LSU's talented defensive line will lead Tigers to win

The lowest college over-under on the board at Caesar's Palace, as of Thursday night, belonged to Virginia Tech-LSU. It checked in at a measly 38 points. By comparison, the line for Hawaii-Louisiana Tech was double that, at 76 points, and even a major inter-conference tilt such as Oregon-Michigan was at 64.5. That ominous 38, however, is something of which the Hokies and Tigers can be proud. They own perhaps the two most feared defenses in the nation, and Vegas knows it. There's a strong chance that the final score of this game won't even break 30, yet it'll still go down as one of the season's best duels. Are you ready to stay up late for BeamerBall vs. Les ... well, Les what? LesPointsAllowed? LesYardsYielded? That one still needs some work.

Marquee Matchup (9) Virginia Tech at (2) LSU 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPN Tiger Stadium (capacity 92,400) Baton Rouge, La.

Three things you should care about

1. The signs are not promising for Virginia Tech's running game. The Hokies can make a case for having the nation's No. 1 D, but their offensive line might not be in the top 25. In Week 1 against East Carolina, they were able to free running back Branden Ore -- not exactly the fastest ballcarrier, but no slouch -- for just 33 yards on 31 attempts, or 1.1 yards per carry. (LSU, meanwhile, held Mississippi State to 10 total yards rushing.) Pirates defensive coordinator Greg Hudson said this week that Tech's O-line made enough plays in pass protection to pull out the 17-7 win, but also acknowledged that "LSU's defense has great players; we've got good players who played great at times."

The greatest of LSU's defenders is 6-foot-2, 299-pounder Glenn "Putt" Dorsey, the defensive tackle whom some think should get serious consideration in the Heisman race. It's a tough sell statistically; Dorsey had one sack and two tackles for loss in a shutout of Mississippi State last Thursday, but simply doesn't get as many QB-punishing or opportunities as ends do. If there were a stat for "line disruptions," though, the Tigers' unblockable force would lead the nation. Unfortunately for the Hokies, Dorsey is not the only troublemaker in LSU's front seven. "What makes it hard," said Tech coach Frank Beamer, "is that there's so many of them." Like Tyson Jackson, the end who had 8.5 sacks last season. Or Marlon Favorite, who was ranked the No. 1 tackle in the nation coming out of high school in '04, and lines up alongside Dorsey. For the Hokies' O-line, it's not the most opportune time to be nursing along two new starters (Nick Marshman, at right tackle, and Richard Graham, at left guard) who struggled against ECU. Said Beamer, "We better be really, really better this week if we expect to hang in this ballgame."

2. LSU didn't reveal much of its offensive package against Mississippi State. The Tigers scored 45 points in coordinator Gary Crowton's debut, but were a far cry from the high-octane units he led at BYU (the nation's top offense in '01) and Oregon (No. 9 in total offense in '06). LSU averaged just 3.4 yards per carry in the first half, played conservatively in the rain and set up much of its field position by intercepting Mississippi State six times. While head coach Les Miles dismissed the notion that his team was intentionally playing it close to the vest ("Don't expect now that we'll unveil the new 'wantango offense,'" he told The Times-Picayune this week), running back Keiland Williams reportedly said the Tigers had barely used half of their playbook against the Bulldogs.

One wrinkle Tiger fans are hoping to see: new starting quarterback Matt Flynn use his whole receiving corps, rather than just Early Doucet. Eight of Flynn's first nine completions went to the speedy junior.

3. Virginia Tech isn't going to stay in the game without a few key interceptions. It's difficult to envision QB Sean Glennon leading the Hokies on any 80-yard scoring drives on Saturday night. It may require a pick deep in Tiger territory to get Tech into the end zone. Good thing defensive coordinator Bud Foster has two of the best cover corners in the country in Macho Harris and Brandon Flowers; they'll likely share the assignment of blanketing Doucet depending on where he lines up. Flynn will no doubt look to exploit better matchups with his auxiliary receivers (Trindon Holliday, Brandon LaFell and Chris Mitchell), but it was clear in Week 1 that the Tigers' QB is locked in with Doucet. The Hokies will need to capitalize if Flynn forces ill-advised passes to his preferred target.

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