Auburn's New Offensive Line Gives LSU a Matchup Worth Attacking

LSU's defense has been tremendous for the majority of the season. Outside of a bad game against Kentucky, defensive coordinator Blake Baker deserves a lot of credit for his unit's performance.

The Tigers shut out the Mississippi State Bulldogs last week and have allowed 15.86 points per game, which ranks second in the SEC.

This week, LSU takes on the Auburn Tigers, a team coming off a massive upset over the previously No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs. However, Auburn's biggest weakness could be exposed by LSU's biggest strength.

Pressuring the Quarterback

LSU defensive end Jordan Ross. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

LSU's defensive line gets after the quarterback. Their 27 sacks rank second among FBS teams, only trailing Tennessee by three. Auburn has allowed an SEC-leading 23 sacks.

The battle between Auburn's offensive line and LSU's defensive line could determine this week's outcome. Despite defeating Georgia, quarterback Byrum Brown was sacked five times. Auburn is working through a rebuilt offensive line, so LSU could attack and pressure Brown.

Princewill Umanmielen played a significant role in LSU's defensive line dominance, but his status for Saturday is currently unknown. He left Saturday's game with an injury and didn't return. We'll have a better idea about Umanmielen's availability with the injury report, but LSU could be without its star edge rusher.

Jordan Ross stepped up, finishing with 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. If Umanmielen is out on Saturday, Ross and Deuce Geralds can pressure Brown. But the Auburn quarterback isn't easy to bring down.

Brown has 459 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in four straight games. Baker will have to account for Brown's elusiveness and prevent back-breaking runs on third down. If LSU can keep Brown in the pocket, Auburn's offensive game plan becomes easier to manage.

Auburn doesn't want to throw the ball a lot. Brown's 185 pass attempts rank ninth among SEC quarterbacks. Auburn's strength lies in its running game. LSU has to pull ahead early and force Auburn into a pass-heavy attack.

Obviously, LSU's defensive line can't pressure Brown if it can't stop the run. If Lane Kiffin's team builds an early lead and loads the box on defense, Auburn has no clear path to manufacture points. LSU can shorten the game by forcing Auburn's offense into obvious passing situations and attack a vulnerable offensive line.

Auburn is coming off a stunning win over Georgia, but LSU has a blueprint to victory.

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