LSU at North Carolina

Written by Matthew Martz

North Carolina and LSU face off September 4, 2010 at 8PM Eastern Time at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. This match up is sure to be entertaining as Week 1 of the season gets underway, and college football odds show the Tigers –5 over North Carolina with a total set of 42½ points.

LSU likes playing in the Dome, having a 7-1 record there and has historically beaten the Tar Heels up, winning five of their six matchups, the last being a 30-3 pummeling back in 1986.

North Carolina has a laundry list of hurdles to overcome despite a respectable 8-5 record last year, including going 4-4 in conference.

Quarterback T.J. Yates is fighting to keep his job, while redshirt freshman Bryn Renner looks to take it. But all the offense needs is a little consistency from whoever is passing. The running game is not always going full speed, but a group of talented receivers are waiting in the wings. The offensive line is average at best, putting pressure on the defense.

The good news is that the “D” has held up so far. A star-studded group will reunite for one more season to see how far the Tar Heels can go. It’s a brick wall to get by, as the defense allowed 17 points and a stingy 269 yards to lead the ACC. Junior DE Robert Quinn earned a selection to the All-ACC first team after a breakout campaign. He had 52 tackles, including a league leading 19 for loss, 11 sacks, and even forced six fumbles-without a doubt he is NFL bound.

Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter are the bullies at linebacker, while Deunta Williams and Kendric Burney cover the secondary. That’s a huge veteran presence, and if will power and knowledge translates to wins, this team will have a lot.

LSU has obstacles of their own, but theirs are more like mountains versus speed bumps. The offense finished last in the SEC and 112th overall in total yards. The running game was more like a walk in the park, and while there were some passes, holes on the line limited that.

The same line that allowed quarterback Jordan Jefferson to be sacked 37 times. Under that kind of pressure, not many college QB’s will perform well, but Jefferson still threw for 2,166 yards with 17 TDs and seven interceptions, while leading an offense ranked 112th in the FBS to 304.5 yards per game, finishing 9-4 following a 19-17 loss to Penn State in the Capital One Bowl.

Senior Terrence Toliver is a speed demon and could be NFL bound with some work. He had 53 receptions for 735 yards and three touchdowns, but most of that damage was early on as he faded late in the season. He will be Jefferson’s No. 1 target.

The rest of the receiving corps is talented, but lack opportunity, all stemming back to the line.

The defense played below its potential in 2009, but was still a solid group. The pass rush was still a sore spot but the Tigers only allowed 16 points per game. Four starters return, and with fresh blood coming in, the defense could be a notch better this year. It’s quick and smart, led by Patrick Paterson. He has NFL ability now, and will be a top pick next year. He has decent speed and magnetic hands, which grabbed two picks and broke up 13 passes last season. Look for a rotation to bump up the pass rush, as several athletic ends will receive playing time.

Matt’s Free Prediction: North Carolina +5- Until LSU can put things together and prove they have more than just talent, I’ll go out on a limb and say North Carolina takes it. It should be a close contest either way, but the Tar Heels have a more reliable defense and more chances to score.

Comments

Got something to say?