We are now down to two games left in the college football season — the National Championship Game and the Texas Bowl between Kansas State and LSU in Houston, Tex., on Tuesday night. 

How We Got Here:

LSU:

The LSU Tigers had to win their last two games of the regular season to become bowl eligible. The team that takes the field Tuesday night will look very different from what we saw in the regular season. Due to opt outs and COVID-19 protocols, the Tigers are down to fewer than 40 scholarship players on the roster.

Starting quarterback Max Johnson transferred to Texas A&M, and backup Myles Brennan is not available due to injury. That leaves freshman Garrett Nussmeier. Nussmeier would have to burn his redshirt to play in this game unless the NCAA approved a recent waiver request. Reports are that interim coach Brad Davis has received the NCAA’s ruling, but he has not shared that with the media. Walk-on freshman Tavion Faulk was recently listed as the backup on the depth chart.

The Tigers will also be without their leading rusher Tyrion Davis-Price and best receiver Kayshon Boutte. LSU will also be missing key players on defense including leading tackler Damone Clark and the majority of its secondary.

Kansas State:

Kansas State lost its final two games to Texas and Baylor, finishing the season 7-5. The Wildcats are expected to field the majority of their team, including senior quarterback Skylar Thompson.

K-State will presumably have the advantage on both sides of the ball with all the moving pieces and uncertainty around its opponent. 

Players to Watch:

LSU:

QB Garrett Nussmeier — LSU is hopeful Nussmeier can play in the bowl without burning his redshirt. If he can, I will be interested to see what the four-star quarterback out of the DFW area does. Nussmeier played in four games this season and threw for 329 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Kansas State: 

RB Deuce Vaughn — Kansas State found most of ITS success on the ground this season, led by Deuce Vaughn. Vaughn racked up over 1,200 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns this season, along with 471 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 47 receptions. He ranked sixth in the FBS in all-purpose yards, averaging 144.1 total yards per game. With a depleted LSU defense, I would expect the sophomore to have a big day on the ground. 

Score Prediction:

Kansas State 24, LSU 13

With all the missing pieces for the Tigers, it’s no surprise that Kansas State is favored by a touchdown. The key for the Wildcats is to score early and use their stellar running game against the undermanned LSU defense. It would not surprise me if Kansas State ran the ball 40+ times Tuesday night.