Week 9: October 27, 2007
LSU OFF
Dear Samsonites,
This will be a short report, as will next Monday’s report. Also, I have been asked if I would be willing to post reports from guest columnists. The answer is yes. Just email it to me and I’ll post them every so often. Also, I have enjoyed the comments every week but if you leave a comment be sure that you also include your name. And just so you know, “Left Boot” is not a name, Tetlow.
Week 9 Games of the Week: (Predicted Winners in CAPS)
(9) KANSAS @ Texas A&M
(18) Georgia @ (11) FLORIDA
Nebraska @ (19) TEXAS
(7) WEST VIRGINIA @ Rutgers
(16) South Carolina @ TENNESSEE
Lock of the Week: (3-3)
(22) Auburn (-17) vs. Ole Miss
Upset Special: (4-2) I’m going for the Upset Trifecta!
(12) Southern Cal (+3) @ (5) Oregon
(25) Penn St. (+4) vs. (1) Ohio St.
(21) California (+3) @ (4) Arizona St.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sweep the Leg!!
Week 8: October 20, 2007
(4) LSU defeats (17) Auburn, 30-24
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Game Recap:
It was another cardiac game inside Death Valley. I think this season alone has erased about 4 years off the end of my life. LSU again played a poor first half, falling behind 17-7 at the halfway point. It took a dominating 3rd quarter and a pretty good 4th quarter to pull off another last second win.
The offensive game plan was solid. LSU opened up the playbook a little bit, and it showed. LSU put up 488 yards of total offense against a very good Auburn defense. The return of Early Doucet was huge. His presence in the game is invaluable. As predicted, Matt Flynn looked like his old self as he had a great game and a career night with 319 yards passing. The offensive line gave Flynn time to throw the ball and opened up nice holes for the running backs. But the hero of the game was Demetrius Byrd. I’ve been lauding this guy since he got here, and he’s finally made a name for himself. Everyone will remember the Flynn-Byrd connection at the end of this game like they remember the Hodson-Fuller, or Mauck-Green, connections. It was a special play and a great way to end the game.
The defense had a good, not great, game overall. They still are having trouble getting a consistent pass rush on the quarterback. This gives the receivers plenty of time to find an opening in the secondary. They also are getting suckered into coverage mismatches. For example, the last couple of weeks, our linebackers have been forced to cover the running backs releasing from the backfield. Our linebackers are fast, but not that fast. We need to find a way to get our linebackers some help in those situations. Poor tackling was a problem in this game as well. We did not wrap up Brad Lester and he had a lot of yards on second effort.
The Good:
Although it wasn’t pretty in the first half, LSU did what they had to do to keep their dreams alive for another national title. It appears now more than ever that the Kentucky loss did not hurt us in that respect. Win out, and you’re in. It’s as simple as that.
I’m impressed with the heart of this team. It’s not easy to make a comeback like we witnessed in the second half. A 10 point deficit to a very defensive Auburn team was a huge hurdle to overcome. But they did it. They stayed true to their gameplan and executed much better in the second half. This comeback will serve as valuable experience the next time this team is trailing.
The Bad:
What is going on with the game management at the end of games? While I’m not really convinced that the clock should have gone all the way down to 1 second, I don’t understand why we had to cut it so close. The play call was good. Taking a shot at the endzone was the right call. But Les Miles did himself no favors by once again taking unnecessary risks. The key word there is unnecessary, and the Les Miles naysayers have another bullet for their guns. Clock management, especially at the end of games, has been one of Miles’ biggest problems.
Another criticism I have of miles is his personnel choices. Why can’t Charles Scott and Keiland Williams get more touches? They have big play potential and can score from anywhere on the field. Charles Scott hits the open holes so hard that he’s already gained 5 yards before the defense takes a hit on him. Yet he only gets the ball 5 times??? Keiland Williams takes a shovel pass 46 yards for a TD and then only gets one more carry the whole game??? I don’t get it. I’d like to see a little more of them on first and second down. If you want to use Hester on 3rd downs, that’s fine with me. But give Scott and Williams the rock! They can go the distance.
The Ugly:
Chaz Ramsey. Punk!
You are the most pathetic type of human being in civilized society. Like a spoiled kid, you resort to cheating when you know you can’t win fairly. The knee chop was the most unsportsmanlike play I have EVER seen in my entire life. I’ve been around sports since before I can remember, and I’ve never witnessed such a malicious attack in any sport on any level. Chaz Ramsey is a punk! He’s a cheater and a criminal. You jeopardized a man’s entire future. His life. The life of his kids. You crossed the line and you should be suspended from college athletics for the rest of your life. Get on your knees tonight and thank God that you didn’t accomplish what you intended to do. If you had done permanent damage to Dorsey, your life as you know it would be over. You’re the type of person that will eventually be a wife beater and child abuser. You are a waste of a human being. Take your beating like a man instead of trying to ruin someone’s career. If I were Glenn Dorsey, I’d be on my way to Auburn, Alabama right now to beat you within an inch of your life. But I’m not Glenn Dorsey; he’s too classy to do something like that.
And Tuberville, you should be ashamed of yourself. With your record of classless behavior, it is not out of the question that you instructed this type of play. Your defensive attitude after the game reeks of a guilty conscience. You were quoted as saying, “We did not teach it, will not teach it, and won’t tolerate it.” YES YOU DID! YES YOU WILL! YES YOU DO! I hate you even more now.
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-169 , AU-97
Passing: LSU-319 , AU-199
Total: LSU-488 , AU-296
Game Ball:
Matt Flynn. Excellent game. Flynn was 22 of 34 for 319 yards, all career highs. He also had another 34 yards rushing. The interception was not his fault and his receivers dropped 6 catchable balls. Still, Flynn had the best game of his career. Now let’s see that against Bama!
Did you notice?
After Dorsey was injured on the first illegal chop block, he returned a few series later. On his first play back, he tossed Chaz Ramsey into the backfield like the punk he is. It was nice to see good triumph over evil.
Did you notice part II?
Did you see who was lined up in the noseguard position on the punt return team? Yes, it was big Trindon Holliday trying to sneak through the line and get a hand on the ball.
Week 8 Games of the Week:
UCLA def. (10) California, 30-21
(14) Southern Cal def. Notre Dame, 38-0
(15) Florida def. (7) Kentucky, 45-37
Alabama def. (20) Tennessee, 41-17
Vanderbilt def. (6) South Carolina, 17-6
Rutgers def. (2) South Florida, 30-27
Rankings:
Here’s the updated top 10 BCS rankings:
1. Ohio St.
2. Boston College
3, LSU
4. Arizona St.
5. Oregon
6. Oklahoma
7. West Virginia
8. Virginia Tech
9. Kansas
10. South Florida
Whack Stats:
The Big Ten Conference, as a whole, has won only one non-conference game against a Division 1-A opponent with a winning record. That win came against Bowling Green. Not a single win against a BCS conference team with a winning record for any of its eleven members. That’s whack!!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Tigers vs. Pussy Cats!
