The Auburn Tigers are returning home to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday following their biggest win in quite some time.
Auburn went on the road, taking down the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs in Athens for the first time since 2005, winning on a game-winning field goal as time expired from Alex McPherson.
Now, Alex Golesh’s squad has the challenge of continuing that momentum and not letting it falter, and doing that against Lane Kiffin’s LSU Tigers will be no easy task.
LSU is hitting the road after shutting out the Mississippi State Bulldogs at home 31-0. It was a game that saw Kiffin’s squad take advantage of the injury-ridden Bulldogs, despite the statistics not being that lopsided.
The boys from Baton Rouge had many players transfer in over the offseason with Kiffin’s arrival at the program. Heading into Saturday’s action, here are five transfers to watch for LSU.
SUBSCRIBE TO AUBURN UNDERCOVER TODAY
Sam Leavitt, quarterback
Previous school: Arizona State
One of the biggest needs in the offseason for the Tigers was a new starting quarterback, and with Kiffin’s prestige after having Trinidad Chambliss at Ole Miss, bringing in another highly-touted signal caller in Sam Leavitt was one of the most talked about moves in the transfer portal.
Leavitt’s time at Arizona State was defined by some powerful moments, and he has done the same in Baton Rouge. Through his first seven games, the quarterback is passing at a higher completion rate than he did each of the last two seasons, as well as having a higher average completion distance.
He has 14 touchdowns on the year, but his one weak spot has been turnovers, throwing eight interceptions so far. Leavitt has the weapons around him though that help make him a strong player, allowing him to mold into the SEC quarterback standard well.
Dilin Jones, running back
Previous school: Wisconsin
After his freshman season in Madison, Dilin Jones decided he wanted to move on to somewhere where he could make more of an impact early on in his career. LSU was that place, and that impact has certainly been made.
Jones is part of a running back duo that has him doing damage with Harlem Berry, one that Golesh has made note of in his study of the team. The sophomore has had pretty productive days throughout the season, notching 128 carries for 566 yards and five touchdowns.
He has also gotten more touches as a receiving back as well, totaling 26 catches for 190 yards. Fifteen of those catches have come in the last two games, so it is seemingly becoming a cemented part of the plan on Saturdays.
TJ Dottery, linebacker
Previous school: Ole Miss
One of the many players that followed Kiffin from Ole Miss, TJ Dottery has been a force on the defensive side of the football, and it is a good thing that he has been, as injuries have caught hold of some of LSU’s top players and held them out.
Dottery has been one of the fortunate ones to stay healthy, and his numbers show how much of an impact he has made in Baton Rouge. The senior has 18 more tackles than anybody else on the team with 52, which goes along with three pass deflections and two forced fumbles.
His 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame allows him to be a big body in the middle of the field, where his physicality stands out in being able to track receivers down. He has a chance to be potent on Saturday.
Ty Benefield, safety
Previous school: Boise State
Among all of the players in the secondary for LSU, Ty Benefield is currently the leader in total tackles and is third on the team as a whole. Benefield’s time at Boise State saw him become an impact player quickly, giving him some looks when he entered the portal.
It was going to be extremely difficult for him to replicate the year he had in 2025 for the Broncos, when he had 105 total tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. His numbers do not put him on pace to reach that mark, but he has continued to patrol the deep part of the field well.
The 6-foot-3 height that he has will allow him to go up and grab a pass if tested, or at the very least create some major traffic and disruption. That could throw a wrinkle as Auburn continues to mount up its passing game.
Winston Watkins Jr., wide receiver
Previous school: Ole Miss
Winston Watkins Jr. has finally gotten his chance to shine under the leadership of Kiffin, and while he got some playing time in Oxford, he has become a mainstay in this receiving room that LSU has.
The sophomore is currently the second-leading receiver with 33 receptions for 447 yards and two touchdowns through seven games, which is more than he had all of last season. Watkins tallied two 100-yard performances against Clemson and Texas A&M, making him a threat to be a go-to target for Leavitt.
He is smaller at 5-foot-10, 182 pounds, but his speed makes up for that. That will allow him to become a possibility in the run game, which can throw a creative loop in the offense.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
