INSIDE SLANT
LSU's
loss to Auburn put the Bayou Bengals in an odd spot as they headed into their
bye week.
They now
are in a position to help Auburn further along in the SEC Western Division by
winning their next game.
If LSU
can beat Alabama when the teams meet in Tiger Stadium on Nov. 4, it would
virtually hand a spot in the SEC championship game to Auburn.
If
Auburn is able to get by two struggling opponents, Ole Miss and Georgia, in its
next two games, its game against Alabama on Nov. 26 would have no impact at all
on the division race if the Tide has lost to LSU.
Because
of is loss to South Carolina, the Crimson Tide simply can't afford another
defeat in league play if it wants to retain its conference championship hopes.
How
sweet that would be to LSU and its fans to deliver a knockout blow to the Tide.
LSU has
lost close games the last two years to the Tide. The last time the teams met in
Baton Rouge, Alabama won 27-21 in overtime in 2008. Last year, LSU lost a 24-15
game to the eventual national champions in a game marked by a controversial
replay decision.
NOTES, QUOTES
-- LSU
dropped into seventh in rushing defense in the SEC after giving up 440 yards on
the ground to Auburn. The Tigers' average went from 83.6 yards yielded a game
to 128.1. LSU had given up a net total of only 585 yards to its opponents
through its first six games.
-- QB
Jordan Jefferson's five rushing touchdowns are the most by an LSU quarterback
in a season since 1998, when Herb Tyler had seven.
-- LSU
remains last in the league in passing (138.8 ypg) and is fifth in rushing
(179.1).
SEASON SUMMARY: The Tigers got off to
their best start since 1973 by winning their first seven games, but the loss at
Auburn cost them their first 5-0 start in SEC play since that same season. The
Tigers also won their first three games against foes ranked at the time of
their meeting, beating North Carolina (then No. 18) in the season opener in
Atlanta and following that with a win over West Virginia (then No. 22) at home
and a road win at Florida (then No. 14). None of those teams is ranked in the
latest polls, however.
LOOKING AHEAD: The loss to Auburn
severely dampened LSU's SEC hopes, but the way is still there for the Tigers to
get into a BCS bowl game. By winning out, they would finish 11-1, and such a
mark would include wins over Alabama and Arkansas, both ranked teams. The
Tigers play the Tide on Nov. 4 and finish against the Razorbacks on Nov. 27.
With the SEC Eastern Division winner assured of at least two losses, LSU could
be a more attractive at-large entity when bowl bids go out.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's
still early in the back end of the season. We have a lot of good football teams
to play, and we're looking forward to it." -- Coach Les Miles, on moving
forward following the loss to Auburn.
STRATEGY AND
PERSONNEL
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: LSU has
gone to playing two quarterbacks since junior Jordan Jefferson, who took a big
majority of the snaps in the early games, couldn't get the passing game going.
But junior Jarrett Lee wasn't exactly a big success in the loss at Auburn. The
Tigers have a solid running game behind TB Stevan Ridley and have some
breakaway receivers in Terrence Toliver, Reuben Randle and Russell Shepard,
though Toliver hasn't had the kind of season expected of him.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Despite
the performance against Auburn, when it gave up 440 yards rushing, the defense
has performed well for LSU. LB Kelvin Sheppard is among the conference leaders
in tackles (9.1 a game), and DT Drake Nevis is among the sack leaders (0.62 per
game). CB Patrick Peterson is considered one of the top cover corners in the
country, and most teams concede that and throw the other way. That's helped CB
Mo Claiborne get a team-high four interceptions.
ROSTER REPORT:
-- DE
Barkevious Mingo, a redshirt freshman, got his first career start in the game
at Auburn. He was credited with two tackles.
-- RB
Stevan Ridley, who led the SEC in rushing for several weeks, now is fourth
after gaining only 37 yards in the loss at Auburn. He is averaging 90.4 ypg.