Week 8: October 20, 2007
(4) LSU vs. (17) Auburn
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
8 pm ESPN
Point Spread:
LSU (-11)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach – Tommy Tubberville
Auburn is a serious contender for the West. They are a legitimate threat to LSU. They stumbled twice early this year, but have since found some consistency on offense and have stopped turning the ball over. They are not the same team that lost to Mississippi St.
Auburn is 2-0 in road contests this season. They have won their last 8 SEC road games going all the way back to the 2005 LSU-Auburn game where LSU won 20-17. They have won their last 9 matchups with Top 10 opponents. That should tell you something about Tubberville’s ability to prepare his team for the big games. And this one is HUGE!
Week 1: Defeated Kansas St., 23-13
Week 2: Lost to South Florida,26-24
Week 3: Lost to Mississippi St., 19-14
Week 4: Defeated New Mexico St., 55-20
Week 5: Defeated Florida, 20-17
Week 6: Defeated Vanderbilt, 35-7
Week 7: Defeated Arkansas, 9-7
LSU Offense vs. Auburn Defense:
Defense is the strength of this Auburn team. Auburn is second in the league in total defense behind LSU. Quentin Groves, the anchor on the d-line, will be back for this game after missing the last two with a foot injury. Last year, Auburn held LSU to its fewest points in the Les Miles era. Auburn has held 17 of its last 20 opponents to 20 points or less. Like LSU, they are very balanced on defense and they will be coming after the quarterback. The offensive line better be prepared for a blitz scheme like they’ve not seen yet this year. Mushchamp and Tubberville will find ways to disrupt our offense. They have a knack for attacking your offensive strengths. Don’t forget, this team has already shut down Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden. It will be a physical game when LSU’s offense is on the field.
I expect a much better performance from Matt Flynn this game with the return of his safety net, Early Doucet. Flynn will once again feel comfortable throwing the ball and his confidence should re-emerge. Brandon Lafell didn’t handle the spotlight very well while Doucet was out, but he should slide back to the #2 guy and fulfill his role nicely. Will Arnold will also be healthy but I’m not sure how much he’ll play after missing over a month of contact. Hopefully, we’ll see a Crowton offensive game plan instead of the Miles game plan that we saw at the end of the Kentucky game.
Auburn Offense vs. LSU Defense:
Auburn’s signal caller is Brandon Cox, a 3rd year starter. Cox has shown moments of brilliance and he’s looked kinda bad. In that respect, he’s much like Flynn. Their stats are very similar as well. Brad Lester is Auburn’s starting tailback and R. Smith is Auburn’s leading receiver. The Auburn o-line is very young and they might line up a true freshman across from Dorsey. That would be a huge mismatch I don’t care how good he is. Dorsey will probably be double-teamed as usual. This offense is not as good as the last two that we’ve faced. Cox is not a good scrambler so we should be able to put pressure on him and get a few sacks. But I said that about Woodson too. We need to turn up the heat on our rush defense!
Game Prediction:
LSU is still in great position but we have no room for error. If we lose to Auburn, we probably won’t make it to Atlanta and you can forget about another national championship. Auburn has a lot to play for as well so both teams should be equally motivated. The winner of this game has a clear lead in the west. In the last 7 years, the winner of this game has made it to Atlanta 5 times. Furthermore, the home team has won this game each year in that same 7 year span. The last 3 games have been settled by a total of 8 points.
This will be a tough fight. Tubberville is a very good gameday coach. He’s got a lot of deception between those huge ears. He’s cocky, he’s annoying, he’s Tubberville. He’s the kind of coach you’d just love to run up the score on. Unfortunately, that won’t happen. LSU will maintain a 1 possession lead throughout most of the game and score late to put it away. LSU’s home winning streak is extended to 18 games.
I’ll take LSU – 24, Auburn – 10.
Week 8 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
Mississippi St. at (9) WEST VIRGINIA
(21) Tennessee at ALABAMA
(14) SOUTHERN CAL at Notre Dame
Miami at FLORIDA ST.
(10) OREGON at Washington
(1) OHIO ST. at Michigan St.
Lock of the Week: (2-3)
(15) Florida -7 at (7) Kentucky
Kentucky will lose this game for the same reason they beat LSU. The crash after an emotional high! Plus, Florida was off last week and they’re still pissed off about the LSU game. I would bet the farm on this game if I were a gambling man, which everyone knows I am not.
Upset Special: (3-2)
UCLA over (12) California
The Name Game:
This is a series that has been punctuated by a lot of crazy games. The interception game, the Earthquake game, the Barn Burner game, the Cigar game, the Band Punter fight game, Refgate, and last year’s Grand Theft Auburn. What will happen this year?
Did you hear?
In a recent press conference, Tubberville is already talking about how his team will not get any calls inside Death Valley. Excuse me, but your team has STOLEN the last two games at Auburn. The inequities inside your stadium have been very well documented. Not to mention that LSU has gotten the stinky end of the stick this year when it comes to penalties. Pot meet Kettle! Shut the hell up EARS!
(4) LSU vs. (17) Auburn
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
8 pm ESPN
Point Spread:
LSU (-11)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach – Tommy Tubberville
Auburn is a serious contender for the West. They are a legitimate threat to LSU. They stumbled twice early this year, but have since found some consistency on offense and have stopped turning the ball over. They are not the same team that lost to Mississippi St.
Auburn is 2-0 in road contests this season. They have won their last 8 SEC road games going all the way back to the 2005 LSU-Auburn game where LSU won 20-17. They have won their last 9 matchups with Top 10 opponents. That should tell you something about Tubberville’s ability to prepare his team for the big games. And this one is HUGE!
Week 1: Defeated Kansas St., 23-13
Week 2: Lost to South Florida,26-24
Week 3: Lost to Mississippi St., 19-14
Week 4: Defeated New Mexico St., 55-20
Week 5: Defeated Florida, 20-17
Week 6: Defeated Vanderbilt, 35-7
Week 7: Defeated Arkansas, 9-7
LSU Offense vs. Auburn Defense:
Defense is the strength of this Auburn team. Auburn is second in the league in total defense behind LSU. Quentin Groves, the anchor on the d-line, will be back for this game after missing the last two with a foot injury. Last year, Auburn held LSU to its fewest points in the Les Miles era. Auburn has held 17 of its last 20 opponents to 20 points or less. Like LSU, they are very balanced on defense and they will be coming after the quarterback. The offensive line better be prepared for a blitz scheme like they’ve not seen yet this year. Mushchamp and Tubberville will find ways to disrupt our offense. They have a knack for attacking your offensive strengths. Don’t forget, this team has already shut down Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden. It will be a physical game when LSU’s offense is on the field.
