LSU’s annual National L Club Spring Game takes place Saturday, marking a chance for fans to see the football team in action for the first time since its fall season ended in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
For the team, the Spring Game marks the end of spring practices, a valuable period in which LSU started implementing the ideas of the brand-new coaching leadership on both offense and defense.
In addition, LSU has gotten a look at many of the incoming freshmen who enrolled early and has a better feel for who may take over at key positions like quarterback and wide receiver, where the Tigers have players leaving for the NFL Draft.
Head coach Brian Kelly said Saturday’s Spring Game will likely feature less of the established star players and more of the players trying to prove themselves and earn a larger role.
Here’s what you need to know about the event, which has a unique scoring format just like last year.
What time is the game?
LSU will open the gates to Tiger Stadium at 11:30 a.m. The team will start warming up at 12:30 p.m., and the scrimmage will start at 1:15 p.m.
The scrimmage will have two 15-minute quarters in the first half, followed by two 12-minute quarters in the second half. It’s expected to end by 2:30 p.m.
Admission will be free to attendees, but you can watch at home by streaming SEC Network+. The broadcast will begin at 12:30 p.m.
How does the scoring work?
The game is really an offense vs. defense scrimmage. The offense earns points by scoring as normal, but the defensive scoring is more complicated.
The defense earns seven points if it forces a turnover, whether it’s through an interception or fumble or on downs, and five points if the offense’s drive ends in a missed field goal.
If the offense misses their extra point after a touchdown or fails to convert a two-point conversion, that results in two points for the defense.
In addition, the defense gets two points for a pass breakup. Sacks and tackles for loss count for a point each.
In LSU’s prior Spring Game last year, the match ended in a 32-32 tie, as the offense kicked a field goal as time expired.
