GAME DAY: No. 6 Texas Longhorns versus No. 21 LSU Tigers

No. 6 Texas goes into one of college football’s loudest stadiums Saturday night with its playoff spot on the line. The Longhorns (7-2, 4-2 SEC) will face No. 21 LSU (6-3, 3-3) at Tiger Stadium at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC. It will be Texas’ first game in Baton Rouge since 1953. Texas has won three straight, beating Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Missouri, and has put itself in control of its own postseason path. LSU is coming off a 31-13 home loss to Alabama in its home finale week. The Tigers know a fourth loss would likely end their playoff hopes.

The night also brings Arch Manning home. The New Orleans native went to big games in Death Valley as a kid, and now he’ll lead the Longhorns there in a hostile November night game. Manning has played some of his best football over the last two weeks, accumulating six touchdown passes, no interceptions and a 297-yard, three-touchdown day in the 34-20 win at Missouri. His biggest test will be staying upright. Texas has allowed 27 sacks this season. LSU’s defense has 36 sacks, third in the country, and edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen has 8.5 of them.

Staff Predictions: No. 6 Texas @ No. 21 LSU

Emmett Mosley V Is Giving Arch Manning Another Answer When Texas Needs One

Both teams have two of the best defenses in the SEC. Colin Simmons and Rasheem Biles lead a Texas unit that has given up the fewest red-zone touchdowns in the conference. They’ll face LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt and an offense that piles up yards but has struggled to finish drives. LSU is roughly a four-point favorite, and temperatures should fall from the 50s into the 40s at night. Steve Sarkisian’s team gets a chance at one of the biggest road wins of his tenure, and the Longhorns can take a big step toward the College Football Playoff.