The top spot in the SEC is at stake tonight as the 8th-ranked LSU Tigers visit College Station to face the 14th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies. Both LSU and A&M are the only teams in the SEC that remain unbeaten in conference play. If that isn’t enough to generate excitement for this game, Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and Aggies head coach Mike Elko have exchanged some mild banter about the challenges of playing at Kyle Field.
Luckily for Garrett Nussmeier, he won’t be entering a hostile environment on Saturday evening without a complete set of offensive tools.
“LSU wide receiver CJ Daniels is a game-time decision for tonight’s matchup against Texas A&M. He will warm up and try to play. Wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. (ankle) is set to make his 2024 debut today, bringing speed and the capability to stretch the defense. He’s a significant addition for LSU.”
Let’s begin with CJ Daniels, who enters LSU’s Week 9 game against Texas A&M as the Tigers’ fourth-leading receiver. Last season, he surpassed 1,000 yards and was the top receiver for a Liberty Flames team that finished 13-1 and reached the Fiesta Bowl. While Daniels hasn’t been as dominant in Baton Rouge, he delivered his strongest performance of the season last Saturday, recording 7 receptions for 86 yards in LSU’s victory over Arkansas.
In contrast, Chris Hilton Jr. has spent his entire collegiate career in Baton Rouge. The redshirt junior has been a rarely utilized asset in his first three years at LSU, but after a strong showing in the ReliaQuest Bowl—where he caught 3 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown—there were high hopes for him to have a breakout year in 2024. Sadly, an ankle injury during fall camp has kept Hilton sidelined until now.
