The No. 10 LSU Tigers are less than 24 hours away from taking on the No. 17 Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville. The game is an intriguing matchup for many reasons, but perhaps the most interesting matchup is LSU's elite scoring defense going up against Vanderbilt's potent offense. The Tiger defense ranks 5th in the country allowing just 11.8 points per game, while the Commodore offense ranks 7th nationally scoring 43.2 points per game. Blake Baker's defense will need another stout effort if the Tigers want to improve to 6-1 and hand Clark Lea's team its second SEC loss of the season.
LSU is more than capable of making life difficult for Diego Pavia and company, but one big question remains: Is Whit Week playing? The LSU star linebacker's status is still up in the air, and he is officially listed as "questionable" on the latest SEC availability report for Week 8. ESPN College Football Insider Pete Thamel has provided more details to Weeks' availability vs the Commodores.
Whit Weeks injury update and status for Saturday
Thamel reports that Weeks plans to warm up and attempt to play on Saturday afternoon against Vanderbilt. However, he states that Weeks' status is considered doubtful at this time. Weeks has been limited in practice all week and according to Thamel, faces long odds to suit up. But Weeks is going to give it a shot, with the ultimate decision most likley not coming until close to kick-off.
Weeks is dealing with a bone bruise to his ankle. Several media members noticed Weeks was in a walking boot this week, but hopefully that is just a precautionary measure. The junior linebacker has been banged up on several occasions this season. He suffered a wrist injury against Ole Miss and was a bit limited against South Carolina. But his impact was still felt, as he totaled 8 tackles (5 solo) and picked up half a sack.
Having Weeks suit up would obviously bode well for the Tiger defense. He is one of the best linebackers in the SEC, and earned First-Team All-SEC honors last season after finishing 2nd in the conference with 125 tackles.
Vanderbilt's offense knows how to put up points, and Commodore QB Diego Pavia presents a tough challenge in the run game. Pavia has 352 rushing yards on the season and is averaging a career-high 5.9 yards per carry. Weeks' playmaking ability would help to neutralize that threat. If Weeks is unable to go, sophomore linebacker Davhon Keys could see an increased role for Blake Baker's defense.