LSU's Brian Kelly looking for execution against Florida State

You can practice it, drill it, memorize it, script it and visualize it.

Ultimately, though, in a big-game matchup like the Week 1 clash between No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Florida State, it comes down to execution. 

You can talk about it as a head coach all you want. As the saying goes, though ... "Don't talk about it. Be about it."

That's what LSU head coach Brian Kelly is looking for out of his team this Sunday.

“Now you’ve gotta go out and execute," Kelly recently said, per 247Sports. "We’ve been preparing since the last game we played and we’ll see what this team does when it comes time to perform."

Kelly will need his team to perform well, especially after last season's disappointment. Heisman-contending quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Tigers to a touchdown with no time left on the clock to bring them within a point after a furious comeback. 

The problem? The extra point was blocked, which gave Kelly his first loss as head coach of LSU in stunning fashion.

LSU finished the 2022 season at 10-4 with a win in the Citrus Bowl and the Tigers are expected to be a contender in the SEC this season, but Florida State head coach Mike Norvell will be looking to play spoiler again for the season opener. 

Speaking of Heisman contenders, he has one of his own in FSU quarterback Jordan Travis. 

This is going to be a massive test for LSU. Some teams schedule a "cupcake" in Week 1. Credit to the Tigers, because this is anything but.

Still, Kelly seems confident that the preparation will pay off.

"I know they’ve prepared really well and my experience tells me that teams that prepare well, when they flip the switch to performance, they can and will perform well," Kelly said.