LSU set to face BYU in the Superdome

BATON ROUGE – LSU put the finishing touches on the game plan for Saturday’s season-opener against BYU with “No Repeat Thursday” here indoor at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility.

The Tigers will have a walk-thru on Friday afternoon, eat dinner in the Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium and then catch a movie as a team before making the one-hour drive to New Orleans tomorrow night.

Kickoff for the first-ever meeting between LSU and BYU is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. ESPN will televise the game.

“We’ve had a good week of practice,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said on Thursday afternoon. “We are excited to open up the 2017 Football season in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and we know that we will have a great turnout from our fans.”

Orgeron said the Tigers are still unsettled on who will start at the bench linebacker spot as true freshman K’Lavon Chaisson and redshirt freshman Ray Thornton continue to battle it out for the starting role. Orgeron said it would likely be a game time decision on who would start at bench linebacker.

Orgeron also noted that it’s likely that true freshman Saahdiq Charles will start at right guard, ahead of fellow true freshman Ed Ingram. Orgeron said both Charles and Ingram will share time on Saturday against the Cougars.

If he does indeed start against BYU, Charles will become the first true freshman offensive lineman to start the season-opener in school history.

Defensively, the Tigers will face one of the top centers in college football in senior Tejan Koroma.

“Their center is going to be a handful all night,” Orgeron said of the BYU team captain and three-year starter. “We are going to rotate Greg (Gilmore) and Ed (Alexander) in the middle. They are going to have to play well for us.”

BYU enters the contest with a 1-0 mark following last week’s 20-6 win over Portland State. LSU is opening a season in a Louisiana location other than Baton Rouge for the first time since 1916 when the Tigers beat then Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now Louisiana-Lafayette) in Lafayette.

LSU goes into the contest having won 14 of its past 15 season-openers and the Tigers are 54-1 in their last 55 non-conference regular season games.

Times of Interest 

#13 LSU vs. BYU
Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, 8:35 p.m. CT
New Orleans, La.
Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Seating | Tickets
ESPN | WatchESPN
LSU Sports Radio Network | Listen Free | Affiliates

Due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Harvey to Houston and the surrounding areas, the 2017 AdvoCare Texas Kickoff was been relocated to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. A reminder that tickets and parking issued for NRG Stadium in Houston will not be valid for this event.

11 a.m. – CST’s LSU GameDay Live Pre-Game Show with Gordy Rush, Victor Howell, Jacob Hester, Emily Dixon
12-4 p.m. – The Mercedes-Benz Superdome Box Office (Gate A Ground Level) will be open for ticket sales.
2:30 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Superdome parking lots open ($40, cash only; Garages 1, 2, 5, 6 & Champions Garage)
4 p.m. until halftime – The Mercedes-Benz Superdome Box Office at Gates B & H Ticket Booths will be open.
6:15 p.m. – LSU departs hotel for Mercedes-Benz Superdome
6:30 p.m. – LSU arrives at Mercedes-Benz Superdome
6:30 p.m. – LSU Game Day presented by CST radio show live from Watermark Baton Rouge (150 3rd St, Baton Rouge, LA 70801) with Hunt Palmer, Jacob Hester and Marlon Favorite
8 p.m. – LSU Sports Radio Network live from Mercedes-Benz Superdome with Chris Blair, Doug Moreau and Gordy Rush
8:11 p.m. – Golden Band from Tigerland takes the field for pregame performance
8:25 p.m. – National Anthem
8:29 p.m. – LSU Pregame Video in Mercedes-Benz Superdome
8:30 p.m. – LSU takes the field
8:33 p.m. – Coin toss at midfield
8:35 p.m. – Kickoff: LSU vs. BYU on ESPN (subject to 5-minute slide)

Halftime:
The Golden Band from Tigerland performance

Be sure to check out the following items on LSUsports.net:
Listen free at www.LSUsports.net/live
Live stats on LSU-BYU game at www.LSUsports.net/livestats

Updates on social media throughout the day at:
twitter.com/LSUfootball
facebook.com/LSUfootball
instagram.com/LSUfootball
lsutigers on Snapchat

Game Replays (subject to change)
Sept. 3, 2 a.m. CT (ESPN)
Sept. 3, 3 a.m. CT (ESPNU)
Sept. 3, 12 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
Sept. 3, 5 p.m. CT (SEC Network)
Sept. 5, 5 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
Sept. 5, 7 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
Sept. 5, 11 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
Sept. 6, 2 p.m. CT (ESPNU)