Texas Allows 100.3 Rushing Yards Per Game—LSU’s Best Protection Starts There
The easiest way to help LSU’s pass protection against Texas is not another protection call. It is a run play that creates second-and-6 instead of second-and-11. That sounds ordinary until the opponent is allowing fewer than three yards per carry and bringing one of the country’s best pass rushes to Tiger Stadium.
Quick Answer
Texas has limited opponents to 100.3 rushing yards per game, 2.9 yards per carry and four rushing touchdowns through nine games in 2026. LSU ran for only 77 yards on 33 attempts against Alabama. The Tigers do not need to overpower Texas for 200 yards; they need enough first-down efficiency from Dilin Jones, Sam Leavitt and the offensive line to keep Colin Simmons from attacking obvious passing situations.
How Strong Is Texas Against the Run?
The official numbers are severe. Texas’ 2026 cumulative statistics list 903 opponent rushing yards on 312 attempts, an average of 2.9 per carry. Opponents have produced only four rushing touchdowns, while the Longhorns allow 100.3 rushing yards per game.
Texas’ November 10 Colin Simmons release placed the Longhorns 17th nationally in rushing defense. That ranking matters because Texas can defend the run without constantly borrowing an extra body from coverage. LSU cannot assume a crowded box automatically creates a simple one-on-one throw outside.
Why LSU Still Has to Run Into a Bad Matchup
LSU’s 77 rushing yards against Alabama were not enough to steady the offense. The official LSU-Alabama box score shows 33 attempts at 2.3 yards per carry, including 31 yards lost. LSU still generated 27 first downs and 457 total yards, but too many drives required the passing game to solve every problem.
Against Texas, abandoning the run would make the protection challenge harder. A defense averaging three sacks per game wants long-yardage downs, static launch points and a quarterback who has to wait on the route. Even a modest four-yard run can deny Texas that preferred picture.
This is the distinction LSU must honor: rushing efficiency is more important than rushing volume. Twenty-five empty carries would not help. A smaller number of well-timed runs that stay on schedule, force linebackers to fit and keep play-action credible can reshape the game.
What the LSU Run Plan Should Actually Do
First, LSU should make Texas defend width before attacking inside. Jet motion, orbit action and perimeter screens can slow pursuit and widen the edges without turning the game into horizontal-only offense. The point is to create a better box count for the next snap.
Second, Leavitt’s legs should remain a constraint, not the entire solution. A handful of designed keepers or read concepts can make an unblocked defender hesitate. LSU cannot expose its quarterback to unnecessary hits, but it also cannot let Texas fit every handoff with certainty.
Third, the Tigers need answers when the first crease closes. Jones has shown he can contribute as both a runner and receiver, and checkdowns can function like extended handoffs when Texas wins the initial run fit. The offense must turn a blocked lane into a positive play rather than a panic throw.
How the Tackle Question Changes the Equation
The offensive-line status will shape every early-down decision. TigerHype’s Sean Thompkins Jr. right-tackle plan explains the contingency if Weston Davis cannot go. The LSU injury and availability tracker will carry the official designation when the SEC report is released.
Regardless of who starts, LSU should not ask a tackle to win every obvious pass set in isolation. The run game, motion and quick passing concepts are all parts of the same protection structure.
What LSU Fans Should Watch on the First Two Drives
Count the yards LSU gains on first-down runs, but also watch the response. Does Texas spin a safety down? Does Simmons widen his alignment? Does LSU return to the same formation with play-action? Those answers will show whether the ground plan is creating leverage even before a runner breaks free.
The standard is not domination. LSU needs a ground game credible enough to keep the playbook open. Against this Texas front, four yards can be a protection win.
For the larger matchup, use TigerHype’s canonical 2026 LSU Football hub and the new Colin Simmons pass-rush breakdown.
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