I expect a much better performance from Matt Flynn this game with the return of his safety net, Early Doucet. Flynn will once again feel comfortable throwing the ball and his confidence should re-emerge. Brandon Lafell didn’t handle the spotlight very well while Doucet was out, but he should slide back to the #2 guy and fulfill his role nicely. Will Arnold will also be healthy but I’m not sure how much he’ll play after missing over a month of contact. Hopefully, we’ll see a Crowton offensive game plan instead of the Miles game plan that we saw at the end of the Kentucky game.
Auburn Offense vs. LSU Defense:
Auburn’s signal caller is Brandon Cox, a 3rd year starter. Cox has shown moments of brilliance and he’s looked kinda bad. In that respect, he’s much like Flynn. Their stats are very similar as well. Brad Lester is Auburn’s starting tailback and R. Smith is Auburn’s leading receiver. The Auburn o-line is very young and they might line up a true freshman across from Dorsey. That would be a huge mismatch I don’t care how good he is. Dorsey will probably be double-teamed as usual. This offense is not as good as the last two that we’ve faced. Cox is not a good scrambler so we should be able to put pressure on him and get a few sacks. But I said that about Woodson too. We need to turn up the heat on our rush defense!
Game Prediction:
LSU is still in great position but we have no room for error. If we lose to Auburn, we probably won’t make it to Atlanta and you can forget about another national championship. Auburn has a lot to play for as well so both teams should be equally motivated. The winner of this game has a clear lead in the west. In the last 7 years, the winner of this game has made it to Atlanta 5 times. Furthermore, the home team has won this game each year in that same 7 year span. The last 3 games have been settled by a total of 8 points.
This will be a tough fight. Tubberville is a very good gameday coach. He’s got a lot of deception between those huge ears. He’s cocky, he’s annoying, he’s Tubberville. He’s the kind of coach you’d just love to run up the score on. Unfortunately, that won’t happen. LSU will maintain a 1 possession lead throughout most of the game and score late to put it away. LSU’s home winning streak is extended to 18 games.
I’ll take LSU – 24, Auburn – 10.
Week 8 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
Mississippi St. at (9) WEST VIRGINIA
(21) Tennessee at ALABAMA
(14) SOUTHERN CAL at Notre Dame
Miami at FLORIDA ST.
(10) OREGON at Washington
(1) OHIO ST. at Michigan St.
Lock of the Week: (2-3)
(15) Florida -7 at (7) Kentucky
Kentucky will lose this game for the same reason they beat LSU. The crash after an emotional high! Plus, Florida was off last week and they’re still pissed off about the LSU game. I would bet the farm on this game if I were a gambling man, which everyone knows I am not.
Upset Special: (3-2)
UCLA over (12) California
The Name Game:
This is a series that has been punctuated by a lot of crazy games. The interception game, the Earthquake game, the Barn Burner game, the Cigar game, the Band Punter fight game, Refgate, and last year’s Grand Theft Auburn. What will happen this year?
Did you hear?
In a recent press conference, Tubberville is already talking about how his team will not get any calls inside Death Valley. Excuse me, but your team has STOLEN the last two games at Auburn. The inequities inside your stadium have been very well documented. Not to mention that LSU has gotten the stinky end of the stick this year when it comes to penalties. Pot meet Kettle! Shut the hell up EARS!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Bluegrass Misery
Week 7: October 13, 2007
(17) Kentucky defeats (1) LSU, 37-43
Commonwealth Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky
Game Recap:
So, LSU takes one on the chin. It happens. The recipe for upset was set up perfectly, as described in my last report. That doesn’t make the loss any easier to take, but it shouldn’t have come as any big surprise. There is only so much gas in the tank, and LSU was running on fumes after pushing themselves to the limit vs. Florida. The way that I see it, LSU’s loss was 3 part:
Part 1: The Flags
I thought LSU killed themselves with HUGE penalties in the game. I think all were legitimate, but I also think the ref’s were a little trigger happy against LSU. We were flagged 12 times for 103 yards. It is often said that a penalty can be called on every play, depending on the prerogative of the referees. Maybe so, but LSU certainly was NOT the beneficiary of any game changing penalties, while UK had about 3 or 4 go their way that had a serious impact on the outcome. That’ll happen more times than not when you’re playing a close game on the road. This is not “THE” reason why we lost.
Part 2: The Gameplan
The offensive and defensive game plans were not appropriate, and it showed. Where was the blitzing? Where were the confusing defensive packages that other qb’s have had trouble recognizing all season? Woodson simply walked up to the line, read the defense, audibled, and marched the ball all over LSU. LSU didn’t check out of any defensive schemes when it was clear that Woodson was reading us like a novel. Every time Woodson checked at the line, I knew that something bad was about to happen. Offensively, we abandoned what was working. I don’t know why we didn’t see more from Charles Scott in the second half. He averaged 13.4 yards per carry. In the second half, he saw the ball only twice for 3 yards. Where was Ryan Perriloux and the new looks that he provides? What was going on with the game management at the end of regulation? The coaching staff dropped the ball this game and Miles took credit for the loss after the game, as he should have.
Part 3: The Players
The players had a bad game, plain and simple. I don’t think any player would be happy with their personal performance. The game was full of mental errors, lack of intensity and focus, especially on offense. Kentucky was hungry and wanted it more than LSU. As the cheer goes, “You gotta want it, to win it!”
Still, with all of that, LSU had plenty of chances to win the game. There are about two dozen “If’s” that we can look back on as missed opportunities. Doing that, however, will only drive you crazy.
So what’s next???
Well, Auburn is next. You must have a short memory when you win, and when you lose. Put this loss behind you and realize that Auburn can, and will, beat you if you don’t flush this loss and move on. Don’t make the same mistake twice. This Kentucky loss has added some fuel to the tank and the upcoming bye week should top it off heading into the home stretch of this season.
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-261, UK-125
Passing: LSU-142, UK-250
Total: LSU-403, UK-375
Game Ball:
Charles Scott. Good game on offense and special teams. He is becoming the most consistent player on the team. Did you see him hit those holes in the first half? Impressive!
The worst part…
The worst part of any loss is listening to some of the fans. Every fan base has a doomsday crowd that emerges after a loss. So many people suffer from a lack of perspective and common sense it makes me sick. Some people always have to whine and complain about something. The “I told you so” crowd always comes out in force to make themselves heard. If there is one type of person in the world that I hate, it would be the person that, deep down inside, wants LSU to lose so that they can bitch and complain on Monday morning. These are the know-it-alls that take a contrarian view point on every topic to try to lend credibility to their “superior knowledge.” My goal is to always see both sides of an argument. If I criticize the players or coaches, I’ll be the first one to praise them when they succeed. After all, The Samson Report is the home of “objective” homerism. You must be fair. I don’t listen to people who are so one-sided. Your opinion is crap to me!
