LSU Tigers (8-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-5, 4-5 Big 12 Conference)
What: AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl
When/Where: 8:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium | Houston, Texas
Television: ESPN
Play-by-play – Joe Tessitore
Analyst – Jesse Palmer
Analyst – David Pollack
Sideline – Maria Taylor
Radio: WDGL-FM 98.1 (Baton Rouge)
Note: This will be the final LSU football game of longtime ‘Voice of the Tigers’ Jim Hawthorne’s career. He officially retires from his duties at the conclusion of the LSU basketball season.
Things to watch for:
Finishing strong: An appearance in the Texas Bowl on Tuesday night is far from what LSU wanted or looked destined for after a 7-0 start to the season. However, a Senior Night win and confirmation that LSU coach Les Miles would return for the 2016 season has eased some of the Tigers’ pain from a difficult November stretch, which saw three double-digit losses. Not only can LSU generate some momentum heading into next year with a bowl victory in a familiar setting, but it can also capture just the second bowl win in the last five years. On top of that, players like sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris can reestablish the confidence he once possessed with a solid night against a vulnerable defense. LSU certainly has plenty of reasons to play well against the Red Raiders before a critical year for Miles.
‘DBU’s’ toughest test: It’s clear – Texas Tech can move the football and score points. The Red Raiders can do it on the ground with running back DeAndre Washington, the twelfth-ranked rusher in the nation. Even more so, though, they can do it through the air, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes II leads the the top-ranked passing offense in the country. While LSU has faced some stiff tests against elite passing offenses such as Western Kentucky, Ole Miss and Mississippi State, Texas Tech is a cut above. At times this season, the LSU secondary hasn’t lived up to it’s “Defensive Back University” billing, ranking around the middle of the pack nationally in passing yards allowed per game. But the Tiger secondary is coming off one of its best statistical performances of the season against Texas A&M, during which it allowed just 161 passing yards and recorded an interception. LSU could lose one starting defensive back to the NFL draft, but it will remain mostly intact. Tuesday night will show where it stands against the nation’s best heading into next season.
2K for Fournette?: There’s no doubt sophomore running back Leonard Fournette will need to be stellar against Texas Tech to reach the valued 2,000-yard rushing mark on Tuesday night. But if there is any team Fournette could get the needed 259 yards against, the Red Raiders would be one of them. Texas Tech ranks third-to-last nationally with 271.8 rushing yards allowed per game on top of 42 rushing touchdowns. Fournette rose to the occasion in last year’s bowl loss to Notre Dame, running for 143 yards and two touchdowns. As a likely Heisman favorite next season, you won’t find many who will bet against his chances this bowl season.
LSU’s last game: Surrounded in adversity following a three-game losing streak and swirling coaching rumors, LSU grinded out a 19-7 win at home against Texas A&M to close out the regular season. The Tiger rode a stingy defense and a 232 combined-rushing yards from sophomore Leonard Fournette and freshman Derrius Guice. Though junior kicker Trent Domingue missed three field goals and sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris completed just 4-of-13 passes, Guice gave the Tigers the lead in the third quarter with a 50-yard scamper off a reverse. Fournette, who finished with 159 rushing yard and 43 receiving yards, delivered the final blow on a four-yard score to cap a 13-play drive. The Tigers also forced three turnovers and sacked former Aggie quarterback Kyle Allen four times.
Texas Tech’s last game: Despite giving up 276 yards and four touchdowns on the ground to Texas freshman running back Chris Warren III, Texas Tech outlasted the Longhorns, 48-45, to close out the regular season on the road. The Red Raiders led by as many as 14 points midway through the third quarter, but Texas took a fourth-quarter lead on a 46-yard touchdown run from quarterback Tyrone Swoopes with 7:54 left. But Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes II and the Red Raider offense responded on the ensuing possession, notching a six-play touchdown drive to regain the lead. After Texas turned the ball over on downs, Texas Tech receiver Jakeem Grant extended the lead on 40-yard scoring burst on a trick play. The Red Raiders then recovered a late onside kick to seal the conference victory.
