LSU coach Brian Kelly and USC coach Lincoln Riley will be literally rolling the dice in Las Vegas to open their 2024 football seasons on Sunday night (6:30 p.m., ABC) at Allegiant Stadium in the Vegas Kickoff Classic.
“We’re in a similar space as far as building a defensive plan,” Kelly said at his press conference Monday.
LSU will be starting Garrett Nussmeier, a redshirt junior quarterback (6-foot-2, 198), who has started one game in his college career – the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa last season.
USC will be starting redshirt junior Miller Moss, also a redshirt junior (6-2, 205), who has started one game in his college career – the Holiday Bowl in San Diego last season.
Both played very well in winning those bowl games, and each will be trying to replace Heisman Trophy winners – Jayden Daniels at LSU last season and Caleb Williams at USC in the 2022 season. Williams was the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft by Chicago, and Daniels followed a pick later to Washington.
“He (Moss) is not the same as Caleb Williams,” Kelly said. “He’s not a free lance player. So is Garrett Nussmeier. He’s not Jayden Daniels.”
Moss completed 23 of 33 passes for 372 yards and a Pac-12 Conference bowl record six touchdowns in a 42-28 win over Louisville in the Holiday Bowl. Nussmeier hit 31 of 45 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-31 win over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Both teams had great offenses in 2023. LSU finished No. 1 in the nation in total yards a game with 543.5 in a 10-3 season, while USC was No. 10 at 467.6 in an 8-5 campaign. Daniels finished No. 1 in the country in passing efficiency at 208 (236-of-327) for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns with four interceptions. Williams was No. 7 at 170.1 (266-of-388) for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns with five interceptions.
But each struggled mightily on defense. USC finished 116th in the land with 432.8 yards allowed a game, while LSU checked in at 105 with 416.6 yards given up.
“We’ve got to do a great job of making them one dimensional,” said Kelly, who started at LSU in the same 2022 season after leaving Notre Dame that Riley started at USC after leaving Oklahoma. LSU had strong interest in Riley, but he was more interested in USC.
“Lincoln runs an Air Raid offense,” Kelly said. “With Caleb Williams, it was elite. They can spread you out and get numbers.”
Just in time for the raid, Kelly has new defensive coordinator Blake Baker, whom he raided the Missouri coaching staff for after the 2023 season and the firing of LSU defensive coordinator Matt House.
“We’re prepared,” Kelly said. “The players are excited about Blake Baker’s defense. They’ve got the scheme down. Not a lot of confusion.”
LSU will also be trying to snap a four-game losing streak in season openers – the longest since the Tigers dropped five straight from 1991-95.
Kelly lost, 45-24, to Florida State in Orlando last season after dropping a 24-23 decision in New Orleans in his first game as LSU’s coach in ‘22. Former LSU coach Ed Orgeron lost a 44-34 opener to Mississippi State in 2020 as the defending national champion and lost at UCLA, 38-27, to open the 2021 season.
“There are a lot of guys who have battle scars that have learned what it takes to win an opener,” Kelly said.
LSU is a 4.5-point favorite Sunday.
The Tigers enter the game very healthy. Only starting wide receiver Chris Hilton (bone bruise) is listed as questionable by Kelly, who said he is “working through” the injury.
Starting right guard Miles Frazier (ankle) is listed as probable.
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