The type of fans that I respect are the ones that had a good attitude on Monday morning. The ones that realize that everything is still well within reach if you bounce back and continue to work hard. I like the people that know the grass is not always greener; the ones that respond to adversity with character. What type of fan are you? Are you Chicken Little? If so, Shutup! Stand up! BE A TIGER!
Week 7 Games of the Week:
Oregon St. def. (2) California, 31-28
(4) Boston College def. Notre Dame, 27-14
(6) Oklahoma def. (11) Missouri, 41-31
Penn St. def. (19) Wisconsin, 38-7
(22) Auburn def. Arkansas, 9-7
Wake Forrest def. (21) Florida St., 24-21
BCS Mess:
The BCS Poll was released for the 1st time this season. Despite a disappointing weekend, LSU is in great shape to make a run the title game. LSU comes in at #4 due to the quality of teams LSU has played thus far. We are the highest ranked team with one loss. LSU is #5 in most other polls. Here is the BCS Top 15:
1. Ohio St.
2. South Florida
3. Boston College
4. LSU
5. Oklahoma
6. South Carolina
7. Kentucky
8. Arizona St.
9. West Virginia
10. Oregon
11. Virginia Tech
12. California
13. Kansas
14. Southern Cal
15. Florida
2007: The year college football goes psycho!
Take a good look at the polls. What’s going on? This season has been crazy. The Top 10 teams have been shuffled more times than a deck of cards. The NC race is still wide open. This is how college football should be. It’s not as fun when 1 or 2 teams stay on top all season long like years past.
Closing Thoughts:
It’s never as good as it seems when you’re winning and it’s never as bad as it seems when you’re losing. Most people understand that you can’t win every game. College football has its ups and downs. This is what it’s all about. Embrace it. Geaux Tigers!!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Cat Fight!
Week 7: October 13, 2007
(1) LSU Tigers at (17) Kentucky Wildcats
Commonwealth Stadium; Lexington, KY
2:30 CBS
Point Spread:
LSU (-9)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach: Rich Brooks
Kentucky plays basketball, not football… until now. Under Rich Brooks, Kentucky has seen unprecedented success on the gridiron. Are they worthy of the top 10? No. It is my opinion that Kentucky was a little overrated last week at #8 due to a weak schedule. They did beat Louisville but that win has lost a lot of credibility since Louisville also lost to Syracuse. At #17, I think they are appropriately ranked, but they are still dangerous; perhaps more so. If I had to summarize the Kentucky team in one quick sentence, I’d say they have a great offense but an equally bad defense. They will not contend for the SEC East, much less a BCS bowl game.
Week 1: Defeated Eastern Kentucky, 50-10
Week 2: Defeated Kent St., 56-20
Week 3: Defeated Louisville, 40-34
Week 4: Defeated Arkansas, 42-29
Week 5: Defeated Florida Atlantic, 45-17
Week 6: Lost to South Carolina, 38-23
LSU Offense vs. Kentucky Defense:
This will be a huge mismatch. LSU should have no trouble putting points on the board against the Kentucky defense. It is more like a Big East defense. And with the return of Early Doucet, LSU will once again have a reliable receiver and team leader. LSU’s offense will roll up big numbers this week.
Kentucky Offense vs. LSU Defense:
Kentucky boasts the best offense in the conference, or at least the most productive. Kentucky is led offensively by senior Andre Woodson. He is 135/207 for 1536 yards. Woodson’s favorite target is Keenan Burton. Even though Woodson has the best stats in the conference, I don’t think he is as good as Tebow. For one thing, he can’t run and he’s only a threat in the passing game. One dimensional QB’s are now a thing of the past in college football. Running the ball is also a strength for the Wildcats. Rafael Little is the leading rusher and is very good. He’s already rushed for 682 yards on 107 carries.
Game Prediction:
LSU is coming off a huge emotional win at home against Florida. Conversely, UK is coming off their first defeat of the season at the hands of another SEC East foe. Kentucky will be hungry for this one, while LSU may still be wrapped up in the emotion of last week. The East is still wide open and Kentucky will be fighting for a chance to go to Atlanta. Kentucky fans must be thinking, “Why not us?” I don’t think they will make it to the SEC CG, but they still control their own destiny with upcoming games against LSU, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Still, grandiose delusion can carry a team for a while so expect big things from Kentucky. I’m not going to call for the upset, but LSU better watch out for this one. Keep in mind that LSU barely escaped Lexington the last 2 times they’ve played there. And those UK teams were not nearly as good as this one.
I’ll take LSU-33, Kentucky-20
Week 7 Games of the Week: (Predicted Winners in CAPS)
Oregon St. at (2) CALIFORNIA
(4) BOSTON COLLEGE at Notre Dame
(11) Missouri at (6) OKLAHOMA
(19) Wisconsin at PENN ST.
(22) Auburn at ARKANSAS
Purdue at MICHIGAN
Georgia Tech at MIAMI
ALABAMA at Miss. St.
Oklahoma St. at NEBRASKA
Lock of the Week: (1-3)
Virginia Tech (-13.5)
Upset Special: (3-1)
North Carolina over South Carolina
Is it just me?
I’ve noticed a lot of fans have been overlooking this game against Kentucky. Everyone wants to talk about the Florida game. You know, the “best game ever played in Tiger Stadium!” Instead of looking ahead, we are actually looking back. Nobody has said too much about the Wildcats. Usually I judge the team’s readiness by the fans. The fans provide a surprisingly accurate macrocosm of the team. If the fans are excited, so is the team. If the fans are flat, the team will be flat. It’s just human nature. If that holds true this week, the team has overlooked the Wildcats and we are primed for a colossal loss. Let’s just forget about the Florida game until after the season is over.
Did you know?
LSU is the only team in the preseason top 10 without a loss. There is a lot of parity in college football this year, especially in the SEC. Consider this… LSU beat Mississippi State, Mississippi State beat Auburn, Auburn beat Florida, Florida beat Tennessee, Tennessee beat Georgia, Georgia beat Alabama, Alabama beat Arkansas which lost to Kentucky which lost to South Carolina which lost to LSU, which beat Florida.
Geaux Vote:
Election Day is October 20th this year. Yes, the day of the Auburn game. Absentee voting is open until tomorrow (Saturday) for those of you that would rather tailgate than wait in line at the voter’s booth. The Samson Report officially endorses Mr. Bobby Jindal for Governor.
Speaking of voting…
I posted a poll question in the right column. Vote or Die!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
See You Later Gators!!
Week 6: October 6, 2007
LSU-28, Florida-24
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Happy Birthday Lauren!!
Game Recap:
Words cannot describe how great of a game this was. It will go down as one of the greatest ever played inside Death Valley. Maybe it will come to be called the 4th down game, after LSU converted 5 of 5 on 4th. LSU needed every single one of them to secure a win. It was certainly a gamble, especially when a field goal ties the game and sends you to overtime in your own stadium with all of the momentum. Les Miles will forever be known as Coach Lesticles after this game. With his reputation and coaching legacy on the line, he shows the nation that he is playing for a title. So far this season, he has out-coached Frank Beamer, Steve Spurrier, and Urban Meyer. Yes, he out-coached all of them despite having a better team. If you’re not yet on the Les Miles bandwagon, you’re about to miss the bus.
