Will the REAL Tigers Please Stand Up

 

Today’s LSU game pits the #6 ranked Bayou Bengals against the #9 ranked Auburn Tigers, er…Plainsmen, er…War Eagles…

This modern day SEC rivalry is usually an all out war with the last four games decided by a total of 14 points. LSU has scored a scant 36 points at Auburn under Coach Tommy Tuberville’s watch — meaning that tonight’s battle on the plains of Alabama will be SEC football at it’s finest. A defensive battle that will likely be decided in the last minute of the game, reminiscient of LSU’s dramatic win last year in Baton Rouge.

“The Catch”

Every Auburn/LSU clash seems to provide a story. There’s the Earthquake Game in 1988, where LSU comes from behind to beat Auburn 7-6 and the ensuing fan noise registers a small “earthquake” in the Geology wing at LSU.

There’s the Barn Burner game where the Auburn Sports Arena burned in the background while LSU squeaked out a 19-15 victory.  There are the “Cigar” games, and so many last minute finishes that are nicely re-capped by Wikipedia, here. 

The winner of this game has “won the West” division of the SEC six of the last eight years, so odds are that this game will produce the lead contender to go to the SEC Championship.  No doubt, it will be interesting.

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Spotlight On: Charles Scott

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Charles Scott

POSITION: Running Back
HEIGHT: 5-11
WEIGHT: 233
CLASS: Junior
EXPERIENCE: 2L
HIGH SCHOOL: Jonesboro-Hodge HS
HOMETOWN: Saline, La.

Charles Scott rushed for a career high 160 yards and two touchdowns in LSU’s opener against Appy St.  He added another pair of long touchdowns (39 and 43 yarders) last week against North Texas State. 

LSU is deep at running back with Keiland WIlliams, Richard Murphy, Mighty Mouse Trindon Holliday, Quinn Johnson and a pack of rookies and second-stringers.  However, Charles Scott has proven that he deserves the starting position.  Here’s hoping for a REALLY stellar performance “on the plains”.

Week 4, Win #2 — LSU 41, North TX St. 3

After four weeks of college football, we still don’t know exactly what LSU has or doesn’t have.  Saturday’s win over North Texas didn’t do much to answer any questions about the quarterbacks nor did it really give us an idea of just how good the defense is.  It did remind us of how fast Trindon Holliday really is.

 

The 5′ 5″ speedster scored on a 92 yard punt return, flying past the Mean Green AND his punt coverage.

In addition to Holliday’s touchdown return, he set up another short score with a 59 yard punt return.  The running game was also dominating with Charles Scott scoring twice on long runs and Quinn Johnson getting his first career score.  So dominating, in fact, that we really haven’t seen much of the passing game.  Even though Brandon Lafell had and Chris Mitchell combined for 11 catches and 119 yards, the majority of this game played out on the ground.

As such, the QB issue is still a big question mark.  Does LSU have enough to face the coming weeks of Auburn, Mississippi State, Florida, South Carolina and Georgia?  That’s a tall order for any team and may just be more than our young QBs can handle.  But we will see…

While LSU still leaves questions to be answered, we’ve learned a few things elsewhere in College Football….

• Ohio State is as over-rated as they have been the last two years, but having played a real opponent, i.e., USC, early they have been exposed this year.  Get ’em OUT of the Top 10.
• Notre Dame may not be as terrible as they looked in their opener against San Diego St.  If every game can be played in the rain, perhaps they have a chance to really make some noise….nah.
• ECU is still a force to be reckoned with.  After beating Virginia Tech and West Virginia, they held off conference opponent Tulane, 28-24.  After two program-making wins, it’s very easy to suffer a let down.  ECU may just be 2008’s Cinderella story.
• With virtually their whole team returning, Auburn looked to be a national threat.  With good efforts in their first two games, it appeared that they were, in deed, for real.  Then, yesterday an undeserved win against Mississippi St., 3-2.  Three to two.  Having said that, look for Sylvester Croom’s Dawgs to play the spoiler in the SEC West.
• Georgia may not be a top contender, and not just because of their effort against South Carolina.  They were lackluster in their effort against Georgia Southern and even allowed Central Michigan 17 points.  They do not look like the Georgia of the last few years and they have a day of reckoning coming with Florida.
• USC is the real deal.  As much as I despise Pete Carroll and the Trojans, this team has significiant depth and literally wiped the field with Ohio St.  If they can get past their Achilles’ Heel of Cal, they may just run the table.
• Florida’s St. Tim (Tebow) looks to have his Heisman winning form again this year and the Florida/LSU game in the Swamp in a few weeks looks to be shaping up as a war.

The Mean Green Machine is Makin’ the Scene….

Finally.

LSU is confirmed to play the North Texas “Green Machine” this Saturday in the battered, but still standing, Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.  As earlier reported in the Gustav post, Baton Rouge suffered tremendous tree and wind damage during Gustav.  Many of the stately old oak trees that populate the city are gone now, including the 250-year old Thomas Boyd Oak that graced the State Capitol grounds.  As the daughter and granddaughter of nurserymen, it pains me to see these wonderful treasures destroyed by these heinous storms.  Speaking of which, Godspeed to all of our Texas buddies…

This game should be a walk for LSU.  They are a 41 (yes, that’s a FOUR and a ONE) point favorite.  Having not played for two weeks, LSU really needs some tune-up time before the big SEC opener against Auburn next week, which will be an away game.  The SEC West is really up for grabs this year, so this first conference game will be very illuminating, me thinks.

As for Saturday, there are a lot of storm-weary Cajuns who are chomping at the bit to hear,

Ladies & Gentleman,

IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT IN TIGER STADIUM!!!

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Doin’ the Gustav Shuffle

Last Saturday morning, Gustav was bearing down on Louisiana, so LSU’s game against Appalachian St. was moved up to 10:00am.  Lordy, mid-morning?  While I understood the early start so the evacuation order could be given right after the game, a familiar “day game” dread came over me.  You see, LSU has a horrific record playing early Saturday games.  And, while their opponent was definitely not of LSU’s caliber, it is the team that handed Michigan that stunning loss last year.  Given the pre-occupation of the weather, the upstart opponent and the insane starting time, this could have spelled disaster for LSU.

By all accounts, #6 ranked LSU played good enough to win and win handily.  The lopsided score of 41-13 showed that LSU did show up to play, even though they were less than “crisp” in the second half.  There’s work to do on special teams and refinement of coverages, but all in all…a good showing.  Both Quarterbacks (Andrew Hatch and Jarrett Lee) got lots of playing time and both had good stats.  The running game looked particularly strong, once again.

The Advocate, Travis Spradling
Charles Scott runs in a score.

More on Charles Scott later…

After the game, the LSU faithful along the Gulf Coast prepared and evacuated for Gustav.  Baton Rouge experienced the swirling winds of the Eastern eye wall of Gustav, causing substantial damage to many of the lush trees that populate the city.  Many of these trees are on or surrounding the LSU campus.

Because of the vast power outages and damage to Tiger Stadium the Troy St. game for this Saturday has been re-scheduled for LSU’s current bye week of November 15th.  This gives LSU a week off to gather themselves after this storm and prepare for North Texas at home, next Saturday.  That is, unless Ike pays a visit.

C’mon, Let’s GEAUX

This “sub-blog” is designed to allow my LSU thoughts to expound without diluting the Music Maven blog.

I love College Football!!!!  There’s nothing like it.  I love SEC Football!!!  There’s nothing like it.  But, mostly, I love LSU Football!!! Because, there truly IS nothing like it.

I hope that you’ll join in with your love of LSU, the SEC or College Football, in general.