ESPN College Football

ATLANTA -- LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson has been electric. He's also been untouched for most of this game and has sparked the Tigers to a 30-10 lead with his efforts in the return game. What seemed to be a winnable game minutes ago for North Carolina has suddenly taken a dramatic turn in LSU's favor, and that's due in large part simply to the blazing speed of the Tigers, starting with Peterson in the return game. UNC's defense has allowed one too many big plays in this quarter, and they've added up. Peterson has easily been one of the most entertaining aspects of this game. Every time he touches the ball it seems as if you know he's gone.

ATLANTA -- You don't think speed makes a difference in college football?

LSU leads North Carolina 30-10 in the second quarter, and the only difference in the game is a trio of big plays by Russell Shepard, Patrick Peterson and Rueben Randle.

Really, North Carolina has looked more into the game and outplayed LSU much of the way.

But Peterson took a punt back 87 yards for a touchdown, reminding everyone why he's one of the best players in all of college football. Prior to Peterson leaving a vapor trail down the left sideline, Shepard took an inside handoff and sprinted 50 yards for a touchdown.

And then to top it off, Randle got behind the North Carolina defense for a 51-yard touchdown catch. That's after Peterson returned another punt 37 yards to put the Tigers in position.

Yep, speed kills. Just ask the Tar Heels.

ATLANTA -- And just like that, UNC's blunders returned. A poor decision in the return game gave the Tar Heels terrible field position, and a bad snap resulted in a safety and a 16-10 deficit.

North Carolina has already proven it can move the ball, but now it's going backwards again. Some of this has to do with young, inexperienced players making mistakes. There have been enough flashes of potential in this game, though, that North Carolina is still in it. That's thanks in part to LSU's mistakes, as the Tigers have also fumbled.

Whoever cuts down on the mistakes in the second half is the team that will win.

ATLANTA -- For all of the North Carolina fans who crucified quarterback T.J. Yates before he even took the field tonight, feel free to apologize now.

Yates threw a 75-yard pass to Jheranie Boyd for first-and-goal at the 5-yard-line. He has shown tonight that he's better, that he's capable of leading this team when it's at its lowest, and that he can compete with LSU's fast, talented secondary -- the strength of the Tigers' team. Had Devon Ramsay been able to hold onto the ball in the end zone, UNC would have scored another touchdown. Instead, they had to "settle" for a field goal and a 10-7 lead.

Raise your hand if you thought I'd write "UNC" and "lead" tonight.

I'll admit I didn't.

But these Tar Heels are out to prove me wrong.

ATLANTA -- UNC has finally sustained a drive. North Carolina has shown a bit of what it can do when quarterback T.J. Yates gets some decent protection, as the game is now tied at 7.

So far it's been a receiver-by-committee effort. Carolina has to be able to throw the ball downfield to slow down LSU's defense, and Yates has shown flashes of being able to do that. Yates has shown a bit of spunk tonight, popping up after getting drilled by Lamin Barrow and answering with a touchdown pass to rumbling fullback Devon Ramsay. These Tar Heels aren't going down quietly, and Yates is playing a big role in that enthusiasm. The team seems to be feeding off of his energy right now, and he's definitely got some zip on his throws.

ATLANTA -- Even though LSU leads 7-0 against North Carolina in Saturday's Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, it's difficult to feel good about the Tigers' offense if you're of the LSU persuasion.

Quarterback Jordan Jefferson threw a nice ball on his 6-yard touchdown pass to Russell Shepard, who did an excellent job of holding onto the pass with a defender all over him.

But the Tigers still haven't driven the ball. They got a pair of gifts from the Tar Heels on back-to-back fumbles -- one at the 35 and another at the 30.

On the first fumble, though, LSU couldn't do anything with it and failed to convert on third-and-3. Making it even worse, Josh Jasper missed his field goal.

It's hard to say at this point that the running game looks any better than it did a year ago.

ATLANTA -- It was only a matter of time before LSU was able to capitalize on UNC's mistakes. Two turnovers on two possessions finally proved costly, as LSU took advantage of a bad snap and was able to score on the following possession. The Tigers lead 7-0 here in the first quarter.

North Carolina's roster is already depleted. It can't survive this game if it continues to turn the ball over. UNC hasn't even given itself a chance to move the ball because of two lost fumbles. It's one thing to lose to a better team. It's another to give the game away.

