LSU’s Southeastern Conference title hopes ended a while ago.Western Kentucky is still in the thick of the Conference USA championship race.The Tigers (6-4, 3-4 SEC) and the Hilltoppers (8-2, 6-1 C-USA) meet in a nonconference game Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La., before finishing their conference schedules next week.LSU, which was ranked as high as No. 3 in September, ended a three-game losing streak when it became bowl eligible by defeating Arkansas 23-22 last week. It was the Tigers’ second game under interim head coach Frank Wilson, who replaced the fired Brian Kelly.The LSU offense got a lift from quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., who started in place of injured Garrett Nussmeier (abdomen). It’s possible that Nussmeier, who is projected as a potential first-round pick in the NFL draft, won’t play again for the Tigers.At midweek, Wilson termed Nussmeier as doubtful to play against Western Kentucky.”I know he’s going to want to (play),” Wilson said of Nussmeier. “We’re going to defer to our medical staff, our trainers, our doctors to do what’s best for him.”Van Buren began slowly in his first start at LSU, but he settled down and passed for 221 yards and a touchdown that provided the winning points midway through the fourth quarter.”There’s an adjustment from the guy that comes off the bench compared to the guy who starts and has all the monumental pressure and expectations to live up to,” Wilson said. “It was a first in Tiger Stadium for Michael, and so it took a minute for it to digest. I think he settled down well.”
