HC Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers receive some crippling news that could tilt matchup in Florida Gators’ favor during SEC opener
HC Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers just received some terrible news heading into their matchup with the Florida Gators. The Tiger offense will need to be ready.
On Saturday night, head coach Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers are set to welcome the Florida Gators into Death Valley. Currently sitting with the No. 3 ranking in all of college football, LSU will kick off its SEC schedule with a Gators squad under head coach Billy Napier, who was just upset last week against the South Florida Bulls. These teams are seemingly in very different spots currently.
With LSU sitting as more than a touchdown favorite in most places, there is an assumption out there that the Gators don’t quite have the firepower to pull off this upset. Don’t look now, but Florida did receive some massive news on Friday. It was announced that star Gator defensive tackle Caleb Banks is going to be available for the matchup.
This is going to be the first game of the season for the 6-6, 330-pound behemoth who has been recovering from a lower-leg injury this preseason. Heading into the 2025 college football season, Banks was widely considered one of the top overall defenders in the country. His presence should provide a massive bump for an already talented Gator defense.
The impact of Caleb Banks
Banks will get the opportunity to match up against an LSU interior offensive line that has been solid to start the season. Former Virginia Tech center Braelin Moore has been the best of the group, although he also left last weekend’s game against Louisiana Tech due to injury. Moore is, however, set to play in the contest as well.
The LSU guards have been far less consistent so far, including former Northwestern transfer Josh Thompson and Paul Mubenga. From a pure talent perspective, there isn’t much comparison in this matchup. If Banks is healthy, he should give that Tiger offensive line some difficulty.
For LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, he is a passer who feeds off being in rhythm and making sound decisions more regularly. Interior pressure can be a death sentence for a player like Nussmeier, especially with his smaller stature. Seeing how clean his pocket can be throughout the game will be something to watch for, and how much frustration Banks can create in his first game back.
With such high opinions around the NFL for Banks, this could be a statement return for the talented defender. Although the box score wasn’t at a ridiculous level in 2024 for Banks, his impact went well beyond raw stats. He finished that campaign with 21 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks, but the film verified a much higher level of impact.
If Florida has a legitimate shot of leaving Baton Rouge with a victory tomorrow night, they are going to have to try and make this an ugly game. It doesn’t get much uglier than watching Banks beat up on opposing offensive linemen all day.