ATLANTA -- North Carolina's offense fell flat on the opening drive with a fumble, but UNC caught a break because LSU couldn't take advantage of terrific field position and missed a field goal.

So far, both teams are going nowhere fast and have made mistakes. LSU and Carolina should settle down a bit as the game progresses. It seems like there are some jitters out there right now, and understandably so.

ATLANTA, Ga. -- With 13 players -- including seven starters on defense -- who didn't make the trip to the Georgia Dome, the odds are stacked against North Carolina. Les Miles is expected to win this game, and if he doesn't, it's going to be a long season and probably his last.

The Tigers lost nine games the past two years and the rumblings about the direction the program is headed have grown louder. A loss against an undermanned UNC team would only add fuel to the fire and will set the tone for the season.

At North Carolina, a black eye to the university's academic mission won't be tolerated by chancellor Holden Thorp. And it's hardly as if Butch Davis' 11-13 record in the ACC is enough of an argument to bail him out of this public relations nightmare.

It's only the first week of the season, but for these two coaches, it's already a must-win situation.

ATLANTA -- At one point, it looked like either redshirt freshman Craig Loston or true freshman Eric Reid might start at free safety for LSU.

But the Tigers have decided to go with senior Jai Eugene, who moved to safety in the spring from cornerback.

That means all four starters in the secondary for the Tigers will be players who started their careers as cornerbacks.

ATLANTA -- This was already a game LSU coach Les Miles really couldn't afford to lose.

Now, with 13 North Carolina players sidelined, it's a game he better not lose.

It's akin to getting a mulligan on a 3-foot putt. You simply can't miss.

The Tigers will have a huge edge in experience Saturday night in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. North Carolina's starting secondary, which is depleted, won't have a single player with starting experience.

Overall, the Tar Heels will be missing seven starters on defense.

The Tigers need to prove a couple of things. First, junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson needs to establish that this is his team. He didn't do that in the spring.

Secondly, LSU has to rediscover its running game. If the Tigers can't run the ball against a severely shorthanded North Carolina defense, then that's probably not a good sign for down the road against SEC defenses.

Ultimately, the Tigers just need to win. The pressure's squarely on them now with the Tar Heels missing most of their best players.

The bigger picture is this: If LSU truly is an SEC championship contender this season, this is a game the Tigers will win in convincing fashion.

ATLANTA -- The Georgia Dome is a mammoth bubble that gives the vibe of a big-time college football atmosphere.

It's the kind of place where true freshmen dream of playing, and then throw up in the locker room once they get here and realize they have to.

The young players on North Carolina's revamped depth chart will undergo a rookie hazing today in the season opener against LSU. The disparity in starting experience is glaring. According to the North Carolina depth chart that was released in the press box, UNC's starting defensive linemen will have a combined five starts (and that's thanks in large part to four from defensive tackle Tydreke Powell). None of the four new starters in the secondary have ever started a game. At left defensive end, freshman Kareem Martin is backed up by another freshman, Tim Jackson.

The Tar Heels are still solid at linebacker, where Kevin Reddick, Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter are veterans. That trio will have to anchor the entire defense.

The offense will sorely miss its three leading rushers in Shaun Draughn, Ryan Houston and Greg Little, but Johnny White has eight career starts and can take advantage of this opportunity.

It's possible that the loss of 13 players -- including seven starters on defense -- could only bring this team closer together in an us-against-the-word mentality. But emotion can only overcome experience for so long.

ATLANTA -- A tentative UNC depth chart was just handed out in the press box. As expected, there are a lot of unfamilar names on it, particularly on defense and in the secondary.

Here's what jumps out (starters listed first):

RB -- Johnny White
Anthony Elzy
Hunter Furr

WR -- Dwight Jones
Joshua Adams
Todd Harrelson

WR -- Erik Highsmith
Jheraine Boyd

Left DE -- Kareem Martin
Tim Jackson

Left DT -- Quinton Coples
Jordan Nix

Right DT -- Tydreke Powell
Jared McAdoo

Right DE -- Donte Paige-Moss
Adam Curry

Will LB -- Quan Sturdivant
Zach Brown

Mike LB -- Kevin Reddick
Dion Guy

Sam LB -- Bruce Carter
Herman Davidson

CB -- Mywan Jackson
Jabari Price

SS -- Gene Robinson
Curtis Campbell

FS -- Matt Merletti
Pete Mangum

CB -- LeCount Fantroy
Tre Boston