This Saturday, the LSU Tigers host the Arkansas Razorbacks in Death Valley — a matchup where neither team has anything to lose, but the Battle for the Boot is always on the line.

For the Tigers, they are coming off of a big loss against Alabama, crushing any chances of their playoff hopes.

Although they didn’t get the win, Interim Head Coach Frank Wilson liked how the Tigers played. Knowing they have a tough Arkansas team this week, he knows they need to build off of that momentum.

“I like the way our team played,” Wilson said. “We didn’t get the win, but the way you played mattered most. When you play the No. 4 team in America and you put yourself in position, that’s something you can build off of, so we’ll build off of that and we’ll be better next week.”

Last year, the Tigers and the Razorbacks faced off in Arkansas, where the Tigers came out victorious 34-10. With both of these teams officially out of playoff contention, this game comes down to pride and winning the rivalry trophy. With improvement in the Tigers’ minds, the players look to carry that into this week’s matchup.

“I think everything we did this week needs to be turned up a level,” Linebacker West Weeks said. “We need to be more physical at practice. We need to be more locked in. We need to be spending more time in the building. We need to keep improving every day, and it’ll work out for us hopefully.”

LSU has been struggling to make big plays down the field, and inconsistency at quarterback has been part of the problem. The Tigers have not named an official starter for this week, but there could be some changes in the QB room as the coaches try to look for the right spark.

For LSU to win, they’ll need to make explosive plays down the field, actually convert in the red zone, and stay consistent with their strong defensive front.

In the past, the LSU defense has struggled against running quarterbacks and with Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green being known for his running plays and considered a dynamic duel player, LSU could be in trouble.

If the Razorbacks can use this to their advantage along with the poor offensive performance LSU has been having all season, they can pull off the win.

Even with nothing on the line in the standings, the Battle for the Boot ensures that both teams will play with determination and a desire to keep or leave with the trophy.