Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers are approximately 48 hours away from their Week 1 showdown against the No. 23 ranked USC Trojans.

This season we have an entirely new group with redshirt junior Garrett Nussmeier at quarterback, but the experience level on offense is enough to run this program comfortably.

Now it’s a matter of putting it all together and letting the veterans make the difference on Sunday in Allegiant Stadium.

What do the Tigers need to do right to secure their first season-opening win since 2019? What are Kelly’s keys to the game?

No. 1: Limit Zachariah Branch’s touches, Miller Moss’s explosive plays

USC will run a new offense in 2024, led by quarterback Miller Moss, but it will have an abundance of assets to work with without the exterior. It starts with the dynamic play of wideout Zachariah Branch.

He is deadly in open space as a receiving threat, but also as a return man. The goal for LSU: Don’t kick him in the soccer ball.

It’s clear the Tigers don’t want to give Branch a chance to make a major move and Kelly was clear about that on Monday.

“From a tactical standpoint, we limit his ability to field the ball. We definitely want to emphasize that we don’t want to shoot him straight down the middle of the field,” Kelly said Monday. “We have two talented kickers who both have the ability to influence the game.

“From our point of view, we have a number of things we can do to allow both to have an impact on the game. It’s a lot to do with trying to prevent the ball being kicked through the middle and giving him the opportunity to return kicks.”

For Moss, he’s in a similar boat to LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, following in the footsteps of a Heisman Trophy winner in Caleb Williams with a chance to make his mark on the Trojans.

“(Moss) was the MVP of their bowl game and he played extremely well. You take a lot of what they did in the bowl game because they had some time to really get used to what they felt was his comfort level,” Kelly said Monday.

“He’s grown since then, so there’s going to be more in the offense, but you’re going to look at what coach Riley has done successfully and you’re going to look at their offensive structure and you’re going to start building your defensive plan accordingly.”

No. 2: Use experience in attack, develop a rushing attack

LSU is comfortable with the talent it has on offense. It will be a new unit led by redshirt junior Garrett Nussmeier under center, but the arsenal of weapons he has to work with is significant.

Nussmeier will have Kyren Lacy and CJ Daniels at wide receiver, veteran running back Josh Williams and an experienced offensive line that includes four starters from last season.

If the Tigers can rely on their experienced players and use the creative game plan effectively, they are in a position to be successful from September 1.

“Winning and losing is such a fine line, and a lot of times it can just come down to the mindset of your team with accountability and leadership. I think we have that,” Kelly said Monday. “If we don’t have the type of playmakers we had last year, we have great leadership.

“We have guys that have experience, we have guys that hold each other accountable and we’re going to play until the end. That’s what this group is all about. They have experience, they know what it’s like to win games. This is a team that knows what to do and how to do it.”

No. 3: Production from the defense line

The talk of the offseason was the lack of depth within LSU’s interior defensive line room. Jacobian Guillory emerged as the Tigers’ go-to guy during spring ball with a lack of bodies, but from there it was time to become the Transfer Portal.

The Tigers went out and added Gio Paez (Wisconsin) and Jay’viar Suggs (Grand Valley State) during the offseason, and now the pair of transfers will look to play a key role in 2024.

Paez will be the starter at defensive tackle alongside Guillory in Week 1, with the Bayou Bengals also hoping for production from Suggs and others. It’s a chance for position coach Bo Davis to see his guys in an in-game situation and develop rotations accordingly.

But there is a lot to like about the defensive line room as a whole. The edge rushers have proven to be an elite piece for the defense, with Bradyn Swinson and Sai’vion Jones leading the way.

Jones has emerged as a breakout candidate for the 2024 season. Another key component will be the use of former five-star recruit and current sophomore Da’Shawn Womack as he looks to make an impact this fall.

If all goes well, this group could take the pressure off the interior defensive line and give the Tigers a boost in the trenches.

“I know our football team feels really good about where we’re at, but you’ve got to go out there and test yourself to answer those questions and then we’ll be back in a week to answer more questions about where we’re at,” Kelly said Monday.

“I know we’re prepared defensively, our guys are excited to play for Blake (Baker), there’s not a lot of confusion or failures. Guys know what it takes to play LSU football. I’m looking forward to watching them play.”

No. 13 LSU takes on No. 23 USC on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 6:30 p.m. CT in Las Vegas for the season opener at Allegiant Stadium.

LSU vs. USC: Early Betting Lines for Week 1

LSU on track for best recruiting class in America

Nick Saban calls LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a ‘sleeper’ for 2024 season

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers on SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage of the LSU program.