LSU football gives game ball to five-star freshman after Week 13 win

LSU football's sluggish performance against Western Kentucky on Saturday night didn’t yield many positives, with the offense scoring just 13 points all game. One bright spot, however, was true freshman cornerback D.J. Pickett, who earned the game ball for his performance against the Hilltoppers.

Pickett certainly deserved this honor, with a key sack to open the second half and set the Tigers up in great field position. On the following drive, Pickett hauled in an interception in Tiger territory that set up the first of two Damian Ramos field goals.

On the day, Pickett totaled one sack, three defensive stops, and an interception, per Pro Football Focus. He was targeted eight times and allowed four catches for 20 yards.

Pickett was one of the gems of LSU's 2025 recruiting class, ranked as a five-star recruit and the fifth-ranked cornerback in the country, according to 247Sports.

While it wasn’t an inspiring game from LSU’s offense, Pickett and the Tigers’ defense remained the quality unit that they’ve been for much of this season. They’ll need to take the momentum they built in this one to Norman next week, where they’ll face the Oklahoma Sooners. That matchup won’t carry much weight for the Tigers’ season, but Oklahoma needs a win to keep its playoff hopes alive.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football gives game ball to five-star freshman after WKU win