LSU football roster in dire straits ahead of Texas Bowl

LSU football will barely be able to field a team in the Texas Bowl against Kansas State with their roster decimated by opt-outs, injuries and COVID.

The Texas Bowl between LSU and Kansas State is the final bowl game before the CFP National Championship Game between Georgia and Alabama.

It’s just not completely clear if LSU will have enough players to make it through the game.

With kickoff just over 24 hours away, Brody Miller of The Athletic detailed the major roster issues the Tigers have heading into Tuesday’s action.

The LSU football roster available for the Texas Bowl is under 40 players

LSU has just 39 scholarship players available with zero scholarship quarterbacks among them.

Myles Brennan withdrew his name from the transfer portal but he won’t be participating in the bowl. Max Johnson did transfer to Texas A&M and freshman quarterback Garrett Nussmeier isn’t expecting to play because he would burn his redshirt in the process.

So expect to see walk-ons Tavion Faulk or Matt O’Dowd behind center for the Tigers. Neither has thrown a pass this season.

The quarterback situation is just a microcosm of what’s going around all over the roster. Linebacker Damone Clark, defensive tackle Neil Farrell and running back Tyrion-Davis Price have declared for the draft. They’ll also be without wide receivers Kayshon Boutte and Trey Palmer, defensive backs Derek Stingley Jr., Elias Ricks and Dwight McGlothern, linebackers Damone Clark  and Micah Baskerville, among other starters.

At this point, LSU is expected to go forward with the Texas Bowl but bowls have been canceled multiple times this season and with very little notice. Fans will have to keep an eye on this one until kickoff.

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