First Look: LSU

Here’s an early look at Purdue’s Citrus Bowl opponent–the LSU Tigers.

Time: Monday, January 2, 2023 1 p.m.

Location: Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Fla.

Surface: AstroTurf

Capacity: 60,219

2022 schedules/records: LSU 9-4 (6-2 SEC) Purdue 8-5, (6-3 Big Ten)

Series notes: The Citrus Bowl will mark the first-ever meeting between the Boilermakers and Tigers, though it will mark the third consecutive bowl game where Purdue will face an SEC opponent. Purdue’s past two bowl games, both in the Music City Bowl, featured matchups with Auburn and Tennessee. Under Jeff Brohm, the Boilermakers own a 3-2 record against SEC teams. Purdue has now appeared in 21 bowl games all-time, currently holding a 11-9 bowl game record. Purdue played in this game once prior, back in 2004 when it was named the Capital One Bowl. In that game, Purdue fell 34-27 in overtime to Georgia.

TV: ABC

Early line: TBD

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STORYLINES TO WATCH

Coaching

The Monday morning news that Louisville coach Scott Satterfield is apparently headed to Cincinnati may dramatically change the landscape for Purdue football over the next few weeks. Will Jeff Brohm jump at the chance to return to his alma mater? That is a fair question considering he balked at the opportunity in November, 2018.

In one of the highest-profile coaching moves of all-time, Brian Kelly left Notre Dame to replace Ed Orgeron at LSU following the 2021 season. While the Boilermakers have never faced LSU, they did face Brian Kelly’s Notre Dame teams on six occasions, playing annually from 2010-2014 and then again in 2021. Purdue went 0-6 in those contests, with the closest game coming in 2012 when Purdue nearly upset the Irish in South Bend.

Expectations for Kelly’s first Tiger team were tempered, as LSU came into the season picked fifth in the SEC West by the media. While much was made of Kelly’s dancing with recruits and new found southern accent following the move, the on-field results pleased the Tiger faithful in year one. An overtime win over Alabama highlighted the season, which saw LSU make its first SEC Championship Game since 2019.

Another SEC bowl opponent

Purdue’s now drawn three-consecutive SEC opponents for bowl games, as LSU joins Auburn (2018) and Tennessee (2021) as Boilermaker bowl foes. Fans of the Boilermakers traveling to Orlando will surely be hoping that the game resembles 2021’s dramatic overtime victory over Tennessee more than it does the 2018 49-point loss to Auburn. Both of those games came in the Music City Bowl, though, so Purdue fans get to enjoy a fresh bowl destination this year.

This matchup with LSU will become the sixth time that Purdue’s faced an SEC opponent in a bowl game. Purdue owns a 2-0 record vs. Tennessee in bowl games (1977 Bluebonnet, 2021 Music City), an 0-2 record vs. Georgia (2000 Outback, 2004 Capital One) and an 0-1 record vs. Auburn (2018 Music City).

Potential opt-outs?

The growing trend of projected NFL draft picks “opting out” of bowl games figures to continue in 2022. Last year, Purdue saw DE George Karlaftis and WR David Bell sit out of the Music City Bowl to begin preparing for the NFL Draft. The trend even extended into New Years Six bowl games a season ago, as high profile players in a number of prestigious bowl games opted out to preserve their status.

Could this game feature opt outs? It’s not out of the question. While no Boilermakers project as high-end draft picks the way Karlaftis and Bell did, there are a number of fringe candidates to hear their name called. Expect that conversation to be widespread across the sport over the next month.

Team	Rushing offense	Passing offense	Total offense	Penalty YPG	TO Margin
Purdue	105	17	50	54.69	0
LSU	45	38	30	52.92	-1

FBS Rankings

Team	Rushing defense	Passing defense	Total defense	Scoring offense	Points allowed
Purdue	41	50	37	70	53
LSU	71	40	48	38	40

Pro Football Focus on the Tigers

• Though he’s certainly more of a run-first quarterback, Jayden Daniels’ grades for the season are pretty impressive both passing and running. He’s their leading rusher by a mile.
• Nothing stands out on their offensive line, but they maintain the same group of five guys pretty much all the time
• Good grades for pass catchers, including their top running back
• Freshman linebacker Harold Perkins is an absolute freak athlete who grades well and projects as a future first round pick
• The Tigers grade pretty well on run defense despite their statistics not being the most impressive against the run

Brohm on the Tigers

Updates will be added following Brohm’s Monday morning press conference