No. 15 Texas Kicks Off Houston Trip Against No. 3 LSU

The Longhorns kick off a tough slate of games against the Tigers in Houston.

HOUSTON -- Well, folks, the first true gauntlet of the No. 15 Texas Longhorns' (7-1) season if officially upon us. They make their way down to Houston for the Astros Foundation College Classic, starting with a Friday night clash against the No. 3 LSU Tigers (8-1). 

This will undoubtedly be Texas' biggest test so far of its young season, with a potential win solidifying not only as one of the best teams in the country but a potential College World Series-caliber team. 

And while one win or one loss does not define a season, especially this early, this game will tell us a lot about this Longhorns' squad. So, buckle up y'all, because a busy weekend starts with this heavyweight bout.

How to watch/listen

Friday at 7 p.m. CT 

Watch: 

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Astros.com

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Astros YouTube channel

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All Astros' social media platforms

Listen: Longhorn Radio Network

LSU by the numbers: 

Record: 8-1

Runs scored: 95

Runs allowed: 39

Team Avg.: .330

Team Avg. allowed: .216

Team ERA: 3.76

Longhorns Notebook: No. 15 Texas Stays Hot, Beats St. John's 15-4

LSU wins this game if...

It keeps doing what it's been doing over the first nine games of the season. No, seriously, if it isn't broke then why fix it? The Tigers have flat out dominated opponents, outside of a hiccup against Stony Brook for their only loss of the young season.

Oh, and they would avenge that very loss two days later with a strong performance in an 18-10 victory. The pitching staff has been lights out, the lineup is mashing and as a result the Tigers are a well-oiled machine clicking on all cylinders. A machine that will be very difficult for the Longhorns to slow down. 

Texas wins this game if...

It can get another dominant outing from staff ace Lebarron Johnson Jr. The last time these two teams faced off was last season in a February midweek contest which saw Johnson carve up one of the nation's best lineups. He tossed five shutout innings, scattering three hits and racking up nine strikeouts.

While the lineup isn't the exact same a year later, the Tigers still boast one of the nation's most potent offensive attacks. If Johnson records another ace-caliber performance then the Longhorns will be in good shape to leave Friday night with a marquee win.