Tiger Stadium was at its best Saturday night. Another record crowd of 92,910 watched the game inside the insane-asylum known as Death Valley. Let me tell you something, it was LOUD! Really really freaking LOUD! The great atmosphere was seen across the country as CBS drew the highest tv rating of any college football game on any network this season. Also, LSU campus police estimated the on-campus crowd to be between 160,000 and 170,000 people. That’s insane!
As for the game itself, it was a fight to the death. LSU trailed the entire game and finally grabbed a lead with just over 1 minute to play. The offense once again relied on the running game to move the ball. The offensive line was able to get a good push and played great. The running backs, especially Jacob Hester, pounded the ball consistently. The passing game was ok. Flynn had a few bad throws, but had a good night. It appeared as though his ankle injury had no affect on his game. Lafell continued to drop passes but he did make several big catches on 3rd downs. Demetrius Byrd continues to improve each game and I’m excited to see him develop. I hoped Terrance Tolliver would have played more but the true freshman is not ready yet. Defensively, LSU bent but did not break. With the exception of one blown coverage, LSU’s defense dominated Florida in the second half. They again had trouble containing Tebow, who is a machine. LSU did hold Florida to 162 yards below their season average, which is great. Several big turnovers proved to be the difference in this game.
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-247, UF-156
Passing: LSU-144, UF-158
Total: LSU-391, UF-314
Play of the Game:
If I had to choose just one, it would be the 4th down touchdown from Matt Flynn to Demetrius Byrd. Flynn was flushed from the pocket and rolled around the right side and finally found Byrd who had broken off his route and found a hole in the UF defense.
Game Ball:
I just have to give out 2 game balls this week. Coincidentally, these are my two favorite players on the team.
The offensive game ball goes to Jacob Hester for his absolute refusal to go down when the game is on the line. Hester had 106 yards on the night. Had he only 105 yards, LSU would have lost the game. Les Miles owes this man a steak dinner. Hester definitely improved his draft stock on Saturday.
The defensive game ball goes to Craig “The Steltz Bomber” Steltz. He had 13 tackles and provided a few huge hits. He has been dropping bombs all season. If he’s not an All American, I don’t know who is.
Week 6 Games of the Week:
Stanford def. (2) USC, 24-23
Illinois def. (5) Wisconsin, 31-26
(10) Oklahoma def. Texas, 28-21
(15) Virginia Tech def. Clemson, 41-23
(4) Ohio St. def. (23) Purdue, 23-7
(11) South Carolina def. (8) Kentucky, 38-23
Tennessee def. (12) Georgia, 35-14
(17) Missouri def. (25) Nebraska, 41-6
Notre Dame def. UCLA, 20-6
Did you know?
The injury to Jacob Hester at the end of the game was fake. Yes, he faked the injury to allow LSU more time to find his replacement on the PAT after his chin strap broke. So in addition to the game ball, you have also earned an oscar.
Did you know Part II?
Timmy Tebow’s phone number was released to the LSU fans two days before the big game. He received several calls and text messages. I’m sure they were just to wish him luck and encourage him for the game. Tebow acknowledged the calls after UF’s first touchdown when he ran to the student section and made several phone gestures. The student section returned a few gestures of their own. Don’t stomp on our eye, and don’t taunt the student section. You will pay a high price.
New Top 5:
LSU is now the unanimous choice for #1. LSU also holds the longest winning streak in the nation at 13. Here is the top 5:
1. LSU
2. California
3. Ohio St.
4. Boston College
5. South Florida
Tailgating record broken:
I don’t have any official stats, but Bailey Lynn Mackles has set a new record as the youngest tailgater ever. At 9 days old, young Bailey has been officially crowned as the most hardcore tailgater ever. Too bad she slept through the whole experience.
LSU vs. Auburn:
The game next week has been picked up by ESPN for the 8 pm spot. Another long day of tailgating.
LSU-28, Florida-24
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Happy Birthday Lauren!!
Game Recap:
Words cannot describe how great of a game this was. It will go down as one of the greatest ever played inside Death Valley. Maybe it will come to be called the 4th down game, after LSU converted 5 of 5 on 4th. LSU needed every single one of them to secure a win. It was certainly a gamble, especially when a field goal ties the game and sends you to overtime in your own stadium with all of the momentum. Les Miles will forever be known as Coach Lesticles after this game. With his reputation and coaching legacy on the line, he shows the nation that he is playing for a title. So far this season, he has out-coached Frank Beamer, Steve Spurrier, and Urban Meyer. Yes, he out-coached all of them despite having a better team. If you’re not yet on the Les Miles bandwagon, you’re about to miss the bus.
Tiger Stadium was at its best Saturday night. Another record crowd of 92,910 watched the game inside the insane-asylum known as Death Valley. Let me tell you something, it was LOUD! Really really freaking LOUD! The great atmosphere was seen across the country as CBS drew the highest tv rating of any college football game on any network this season. Also, LSU campus police estimated the on-campus crowd to be between 160,000 and 170,000 people. That’s insane!
As for the game itself, it was a fight to the death. LSU trailed the entire game and finally grabbed a lead with just over 1 minute to play. The offense once again relied on the running game to move the ball. The offensive line was able to get a good push and played great. The running backs, especially Jacob Hester, pounded the ball consistently. The passing game was ok. Flynn had a few bad throws, but had a good night. It appeared as though his ankle injury had no affect on his game. Lafell continued to drop passes but he did make several big catches on 3rd downs. Demetrius Byrd continues to improve each game and I’m excited to see him develop. I hoped Terrance Tolliver would have played more but the true freshman is not ready yet. Defensively, LSU bent but did not break. With the exception of one blown coverage, LSU’s defense dominated Florida in the second half. They again had trouble containing Tebow, who is a machine. LSU did hold Florida to 162 yards below their season average, which is great. Several big turnovers proved to be the difference in this game.
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-247, UF-156
Passing: LSU-144, UF-158
Total: LSU-391, UF-314
Play of the Game:
If I had to choose just one, it would be the 4th down touchdown from Matt Flynn to Demetrius Byrd. Flynn was flushed from the pocket and rolled around the right side and finally found Byrd who had broken off his route and found a hole in the UF defense.
Game Ball:
I just have to give out 2 game balls this week. Coincidentally, these are my two favorite players on the team.
The offensive game ball goes to Jacob Hester for his absolute refusal to go down when the game is on the line. Hester had 106 yards on the night. Had he only 105 yards, LSU would have lost the game. Les Miles owes this man a steak dinner. Hester definitely improved his draft stock on Saturday.
