"Week 1 – Sept. 2 vs. LSU (AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas) “Unlike their early season tune-up games, the Hurricanes will travel to Texas to take on the LSU Tigers. Last season, the Tigers finished the year 9-4 in Ed Oregron’s first year in Baton Rouge. LSU will likely be ranked entering this game, so this matchup should be one of the best of the first weekend.”"
The game against LSU at Jerry’s World will essentially be a road game. LSU’s Tiger Stadium is 445 miles from Arlington Stadium. The Tigers also have a bigger following.
LSU was 9-4 in 2017 in Orgeron’s first full season. He is 15-6 overall in a year and a half with LSU. He has a career record of 31-33. Included in the Tigers 2017 season was a loss to Troy from the Sun Belt Conference. LSU is 23rd in the Sporting News consensus top 25. Miami is eighth.
LSU lost starting quarterback Danny Etling and their top two rushers Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams. They have a three-way battle at quarterback. Their offense was devastated by losses. Leading receiver D.J. Chark left early and was a second-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
LSU has only 11 returning starters in 2018, four on offense and seven on defense. Linebacker Devin White leads the defense. They were 76th in 2017 in scoring offense and 14th in defense.
This will be the first time Miami and LSU meet since the 2004 Peach Bowl The Tigers won that game 40-3. LSU holds and 9-3 edge in the all-time series.