Jennings will also have the benefit of handing the football off to stud running back
Jeremy Hill. The bruising sophomore has rushed for 1,185 yards and 14 touchdowns
despite missing time at the beginning of the season for an off-field issue.
The defense has not been as dominate this season as in years past. However, the
Tigers have a great deal of talent and have gotten better as the season has progressed.
Talent is not an issue, and they have navigated through a difficult schedule as the only
team that has defeated the Auburn Tigers.
Deciding factor of the game
Had Mettenberger not suffered a season-ending knee injury,
I would have picked the Tigers to win by at least two
touchdowns. However, there are some major concerns now
that Mettenberger is out and Jennings is in.
Jennings could end up being the greatest quarterback in
LSU history. However, to this point, he is an unproven
commodity. If Jennings plays well, LSU wins running away. If
he struggles, the Tigers will be hard-pressed to win this game.
Predictions
I expect the Tigers to come into the game with a conservative game plan. They are not
looking for Jennings to win the game for them; they just don’t want him to lose the
game. However, at some point LSU is going to have to trust him to make a big play, and
I believe he will respond.
Score Prediction: LSU 28, Iowa 20
Stat Prediction: Hill with 115 yards and two touchdowns