The defensive game ball goes to Craig “The Steltz Bomber” Steltz. He had 13 tackles and provided a few huge hits. He has been dropping bombs all season. If he’s not an All American, I don’t know who is.
Week 6 Games of the Week:
Stanford def. (2) USC, 24-23
Illinois def. (5) Wisconsin, 31-26
(10) Oklahoma def. Texas, 28-21
(15) Virginia Tech def. Clemson, 41-23
(4) Ohio St. def. (23) Purdue, 23-7
(11) South Carolina def. (8) Kentucky, 38-23
Tennessee def. (12) Georgia, 35-14
(17) Missouri def. (25) Nebraska, 41-6
Notre Dame def. UCLA, 20-6
Did you know?
The injury to Jacob Hester at the end of the game was fake. Yes, he faked the injury to allow LSU more time to find his replacement on the PAT after his chin strap broke. So in addition to the game ball, you have also earned an oscar.
Did you know Part II?
Timmy Tebow’s phone number was released to the LSU fans two days before the big game. He received several calls and text messages. I’m sure they were just to wish him luck and encourage him for the game. Tebow acknowledged the calls after UF’s first touchdown when he ran to the student section and made several phone gestures. The student section returned a few gestures of their own. Don’t stomp on our eye, and don’t taunt the student section. You will pay a high price.
New Top 5:
LSU is now the unanimous choice for #1. LSU also holds the longest winning streak in the nation at 13. Here is the top 5:
1. LSU
2. California
3. Ohio St.
4. Boston College
5. South Florida
Tailgating record broken:
I don’t have any official stats, but Bailey Lynn Mackles has set a new record as the youngest tailgater ever. At 9 days old, young Bailey has been officially crowned as the most hardcore tailgater ever. Too bad she slept through the whole experience.
LSU vs. Auburn:
The game next week has been picked up by ESPN for the 8 pm spot. Another long day of tailgating.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
We Must Protect This Valley!
Week 6: October 6, 2007
(1) LSU vs. (9) Florida
Death Valley, Baton Rouge
Welcome to a special edition of The Samson Report. This week, LSU takes on the Florida Gators in a primetime network CBS game. I was only 1 years old the last time LSU played a primetime network game. Also, LSU will be playing their first game as the #1 ranked team in the nation since 1959.
LSU controls their own destiny as the #1 team in the nation but Florida is still in the hunt as well despite a loss last week to Tuberville’s Auburn Tigers. Gameday will be on campus and the entire nation will be watching this game. It is guaranteed to be a classic SEC showdown that Tiger fans will never forget.
Point Spread:
LSU (-9)
Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach: Urban Meyer
The defending National Champion Florida Gators are without question the toughest team LSU will play in the regular season. They have tremendous athletes like LSU and great coaching like LSU. They are very young, especially on defense. Quarterback Tim Tebow is already a superstar in Gainesville. He is a big, strong QB that loves to dip his shoulder and run like a fullback. This year, he’s added a new song to his repertoire. He is a great passer. The most explosive weapon on the Florida offense is RB/WR Percy Harvin. Harvin has great speed and big play potential. Another offensive weapon is WR Andre “Bubba” Caldwell who is returning from injury. Speaking of injuries, Florida has had a lot.
The latest news from Gator country is the arrest of safety Tony Joiner. Joiner, who is arguably the best defensive player on the team, was arrested Tuesday for breaking into an impound yard and attempting to steal his girlfriend’s car. He was a captain of the team before the incident. Will he play??? Probably. Urban Meyer does not run a very disciplined program. They are already calling the incident a “misunderstanding.” On the contrary Urban Meyer, we understand perfectly, especially after the Marcus Thomas situation last year. For those of you that don’t know, Marcus Thomas was arrested for drug possession and suspended from the team. He was magically reinstated for the LSU game and then suspended again after the LSU game. Classy move Urban!!
Week 1: Defeated Western Kentucky, 49-3
Week 2: Defeated Troy, 59-31
Week 3: Defeated Tennessee, 59-20
Week 4: Defeated Ole Miss, 30-24
Week 5: Lost to Auburn 20-17
LSU Offense vs. Florida Defense:
Defensively, Florida is vulnerable. They lost a lot of great players and they are very young. Statistically, they rank 5th nationally in rushing defense and 80th in passing defense. I think they will stack the box with 8 and hope that our young receivers and hobbled QB don’t take advantage. That is good news for LSU fans because that means they will go a lot of man-to-man on LSU’s receivers. You should see a healthy dosage of Terrance Tolliver who has proven to be much more effective when covered one on one. This is because he doesn’t know the entire playbook and relies on his height and tremendous speed. The 10 yard slant pattern should be wide open this game. If my prediction is correct, Florida will try to defend the run first. LSU should have an average game running the ball. Our offensive tackles will be challenged this game.
Florida Offense vs. LSU Defense:
Florida’s offense has been very predictable and one sided, or should I say two sided. Tebow and Harvin have assumed the lion’s share of touches. Tebow is the only rushing threat on the team, but he is very effective. Conversely, LSU is allowing only 1.3 yards per rush and 39 yards per game. Something’s got to give. Let’s hope its Tebow’s knees. (Just Kidding)(Not Really)
Special Teams:
Is this the week that “Punt Ugly” finally catches up to the Tigers? I hope not because a blocked punt almost always leads to points and is usually a catastrophic momentum changer. The punt return game hasn’t been much better. Hopefully, freshman Chad Jones will take over for Jared Mitchell. Jones looked very impressive catching the ball first and missing the gunners. We still don’t have a kicker that can get the ball anywhere close to the end zone.
Keys to the Game:
The LSU defensive line must get a push into the backfield. That may not be easy to do since the Florida offensive line has only allowed 2 sacks all season, but that probably has more to do with the strength of Tebow. We may see someone like Danny McCray shadowing Tebow and I think that’s a great idea. Stop Tebow, you win. Do you hear me Glenn Dorsey? STOP TEBOW!!!!
Game Prediction:
Florida lost to Auburn in a thrilling game last weekend. If you’re Florida, you gotta love the fact that you have a chance at immediate redemption. Florida will be pumped up and ready to play. I think this will be a really close game. The team with the least turnovers wins. It’s going to be one for the ages.
I’ll take LSU-27, Florida-17
Injury Report:
It does not appear as though LSU will have the services of Early Doucet. This is certainly a big blow to the LSU offense. Doucet is a leader and a field general. To make it worse, inside reports say that Doucet may not be back until the Alabama game. It is time for the young guys to step up.
Will Arnold is also not going to play due to the nagging virus that has affected his joints.
