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How to Watch: LSU vs. Florida State

On3 imageby:Billy Embody•09/03/23•

BillyEmbody

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(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

LSU and Florida State kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC Sunday night in the primetime matchup of two Top 10 teams. The Tigers and Seminoles met last year in a thriller, which FSU took, 24-23.

Now the fourth-ranked Tigers and eighth-ranked Seminoles are set to do battle again with LSU favored by 1.5 points. The total is set at 56.5 points.

While last year’s game was a bit more of a defensive battle, could the two offenses explode to put up some points in Orlando? LSU head coach Brian Kelly sees his team as a motivated bunch to get the job done.

“Well, I think they certainly remember what happened and the way it ended certainly where there was a lot of momentum on our side and we lost it by not executing a PAT. If you look at it from that perspective, I think they want a second chance,” Kelly said on Sunday morning during SEC Nation. “And now they’ve got to go out and prove it. Florida State is an outstanding football team. They’ve got playmakers and we do too.

“This is going to be a game where obviously you’re going to have to take care of the football, special teams will be important. All those things that coaches talk about will play out. But the great players will rise up and we’ll see them on display on Sunday night.”

LSU missing key DL Maason Smith

Last year, heralded LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith was injured early in the game. That torn ACL cost the former five-star prospect his entire season. Now that Smith is serving a one-game NCAA suspension, it makes LSU a bit thinner in the middle. Florida State still sees the Tigers have a formidable front.

“It’s one of the better defensive lines in the country,” Mike Norvell said. “And, obviously, it truly is unfortunate for that young man to miss this game. I mean, he’s a special player. In our game last year, I think it was the sixth, seventh play of the game when he got hurt.”

While LSU star linebacker Harold Perkins will need to step up, Kelly is high on the defensive line the Tigers will have in the game.

“I think we’re going to be in really good shape internally,” Kelly said this week. “Maason just gives you another dominating presence, but we feel good about the middle of our defense. Harold’s going to be able to impact the game in the things that we do with him. He’s gonna move around. You won’t see him just lining up in the middle of our defense.”

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