense

The UCLA offense has been abysmal through three weeks of the 2024 season, but senior quarterback Ethan Garbers has been a player looking to get them on the right track.

He started six games down the stretch of the 2023 season where he completed 67% of his throws for 2,007 passing yards 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions,

Fast forward to 2024 and he earned the starting gig. In Week 1 against Hawaii, he went 19-for-38 for 272 passing yards while rushing for 47 yards in a 16-13 survival of the Rainbow Warriors.

Garbers leads the Bruins in passing yards and rushing yards heading into Week 4 against No. 16 LSU and will be a player to keep tabs on at the helm of the offense.

As a whole, the UCLA offense has been abysmal with only two touchdowns on offense through three games. Garbers has one passing while running back TJ Harden punched one in as well.

It's a brutal offense for the Bruins with the LSU defense preparing to get back on track against an inferior opponent.

No. 3: Diversify the Playbook, Capitalize on Red Zone Opportunities

The glaring takeaway in Week 3 was the missed opportunities in the red zone for the Bayou Bengals. It was the defense who handled business in the second half after presenting scoring chances for the offense, but inefficiency plagued the unit.

It’s been a thorn in the program’s side throughout the first three weeks of the season. LSU has simply been unable to convert inside the red zone and it was on full display against the Gamecocks in Week 3.

Time and time again, it was the Tigers’ defense providing opportunities via turnovers for the offense to punch in easy scores. After forcing a pair of fumbles in the second half, LSU came up with just three points on those opportunities.

LSU ultimately went a respectable 5-for-7 on red zone trips, but the gifted opportunities inside the 15-yard line after the defense forced two fumbles quickly plagued any chances to break open a sizable lead. 

For the Tigers, it was edge rusher Bradyn Swinson who paved the way on Saturday afternoon in Columbia after tallying a handful of tackles with three sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He was phenomenal for the Tigers in Week 3 to lift LSU to a pivotal SEC victory.

Now, LSU is above .500 after the South Carolina victory to reach 2-1 on the season, but has work to do.

Look for different run schemes to open up chunk yards for the Tigers this weekend. LSU must have the rushing attack play a complementary role for the Tigers' offense. It's clear the passing game led by Nussmeier is efficient, but complete football must be played on Saturday in a "tune-up" game.

Prediction: LSU 41, UCLA 17

Brian Kelly and the LSI Tigers are presented with an opportunity to come out and take on an inferior Power Four opponent this weekend in Death Valley. For the Bayou Bengals, it'll be about coming out the tunnel firing on all cylinders and carrying their momentum into the second half. Expect Garrett Nussmeier to connect with six or more wide receivers on Saturday afternoon with the return of Chris Hilton. There are an embarrassment of riches to work with in the passing game, but expect LSU to work in the rushing attack on Saturday to diversify the playbook. All in all, it's an inferior opponent in the UCLA Bruins who are rebuilding under new head coach DeShaun Foster and the Tigers should tak advantage of a golden opportunity as 21-point favorites.

More LSU News:

The Caden Durham Show: How the True Freshman Running Back Led LSU to Victory

The Game Plan: A Look Into How LSU Will Utilize Whit Weeks Alongside Harold Perkins

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

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