Week 6 Games of the Week: (Predicted winners in CAPS)
(20) Cincinnati @ (21) RUTGERS
(5) WISCONSIN @ Illinois
(15) Virginia Tech @ (22) CLEMSON
(19) Texas vs. (10) OKLAHOMA (Dallas)
(12) Georgia @ TENNESSEE
(4) OHIO ST. @ (23) Purdue
Lock of the Week: (1-2)
Alabama (-11)
Upset Special: (3-0)
Oklahoma St. over Texas A&M
Tiger Nation :
I want to take this opportunity to send a message to Tiger Nation. Listen to me now and heed these words. You have to step up this week. The team needs you to do what you do best….party hard, cheer loud, and defend the valley. We as fans don’t get the chance to strap on a helmet and pads. We don’t get to run through the tunnel and through the band. But we as fans can have a huge impact on the game. Florida’s offense audibles at the line of scrimmage a lot. That’s a perfect opportunity to become part of the game, not just a spectator. I know that I’ll be screaming my ace off. You must uphold the reputation as the most feared football venue in the nation. Florida will be ready. Florida will be hungry. Florida will hit you in the mouth and throw in a few kidney shots for good measure. It’s going to be a fight. Don’t let up, don’t ever let up. You all know what’s at stake. WE MUST PROTECT THIS VALLEY!!!
Need a ticket? Arm and leg please!
This could be the biggest game in Tiger Stadium history. If you judge by ticket prices, this certainly is. Most tickets are going for over $300 a piece. I predict that Tiger Stadium will finally break the 93,000 barrier.
Bring Back the Magic
Do you realize that the last time we had Florida in our house for a night game was 1997, the year that LSU upset the #1 ranked team in the nation. Everyone remembers where they were on that night. I’m one of the few Tiger fans that can admit they were not in the stadium that night. I watched the game at Jeremy Breaux’s house in the Dell with a bunch of high school teammates.
Weather Update:
At last check, the threatening weather should be gone by late Friday. That sets up a great day of tailgating and a dry game.
Mike VI:
Big Mike will make his debut in Tiger Stadium this Saturday night at 6:55 pm. Also, he will be leading the band down the hill at 5:40. I can’t think of a better atmosphere to christen Mike VI.
Next Week:
The LSU-Kentucky game next week has been picked up by CBS for their 2:30 slot.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Upset Saturday
Week 5: September 29, 2007
LSU Defeats Tulane, 34-9
New Orleans Superdome
Game Recap:
We all watched the game. It doesn’t take a sports genius to figure out that LSU was not mentally prepared for this game. I could write for days about LSU’s troubles in the first half, but let’s not. Instead, let’s just call Saturday’s game a learning experience and move on.
Although Flynn had another bad game, he did throw for a career high 258 yards. He could have had a lot more if he hadn’t missed wide open receivers down field on multiple occasions. He did not have any designed run plays this week, but that was probably for Florida’s benefit. Perrilloux looked good running the ball, but didn’t pass much. Again, this could be to bait Florida next week.
The Superdome could possibly be the worst atmosphere for college football that I have ever witnessed. I was in favor of the 10 year series with Tulane. But after this weekend, I would prefer if we set fire to that contract. The crowd of 58,769 mostly hungover LSU fans was as flat as the team, me included. I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe it was because of the new uni’s, or the 11 am start, or the 11,000 empty seats, or the fact that the outcome was never in question despite trailing at one point. I don’t know.
Bob Toledo and his trick plays didn’t work, but they did excite the Tulane faithful (all 58 of them). Give credit to Tulane for their intensity. They didn’t get the memo that they are woefully inferior to LSU. If LSU had just one percent of the energy and fire that Tulane had, we’d have won by 70 points. Instead, we were flatter than a 2-day old beer. Seriously, the Tulane fans went absolutely crazy on every LSU miscue. They reacted as though they won the Superbowl on almost every play in the first half. It was annoying, and somewhat sad. They honestly believed that they had a chance to win. Of course, that was never the case.
It was kind of like watching a kid’s T-ball game. The Tulane fans were happy just to see their players make contact with the ball and make it to first base. There were countless mental mistakes by LSU. Some of our players were picking flowers in center field and looking forward to the pizza party at Chucky Cheese. The shortstop had his glove on his head and was picking his nose. Meanwhile, the ball is rolling to the fence and Tulane actually takes a lead. What the hell? That’s not supposed to happen. The Tulane fans are climbing the fence and setting off fireworks. I think Bob Toledo got a gatorade bath and a contract extension at halftime. It was the definition of a moral victory for Tulane. And they deserved it for the effort and intensity that they showed throughout the first half. But it’s time now for Tulane to return to their rightful place in college football, an afterthought. You had your 15 minutes in the spotlight and you made the most of it. Congratulations!
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-134 Tulane-88
Passing: LSU- 257 Tulane-139
Total: LSU- 391 Tulane-227
Game Ball:
Charles Scott gets the game ball this week for his performance against Tulane. Scott had 6 rushes for 53 yards and two touchdowns. Scott looked especially good on his 35 yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
Injuries:
Once again, LSU avoided major injury. The only minor injury that I’ve heard of was Brandon Lafell’s strained achilles tendon. Lafell was able to return to the game.
Also, Marlon Favorite sat out the Tulane game with an ankle sprain. Coach Miles did say that he could have played if he’d been needed. Doucet also sat out with an injured ankle but he may be back for the Florida game.
Wave Buster:
I am happy to report that I single handedly prevented “The Wave” from forming in section 613. Right after the LSU field goal to put LSU ahead 13-9, some idiotic lady tried with all her might to start the wave across several sections. She didn’t know that I would rally the fans in an anti-wave protest. Seriously lady, we’re beating Tulane by 4 points and you want to do the wave??? Not gonna happen on my watch!!
We’re Going Streaking:
LSU has won 12 straight games, good for the 3rd longest winning streak in school history. LSU also has the second longest winning streak in the nation behind Wisconsin (14).
Whack Stats:
- LSU had -11 yards rushing at halftime. That’s whack!
- LSU committed 15 penalties, 11 of those in the 1st half. That’s whack!
Week 5 Games of the Week:
Auburn def. (4) Florida, 20-17
Kansas St. def. (7) Texas, 41-21
Colorado def. (3) Oklahoma, 27-24
(6) California def. (11) Oregon, 31-24
(1) USC def. Washington, 27-24
(8) Ohio St. def. Minnesota, 30-7
(9) Wisconsin def. Michigan St., 37-34
Maryland def. (10) Rutgers, 34-24
Georgia Tech def (13) Clemson, 13-3
Illinois def. (21) Penn St., 21-20
(18) South Florida def. (5) West Virginia, 21-13
Florida St. def. (22) Alabama, 21-14
Upsets:
It was certainly a wild weekend of college football with several major upsets in the top 15. Teams ranked #3, #4, #5, #7, #10, #11, and #13 all lost throwing the polls into disarray. National Title Contenders Florida, West Virginia and Oklahoma lost leaving them with a slim to none chance of making it to New Orleans on January 7th.