LSU’s possible offensive starters (based on depth chart):
X Malachi Dupre (So.): 39 receptions, 602 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns
LT Jerald Hawkins (Jr.): 588 snaps, 38 knockdowns
LG Maea Teuhema (Fr.): 642 snaps, 61 knockdowns
C Ethan Pocic (Jr.): 730 snaps, 128.5 knockdowns
RG William Clapp (Fr.-RS): 725 snaps, 81.5 knockdowns
RT Vadal Alexander (Sr.): 734 snaps, 115.5 knockdowns
TE Colin Jeter (Jr.): 11 receptions, 123 yards, 1 touchdown
Z John Diarse (So.): 9 receptions, 92 receiving yards
QB Brandon Harris (So.): 135-of-254, 1,904 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
RB Leonard Fournette (So.): 271 rushing attempts, 1,741 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns
FB Bry’Kiethon Mouton (Fr.): 2 receptions, 21 receiving yards 
LSU’s possible defensive starters (based on depth chart):
DE Lewis Neal (Jr.): 48 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss 8 sacks, 1 forced fumble
DT Christian LaCouture (Jr.): 35 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble
DT Davon Godchaux (So.): 38 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, four sacks, 1 fumble recovery
DE Arden Key (Fr.): 38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, five sacks
MIKE Kendell Beckwith (Jr.): 76 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles
WILL Deion Jones (Sr.): 92 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown
CB Kevin Toliver II (Fr.): 30 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 passes broken up, 1 interception
SS Jamal Adams (So.): 60 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble
FS Corey Thompson (Jr.): 12 tackles
CB Tre’Davious White (Jr.): 38 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 6 passes broken up
NICKEL Jalen Mills (Sr.): 30 tackles, 1 sack
LSU’s possible starting specialists (based on depth chart):
PK Trent Domingue (Jr.): 13-of-17 field goals, 41-of-42 extra points, 1 touchdown
KO Cameron Gamble (So.): 34 kickoffs, 60.7 average yards per kickoff, 5 touchbacks
P Jamie Keehn (Sr.): 54 punts, 40.9 average yards per punt
KOR Derrius Guice (Fr.): 17 kickoff returns, 395 kickoff return yards
PR Tre’Davious White (Jr.): 14 punt returns, 171 punt return yards, 1 touchdown
Texas Tech’s possible offensive starters (based on depth chart):
X Ja’Deion High (So.): 8 receptions, 111 yards
H Jakeem Grant (Sr.): 80 receptions, 1143 yards, 7 touchdowns
LT Le’Raven Clark (Sr.): 12 games
LG Alfredo Morales (Sr.): 12 games
C Jared Kaster (Sr.): 12 games
RG Tony Morales (Sr.): 9 games
RT Baylen Brown (Jr.): 11 games
Y Ian Sadler (So.): 39 receptions, 551 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns
Z Reginald Davis (Jr.): 36 receptions, 499 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns
QB Patrick Mahomes II (So.): 336-of-517, 4283 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 118 rushing attempts, 484 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns
RB DeAndre Washington (Sr.): 23 rushing attempts, 1,471 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, 34 receptions, 304 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Texas Tech’s possible defensive starters (based on depth chart):
END Branden Jackson (Sr.): 29 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
N Rika Levi (Sr.): 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
T Demetrius Alston (Sr.): 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks
RUSH Pete Robertson (Sr.): 61 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery
WILL D’Vonta Hinton (Fr.): 51 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
MIKE Micah Awe (Sr.): 109 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble
SAM Malik Jenkins (Jr.): 46 tackles, 1 forced fumble
BC Tevin Madison (So.): 58 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 12 passes broken up, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions
FS Jah’Shawn Johnson (Fr.): 79 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown
SS J.J. Gaines (Sr.): 79 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions
FC Nigel Bethel II (So.): 40 tackles, 0.5 tackle for loss, 10 passes broken up, 1 interception
Texas Tech’s possible starting specialists (based on depth chart):
PK Clayton Hatfield (Fr.-RS): 14-of-16 field goals, 50-for-51 extra points
KO Clayton Hatfield (Fr.-RS): 65 kickoffs, 61.7 average yards per kickoff, 29 touchbacks
P Taylor Symmank (Sr.): 25 punts, 44.7 average yards per punt
KR Jakeem Grant (Sr.): 36 kickoff returns, 956 kickoff yards, 2 touchdowns
PR Cameron Batson (So.): 13 punt returns, 81 punt return yards