SEC & Big Ten Week 2 Preview: LSU travels to Texas for SEC, BIG 12 clash

No. 6 LSU (1-0) at No. 9 Texas (1-0) – 7:30 p.m. on ABC

Two of college football’s winningest programs will square off in a nationally-televised Top 10 showdown at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin this Saturday. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on ABC.

Saturday’s game marks the 18th all-time meeting between the two storied programs. Texas holds a 9-7-1 advantage in the series and won the 2003 Cotton Bowl — the last meeting between the teams — 35-20.

Prior to 2003, the two programs had not met since 1963, when the Tigers defeated the Longhorns 13-0, also in the Cotton Bowl. (The 1963 Cotton Bowl also marked the only other time LSU and Texas have met with both teams ranked in the Top 10. In that game, LSU was No. 7 and Texas was No. 4.)

The winner of the game on Saturday will have a signature non-conference victory under its belt that could support the victor’s CFP resume come Selection Sunday.

Now let’s take a closer look at the teams:

LSU Quick Hits:

• The Tigers are entering the game 1-0 after opening the season with a 55-3 win over Georgia Southern in Tiger Stadium. The 55 points were the most for an LSU team in a season-opener since 2000, when it beat Western Carolina 58-0.
• LSU played 14 true freshmen against Georgia Southern, including cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who became just the 10th true freshman to start a season-opener on defense for the Tigers since 1986.
• Quarterback Joe Burrow was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance last weekend (23-of-27, 278 yards, five touchdowns). This was the third time in his career that Burrow has been named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week.
• LSU’s running backs combined to catch 14 passes in the season-opener, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire led the way with four receptions for 31 yards.
• Linebackers Jacobs Phillips (10 tackles) and Damone Clark (nine tackles) led the defense as it held Georgia Southern to only 98 yards (74 rushing, 24 passing). The Eagles crossed midfield just once last Saturday.
• Returning All-America safety Grant Delpit had four tackles, including 1.5 for losses and recovered a fumble last weekend. In his 27 career games, Delpit has been responsible for a turnover in eight games (five games with at least one interception, two games with a fumble recovery and one game with a forced fumble).
• Click here to see LSU’s complete game notes
• Click here for the Tigers’ depth chart

Texas Quick Hits:

• The Longhorns opened the 2019 season with a 45-14 triumph over Louisiana Tech in front of 93,418 fans at Memorial Stadium.
• A Texas victory against LSU would be head Coach Tom Herman’s 19th win with the Longhorns, and would push his career record to 4-0 against current members of the SEC.
• The Longhorns will honor former running back Cedric Benson by wearing his number 32 decal on their helmets. Benson passed away in a motorcycle accident in August.
• Junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger currently ranks seventh in school history with 6,384 yards (5,483 pass/901 rush) of total offense. He surpassed Ricky Williams (6,306) with a 310-yard day against Louisiana Tech.
• In his time with the Longhorns, senior wide receiver Collin Johnson has had 154 receptions (8th in school history) for 2,124 yards (9th in school history) and 13 touchdowns (12th in school history).
• Senior defensive back Brandon Jones logged seven tackles and recovered a fumble in his 2019 debut against Louisiana Tech. Jones’ seven tackles were the third-most by a Longhorn on opening weekend.
• Click here to see Texas’ complete game notes
• Click here for the Longhorns’ depth chart

Here’s a look at other big matchups in the SEC and Big Ten this week:

West Virginia at Missouri – Noon on ESPN2
Charleston So at South Carolina – Noon on SECN
Vanderbilt at Purdue – Noon on BTN
No. 21 Syracuse at Maryland – Noon on ESPN
South Carolina at No. 20 Iowa – Noon on FS1
Army at No. 7 Michigan – Noon on FOX
Cincinnati at No. 5 Ohio State – Noon on ABC
No. 12 Texas A&M at No. 1 Clemson – 3:30 p.m. on ABC
Southern Mississippi at Mississippi State –3:30 p.m. on ESPNU
Eastern Illinois at Indiana – 3:30 p.m. on BTN
No. 25 Nebraska at Colorado – 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Central Michigan at No. 17 Wisconsin – 3:30 p.m. on BTN
New Mexico State at No. 2 Alabama – 4 p.m. on SECN
Murray State at No. 3 Georgia – 4 p.m. on ESPN2
BYU at Tennessee – 7 p.m. on ESPN
Tulane at No. 10 Auburn – 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2
UT Martin at No. 11 Florida –7:30 p.m. on ESPNU
E Michigan at Kentucky – 7:30 p.m. on SECN
Arkansas at Ole Miss – 7:30 p.m. on SECN
Western Michigan at No. 19 Michigan State – 7:30 p.m. on BTN
Buffalo at No. 15 Penn State – 7:30 p.m. on FOX
Minnesota at Fresno State – 10:30 p.m. on CBSSN