After Auburn’s huge win over Georgia, it’s still a mystery if linebacker Xavier Atkins will play against his former team, LSU. Coach Alex Golesh said they’re still working on it, and there’s no update yet. Atkins didn’t play or travel for the Georgia game, and he was suspended last week for reasons that Golesh wants to keep private. Atkins is a key player for Auburn; last year, he was an All-American with 84 tackles and nine sacks. This season, he’s got 37 tackles and three sacks in five games. Without him, Elijah Melendez and Bryce Deas stepped up big time in the Georgia win. Melendez said of Deas, ‘He’s a great athlete and player. We promised each other we’d die on that field if we had to.’ The SEC will release an availability report on Wednesday, with updates until kickoff. Auburn hosts No. 18 LSU on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ABC.