LSU is #1:
Perhaps the biggest shock of the week came Sunday afternoon when the AP released their Top 25 poll. LSU has leapfrogged USC and is now the #1 team in the country! This is surprising since USC won their game this weekend. LSU will play a regular season game ranked #1 for the first time since 1959. LSU remains #2 in the coach’s poll. Here is the complete AP Top 25.
1. LSU
2. Southern Cal
3. California
4. Ohio St.
5. Wisconsin
6. South Florida
7. Boston College
8. Kentucky
9. Florida
10. Oklahoma
11. South Carolina
12. Georgia
13. West Virginia
14. Oregon
15. Virginia Tech
16. Hawaii
17. Missouri
18. Arizona St.
19. Texas
20. Cincinnati
21. Rutgers
22. Clemson
23. Purdue
24. Kansas St.
25. Nebraska
Gameday to LSU:
ESPN Gameday will still be coming to LSU for this week’s game against Florida despite Florida’s loss to Auburn last Saturday. I hope they set up near the PMAC and forget about the Parade Grounds location. CBS will also be on campus for a college football preview show of some kind.
LSU Defeats Tulane, 34-9
New Orleans Superdome
Game Recap:
We all watched the game. It doesn’t take a sports genius to figure out that LSU was not mentally prepared for this game. I could write for days about LSU’s troubles in the first half, but let’s not. Instead, let’s just call Saturday’s game a learning experience and move on.
Although Flynn had another bad game, he did throw for a career high 258 yards. He could have had a lot more if he hadn’t missed wide open receivers down field on multiple occasions. He did not have any designed run plays this week, but that was probably for Florida’s benefit. Perrilloux looked good running the ball, but didn’t pass much. Again, this could be to bait Florida next week.
The Superdome could possibly be the worst atmosphere for college football that I have ever witnessed. I was in favor of the 10 year series with Tulane. But after this weekend, I would prefer if we set fire to that contract. The crowd of 58,769 mostly hungover LSU fans was as flat as the team, me included. I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe it was because of the new uni’s, or the 11 am start, or the 11,000 empty seats, or the fact that the outcome was never in question despite trailing at one point. I don’t know.
Bob Toledo and his trick plays didn’t work, but they did excite the Tulane faithful (all 58 of them). Give credit to Tulane for their intensity. They didn’t get the memo that they are woefully inferior to LSU. If LSU had just one percent of the energy and fire that Tulane had, we’d have won by 70 points. Instead, we were flatter than a 2-day old beer. Seriously, the Tulane fans went absolutely crazy on every LSU miscue. They reacted as though they won the Superbowl on almost every play in the first half. It was annoying, and somewhat sad. They honestly believed that they had a chance to win. Of course, that was never the case.
It was kind of like watching a kid’s T-ball game. The Tulane fans were happy just to see their players make contact with the ball and make it to first base. There were countless mental mistakes by LSU. Some of our players were picking flowers in center field and looking forward to the pizza party at Chucky Cheese. The shortstop had his glove on his head and was picking his nose. Meanwhile, the ball is rolling to the fence and Tulane actually takes a lead. What the hell? That’s not supposed to happen. The Tulane fans are climbing the fence and setting off fireworks. I think Bob Toledo got a gatorade bath and a contract extension at halftime. It was the definition of a moral victory for Tulane. And they deserved it for the effort and intensity that they showed throughout the first half. But it’s time now for Tulane to return to their rightful place in college football, an afterthought. You had your 15 minutes in the spotlight and you made the most of it. Congratulations!
Game Stats:
Rushing: LSU-134 Tulane-88
Passing: LSU- 257 Tulane-139
Total: LSU- 391 Tulane-227
Game Ball:
Charles Scott gets the game ball this week for his performance against Tulane. Scott had 6 rushes for 53 yards and two touchdowns. Scott looked especially good on his 35 yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
Injuries:
Once again, LSU avoided major injury. The only minor injury that I’ve heard of was Brandon Lafell’s strained achilles tendon. Lafell was able to return to the game.
Also, Marlon Favorite sat out the Tulane game with an ankle sprain. Coach Miles did say that he could have played if he’d been needed. Doucet also sat out with an injured ankle but he may be back for the Florida game.
Wave Buster:
I am happy to report that I single handedly prevented “The Wave” from forming in section 613. Right after the LSU field goal to put LSU ahead 13-9, some idiotic lady tried with all her might to start the wave across several sections. She didn’t know that I would rally the fans in an anti-wave protest. Seriously lady, we’re beating Tulane by 4 points and you want to do the wave??? Not gonna happen on my watch!!
We’re Going Streaking:
LSU has won 12 straight games, good for the 3rd longest winning streak in school history. LSU also has the second longest winning streak in the nation behind Wisconsin (14).
Whack Stats:
- LSU had -11 yards rushing at halftime. That’s whack!
- LSU committed 15 penalties, 11 of those in the 1st half. That’s whack!
Week 5 Games of the Week:
Auburn def. (4) Florida, 20-17
Kansas St. def. (7) Texas, 41-21
Colorado def. (3) Oklahoma, 27-24
(6) California def. (11) Oregon, 31-24
(1) USC def. Washington, 27-24
(8) Ohio St. def. Minnesota, 30-7
(9) Wisconsin def. Michigan St., 37-34
Maryland def. (10) Rutgers, 34-24
Georgia Tech def (13) Clemson, 13-3
Illinois def. (21) Penn St., 21-20
(18) South Florida def. (5) West Virginia, 21-13
Florida St. def. (22) Alabama, 21-14
Upsets:
It was certainly a wild weekend of college football with several major upsets in the top 15. Teams ranked #3, #4, #5, #7, #10, #11, and #13 all lost throwing the polls into disarray. National Title Contenders Florida, West Virginia and Oklahoma lost leaving them with a slim to none chance of making it to New Orleans on January 7th.
LSU is #1:
Perhaps the biggest shock of the week came Sunday afternoon when the AP released their Top 25 poll. LSU has leapfrogged USC and is now the #1 team in the country! This is surprising since USC won their game this weekend. LSU will play a regular season game ranked #1 for the first time since 1959. LSU remains #2 in the coach’s poll. Here is the complete AP Top 25.
1. LSU
2. Southern Cal
3. California
4. Ohio St.
5. Wisconsin
6. South Florida
7. Boston College
8. Kentucky
9. Florida
10. Oklahoma
11. South Carolina
12. Georgia
13. West Virginia
14. Oregon
15. Virginia Tech
16. Hawaii
17. Missouri
18. Arizona St.
19. Texas
20. Cincinnati
21. Rutgers
22. Clemson
23. Purdue
24. Kansas St.
25. Nebraska
Gameday to LSU:
ESPN Gameday will still be coming to LSU for this week’s game against Florida despite Florida’s loss to Auburn last Saturday. I hope they set up near the PMAC and forget about the Parade Grounds location. CBS will also be on campus for a college football preview show of some kind.
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