Staff picks and x-factors for LSU-Auburn on Saturday

Our staff weighs in with their x-factors and predictions for the Saturday night showdown with Auburn.

Patrick Filbin, Site Contributor

(AP Photo/Derick Hingle)

The line of scrimmage will be where this game is won or lost. LSU can’t run the football and is the team that has the weaker offensive line. Both squads have some serious power and talent on the defensive line. LSU has much more faith in the quarterback position than Auburn does with the Bo Nix/TJ Finley conundrum. Maybe Max Johnson just needs to let it rip for this offense to find itself in its purest form.

X-Factor

LSU’s offensive line is my X-Factor in this one. With an extremely limited running game going up against a ferocious defensive front that leads the SEC in tackles for loss, they’ll have to either play their best game of the season to get things going on the ground or give Max Johnson enough time to get it out to LSU’s talented pass catchers.

Prediction:

A night game in Death Valley coming off a dicey win against its first SEC opponent, I expect LSU to play a cleaner game with a lot more energy. It’ll be close, but LSU pulls it out with a fourth-quarter score, most likely at this point a touchdown from Kayshon Boutte. LSU 35-30

Finally, our Auburn expert Lance tackles the prediction