The times are changing. The NCAA reworked its transfer rules prior to last season creating a college free agency of sorts<\/a>. And while year one numbers show that the floodgates of transfers didn\u2019t open quite as far as many predicted, it\u2019s also clear that transfers have already made significant impacts. Indeed, when the Oklahoma Sooners and LSU Tigers meet in the college football playoff semifinal on Saturday afternoon, two immediate-impact transfers will take center stage as two transfer quarterbacks square off in the Peach Bowl.<\/p>\n This time last season, Jalen Hurts<\/strong><\/a> took over backup duties for Tua Tagovailoa<\/strong><\/a> at Alabama. The Crimson Tide beat Oklahoma<\/a> to clinch a berth in the National Championship.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Joe Burrow<\/strong><\/a> was acclimating to life in Baton Rouge after transferring from Ohio State. This year, they lead their teams to conference championships and a bid to the Peach Bowl.<\/p>\n If the Sooners are going to overcome the Tigers, they will have to do so short-handed. As we reported previously, Oklahoma suspended several players for the Peach Bowl<\/a>. This will leave the Sooners short on depth, especially on defense. Indeed, one of the suspended players, Ronnie Perkins<\/strong><\/a>, served as the Sooners most consistent pass rusher. And the Sooners recently lost their surest tackler in the secondary, too. Delarrin Turner-Yell<\/a><\/strong> will miss the playoffs with a broken collarbone.<\/p>\n Oklahoma enters the Peach Bowl after a 12-1 season. They racked up more than 43 points a game along the way, good for sixth in the nation. And this off-season, Lincoln Riley<\/strong><\/a> hired Alex Grinch<\/strong> to revamp the defense. In turn, the Sooners surrendered less than 25 points per game, far better than the 33 points they surrendered on average last season.<\/p>\n The Sooners enter the game with playoff experience, making their third straight appearance and fourth overall. Out of the 2019 playoff teams, only Clemson has been here more often, making its fifth straight appearance. Unfortunately for the Sooners, they have not won a playoff game yet. Hurts hopes to change that.\u00a0Yet, despite the fact that he has beat LSU as Alabama\u2019s starter in 2017 (and helped lead Alabama to a national championship that same year) and 2016, Hurts told the media \u201cno pass, no touchdown, no win while I was at the University of Alabama will help us win games here.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, Hurts prefers to focus on his team. And he has a great supporting cast. Kennedy Brooks<\/strong><\/a> and Trey Sermon each average over six-and-a-half yards per carry. CeeDee Lamb<\/a><\/strong> averages over 20 yards per reception and 14 touchdowns. The offensive line has played well.\u00a0 And the defensive playmakers have progressed well under Grinch.<\/p>\n One reason Hurts\u2019 experience beating LSU at Alabama may not make any difference is that Ed Orgeron<\/strong><\/a> completely rebuilt LSU’s offensive persona<\/a> over the last two years. In 2016, LSU scored 28.3 points per game (good for 68th<\/sup> in the nation).\u00a0 In 2017, they scored just 27.2 points per game, for 76th<\/sup> nationally. Flash forward to this season, their second and the Tigers average just under 48 points a game, for 3rd<\/sup> nationally. LSU\u2019s Burrow won the Heisman<\/a>, marking just their second Heisman winner, and first since Billy Cannon<\/strong><\/a> in 1959.<\/p>\n Under Burrow, the LSU offense has been incredibly efficient, averaging nearly eight yards a play. Burrow\u2019s surrounding cast has been just as efficient. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire<\/strong><\/a> has had an award-worthy season in his own right. And Justin Jefferson<\/strong><\/a> and Ja\u2019Marr Chase<\/strong><\/a> add over 2700 yards and 32 touchdowns between the pair.<\/p>\n And despite questions about whether the Tigers\u2019 defense can keep pace with the revamped offense, they still finished the season 25th<\/sup> in scoring defense, surrendering just over 21 points a game. The secondary has proven opportunistic, too. \u00a0The trio of Derek Stingley, Jr.,<\/strong><\/a> JaCoby Stevens<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0 and Kary Vincent, Jr.<\/strong><\/a>, totaled 12 interceptions this season, proving that the \u201cDBU\u201d title is still apt.<\/p>\n LSU enters the game, however, with its own question marks. The Tigers have not appeared in a playoff yet, so experience does not favor LSU. And LSU may be without Edwards-Helaire, who is considered day-to-day with a hamstring injury. Whether either of these questions impedes LSU\u2019s march towards an undefeated season, however, remains to be seen.<\/p>\nOklahoma Sooners Preview<\/h2>\n
LSU Tigers Preview<\/h2>\n
When Transfer Quarterbacks Square Off: The Prediction<\/h2>\n