No. 19 LSU plays host to Army on Saturday at Tiger Stadium as the Tigers try to keep their momentum rolling as they head into a key stretch of the season. This marks only the second meeting all-time between the Tigers and Black Knights and the first one this century. Army has a leg up on the all-time series with a 1-0 record, having defeated LSU 20-0 in 1931.
It's safe to say a lot has changed since then. The Tigers are sitting at 5-2 this season and fresh off a pair of key SEC wins, knocking Missouri off on the road before returning home and cruising to victory against SEC West rival Auburn. Despite an earlier loss to Ole Miss, LSU's SEC West title hopes are still alive. Army provides an enticing opportunity to keep momentum rolling.
The Black Knights are 2-4 this season with just one win against FBS competition. Army hasn't won in over a month and is fresh off a 19-0 shutout to Troy, its worst loss of the season. Army's other three losses each came by, at most, two scores.
LSU is a heavy favorite in this contest, and it comes at a good time with three key SEC clashes left on the last month or so of the schedule. It also gives the Tigers a reprieve from a difficult slate front-loaded with conference games and other power conference competition.
How to watch LSU vs. Army live
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Tiger Stadium -- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
TV: SEC Network | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
LSU vs. Army: Need to know
Tigers shouldn't get caught looking ahead: Army could serve as a tune-up game before LSU hits a particularly crucial part of its schedule -- not that the Tigers should look too far past their current opponent. After Saturday, though, LSU gets a bye week before it has to hit the road and play No. 11 Alabama. A win in that game could keep the Tigers' SEC West hopes alive, though they'd also need Ole Miss drops another SEC game at some point. After that, they have to host rival Florida, a team that almost always plays LSU close. The Tigers close the season against Texas A&M, too.
LSU dominates non-power competition: LSU hasn't lost to a non-power conference foe since Troy upset the Tigers 24-21 in former coach Ed Orgeron's first year. LSU is 14-0 in such games in the five-and-a-half seasons since that loss. On top of that, the loss to Troy was LSU's first against a non-power conference foe since Nick Saban's first season in 2000 (vs. UAB). LSU has only played one non-power opponent in its gauntlet of a schedule thus far this season, a 72-10 win against FCS Grambling State. The Tigers also play Georgia State at home on Nov. 18.
Explosive offense could get a test: As one would expect under a Jeff Monken-coached team, the Black Knights are tough on defense. They haven't allowed a single opponent to score above 30 points all year. In two games against power conference opponents, Army allowed an average of 28 points. Meanwhile, LSU's explosive offense has yet to score below 30. Opponents are averaging just over 174 yards passing per game, and the Black Knights have only surrendered six passing touchdowns all year. Meanwhile, LSU has yet to score under 30 points in a single game this season. The Tigers lead the SEC in total offense with 550.4 yards per game and are second in passing with 335.9 yards per game.
LSU vs. Army prediction
Odds via SportsLine consensus
This isn't the Army team of yesteryears. The Black Knights are in the midst of quite a down season, and their one win against an FBS opponent was a UTSA team that saw its starting quarterback Frank Harris exit early with injury. Monken's squad has played power-conference competition tight this year, including a narrow 27-24 loss to Boston College, but it has yet to see something like LSU. The Tigers are fresh off beating Auburn by 30 points, and they got a 27-point win against Mississippi State earlier in the season. Those performances instill confidence in LSU covering a fairly hefty spread. Prediction: LSU -30
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