LSU running back Leonard Fournette expected to play vs. Ole Miss

After missing the last two games, LSU running back Leonard Fournette is slated to return this week against Ole Miss.

The LSU Tigers have hit a bit of a stride recently, with two straight wins by a combined score of 87-17 under interim head coach Ed Orgeron. They’ve also done that without star running back Leonard Fournette, who has missed a total of three games this season due to a lingering left ankle injury that dates back to fall camp.

Derrius Guice has filled in very capably for Fournette as LSU’s lead running back, with 325 rushing yards and five touchdowns over the last two games against Missouri and Southern Miss and over 150 yards on the ground in all three games Fournette has missed. But the Tigers are expected to get their best offensive player back this coming Saturday night against Ole Miss.

If LSU’s Oct. 8 game against Florida had been played as scheduled, Fournette would likely have missed the last three games. That re-scheduled Florida game will bump a Nov. 19 cupcake game against South Alabama off the schedule, and the Tigers play nothing but SEC opponents from here on out.

Fournette has topped 100 rushing yards in all three games he has played this season, with 386 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. His last game in uniform was also Les Miles’ last as LSU head coach, an 18-13 loss to Auburn on Sept. 24.

Next: College Football Rankings: FanSided Top 25 entering Week 8

Starting with this week’s game against Ole Miss, each of LSU’s final five opponents are in the Top-25 of the AP and Coaches polls right now. Of particularly note are a Nov. 5 home game against Alabama and the Nov. 24 regular season finale at Texas A&M, who are both undefeated entering their matchup this week. So Fournette’s return to action is coming at a good time for LSU to try to keep a recent turnaround going.