JD PicKell predicts LSU will defeat Florida State in Week 1

On3’s JD PicKell is turning his attention to one of Week 1’s best showdowns in the LSU Tigers taking on the Florida State Seminoles.

Last season’s matchup saw Florida State get the better of LSU, and that’s something Brian Kelly and the Tigers are hoping to change in 2023. They’re out for revenge, and to prove they’re the best the SEC has to offer.

On the latest episode of The Hard Count, PicKell predicted how the game would go, and chose his victor.

“I think Harold Perkins being a factor in this game is a difference maker. Could very well go either way. I think it’s back and forth all game. I think we’ve got a classic on our way in Baton Rouge and Florida State in this one. I guess the game’s in Orlando, excuse me. So to pick this one, we’ve got LSU winning this game, 31 to 29,” predicted PicKell. “Barn-burner. Florida State could very well run the table the rest of the way, make the College Football Playoff. But I think LSU’s had this one circled for a minute.

“What they have this game compared to last game, just knowing who they are as a team, I think LSU finds a way to win this one in Orlando.”

There you have it, PicKell is riding with the Tigers to get the victory in Week 1. That would certainly be a rousing start to Kelly’s second season with LSU.

As PicKell mentioned, the play of Perkins is going to be huge for LSU against Florida State, and it’s something PicKell has been championing all offseason.

“A lot of it’s going to be about applying pressure. Some numbers here, LSU against Florida State in 2022. LSU had zero sacks in this game a season ago. Zero sacks,” PicKell said, earlier this offseason. “Now keep in mind Harold Perkins had not yet stepped into a role for this LSU defense and we all know what he did last year, especially in the back half. If you are unaware, I would encourage you to go watch some highlights from that Arkansas Game and just enjoy the clinic that Harold Perkins puts forth in that game. 

“So if LSU is able to apply pressure, they’re able to get to Jordan Travis and make him uncomfortable, that would be huge. Because it would help the secondary out. That’ll be a key matchup. But even more so, I’m curious if they can make Florida State unbalanced, because Florida State, that’s been kind of their bread and butter. They want to run the football first, based on the percentage of how often they ran a season ago.”

Time will tell if JD PicKell’s prediction is correct, but either way it should be an awesome game between the LSU Tigers and Florida State Seminoles, and we can’t wait to watch it go down on Sunday.