By Ed Condran
It’s the beach vs. the bayou when two of college football’s most legendary programs battle at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 1. USC will face LSU in the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic.
LSU, ranked No. 14 in the pre-season ESPN poll, is coming off a solid 10-3 season.
Expectations are high for the LSU Tigers even after losing Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels. The perennial powerhouse features the return of six starters on both sides of the ball and boasts the No. 9 recruiting class.
Redshirt junior Garrett Nussmeier should put up numbers, and the LSU defense should be more productive than the disappointing 2023 unit thanks to a coaching change and infusion of talent.
LSU coach Brian Kelly hired former Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker to transform a surprisingly porous unit, which ranked 81st in scoring defense and 118th in pass defense in 2023.
However, much is expected of defensive end Gabriel Reliford and transfer defensive tackle Jay’viar Suggs. It wouldn’t be surprising to find the Tigers in the national championship mix.
USC also lost a Heisman-winning quarterback. The top pick of the NFL draft, Caleb Williams, is in the rearview, and the Trojans, who are ranked No. 25 in the pre-season ESPN poll, have potential.
Quarterback Miller Moss should develop under head coach Lincoln Riley. The offensive line has been revamped. There’s some hype around Mississippi State transfer Jo’Quavious Marks, who is expected to be the featured running back.
The offense should be fine, but the focal point will be on the Trojans defense. Riley hired UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to reconstruct a unit that was ranked 121st in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense and 119th in total defense.
Expect safeties Akili Arnold and Kamari Ramsey and cornerbacks John Humphrey and DeCarols Nicholson to make a difference.
Experiencing the start of the college football season with two dynamic teams with considerable tradition is a great way to kick off the 2024 campaign at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
“Both football programs have a long, rich history with avid fan bases,” ESPN Events Executive Director John Saccenti said. “USC claims 11 national championships and eight Heisman Trophy winners. LSU claims four national championships and three Heisman Trophy winners. Both programs have iconic venues – USC plays in the Los Angeles Coliseum, site of three Olympic Games (1932, 1984, 2028), while LSU plays in Tiger Stadium, also known as Death Valley where the Tigers play before a capacity crowd of 102,321 raucous fans.
“Having both programs agree to leave their friendly confines and meet in Las Vegas for one of the biggest non-conference games of the season is a huge win for our city. The Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic will be a sold-out event, bringing in a large number of tourists that will provide a huge economic boost to the destination.
“In addition, the game will be a standalone event televised in primetime on ABC, which will deliver a huge rating and serve as a three-hour commercial for the city of Las Vegas. Having these two schools open the season in Las Vegas just continues to show the nation that we are without a doubt the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World.”
The hope is that the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic will live up to the hype. At the very least, the game should be entertaining, and the potential is there for offensive pyrotechnics in a game coached by two of the finest in college football.
Will LSU be in the running for another national championship? Will USC’s young quarterback lead his team farther than Williams? Much will be known after the two titans clash over Labor Day Weekend.
“A total of 936,432 fans have attended the game since it was first played in 1992,” Saccenti said. “Our game continues to draw a larger number of television viewers, too, having the highest live audience rating of all pre-Christmas bowl games last season (3.2 million viewers). Since we’ve moved into Allegiant Stadium three years ago, the economic impact on the City of Las Vegas has averaged $33.5 million per year, and we’ve surpassed over $600 million during our time in Las Vegas.”
