By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
The party line this week for the limping LSU offense going into the regular season finale at No. 8 Oklahoma on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC) has been, “We’re focusing on ourselves.”
Interim coach Frank Wilson said it early in the week, and so did quarterback Michael Van Buren after the Tigers struggled with 22-point underdog Western Kentucky last week in a 13-10 win. That was LSU’s worst offensive showing against a non-conference team since losing 13-10 to 17-point underdog UAB in 2000 in Nick Saban’s first season as LSU’s coach.
Yes, LSU lost to 24-point underdog Troy, 24-21, in 2017, but LSU’s offense came back and nearly pulled out that game. Quarterback Danny Etling threw 20- and 34-yard touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and finished 17 of 25 for 198 yards with 7.9 yards per attempt.
“It’s all happening,” as Kate Hudson’s Penny Lane said in the “Almost Famous” classic about rock stars … like Lane Kiffin.https://t.co/KajxywPVmM
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 26, 2025
On Saturday, Van Buren completed 25 of 42 passes for 202 yards with one touchdown and 4.8 yards per attempt. The running game averaged just 3.4 yards a carry, and the Tigers failed to score touchdowns after reaching the Western Kentucky 1-, 12-, 22- and 29-yard line.
Van Buren will start for the third straight time Saturday as regular fifth-year senior starter Garrett Nussmeier (abdomen) has been ruled out for the third straight week, ending his LSU career. Also listed as “out” on LSU’s availability report to the SEC office on Thursday were three other regular offensive starters – center Braelin Moore (foot), wide receiver Aaron Anderson (elbow, knee) and wide receiver Nic Anderson (knee) in addition to backup tackle Ory Williams (ankle).
But starting offensive tackle Tyree Adams (high ankle sprain) could play for the first time since the Vanderbilt game on Oct. 18 as he was listed as probable on Thursday. Running back Caden Durham (neck) is also expected to play.
Linebacker Whit Weeks (ankle) is probable, and cornerback Mansoor Delane (core) are expected to play after not playing last week.
“Of course, we all know they’ve got a pretty good defense,” Van Buren said. “But we’re focused on ourselves right now, getting ourselves better. Trying to fix all the things from last week. So, it doesn’t really matter who’s on the other side.”
Maybe, it’s better if LSU doesn’t focus too much on Oklahoma’s defense, if it could barely dent Western Kentucky’s defense, which came in with the nation’s No. 95 total defense with 399 yards allowed a game and limited the Tigers to 328. Western Kentucky’s No. 107 rush defense came in giving up 175.7 a game, but held LSU to 126. So, watching film of Oklahoma’s defense may be akin to a horror movie for the Tigers.
“Our biggest challenge is going to be ourselves,” Van Buren said. “If we go out and execute the way we’re supposed to and do all the stuff we’ve been running in practice, it shouldn’t be a big problem for us.”
Well …
No. 8 Oklahoma (9-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) features the No. 3 rush defense in the nation with 81.1 yards allowed a game. LSU (7-4, 3-4 SEC) is 122nd in rushing offense with 108.2 yards a game.
The Sooners are No. 6 in scoring defense (14 points a game) to LSU’s No. 104 in scoring offense (22.6 a game). And Oklahoma is No. 11 in total defense (280.5 yards allowed a game), while LSU comes in at No. 100 in total offense (344.9 yards a game).
“What we can control with this game will become, not so much about Oklahoma, but about us,” Wilson said. “The self-inflicting things that we have done, continue to do. How do we rid ourself of these habits that’s been habitual for a length of time?”
Wilson was speaking of red zone issues, the lack of a running game and poor offensive line play, particularly false starts amid just getting beat at the point of attack.
“They’re not new,” Wilson said.
“We’ve got to play better on offense,” Van Buren said. “I’ve got to play better as a quarterback.”
The good news for LSU is that its defense is nearly as good as Oklahoma’s statistically, and Oklahoma’s offense is not a lot better than LSU’s.
LSU is 23rd in total defense (313 yards allowed a game), while Oklahoma is 92nd in total offense (350.1 yards a game. The Sooners also struggle to run the ball as they are 99th in rushing offense with 128.2 yards a game. LSU, meanwhile, is No. 31 against the run with 121 yards allowed a game. And LSU is 16th in scoring defense (18.5 points a game), while Oklahoma is 72nd in scoring offense (27.3 a game).
This is looking like a low scoring game.
“We shouldn’t have to depend on our defense,” Van Buren said. “We should be hitting on all cylinders.”
Better late than never.
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