SEC Runts!

As you know, The Samson Report was not updated after the Louisiana Tech game. I was very busy this week and couldn’t get around to doing a report. Let me say that I think LSU had a good game against Tech but they got off to a slow start. For only the second time in the Les Miles era, they scored over 50 points so that was good. It was a very boring game and I couldn’t have loved it more.





Week 12: November 17, 2007
(1) LSU vs. Ole Miss
Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi
2:30 CBS

Point Spread:
LSU (-18.5)

Know Thy Foe:
Head Coach: Ed Orgeron

Ole Miss is bad, even by Ole Miss standards. They are dead last in the following SEC categories: scoring offense, scoring defense, total defense, and turnover margin. In fact, out of the 11 statistical categories, Ole Miss is last in 7 of them and no better than seventh of the remaining 4.
Last year they only won 2 conference games. With LSU and MSU still left to play, Ole Miss still doesn’t have a conference win yet this season. Ole Miss has lost 11 straight conference games. That’s pretty bad. To make things worse, they only had 23,000 PAID attendance at last weeks game against NW State. Ole Miss is the only school in the SEC West never to reach the SEC Championship game.
Ed Orgeron has a big personality, but he’s not much of a coach. His specialty is recruiting but he hasn’t had much success with that either. He is 10-23 since he’s been in Oxford for a winning percentage of 30.3 %. I don’t think he’ll be fired after this year but he’s toast next year. He hates LSU with a passion even though he’s from south Louisiana. He actually was on LSU’s team for a brief period of time. Maybe he still harbors hard feelings.
Despite the fact that Ole Miss is a pathetic football team, they will have the emotional advantage on Saturday. They are sky high to host the #1 team in the land. They always give LSU a good game and that’s got me a little worried. Don’t forget last year when they took us to overtime in our own stadium. LSU was a four touchdown favorite in that game. Ole Miss hates LSU. They would love nothing more than to spoil our championship season. They have enough talent to upset us if we’re not ready to play. In fact, they gave Florida and Alabama all they could handle.

Week 1: Defeated Memphis, 23-21
Week 2: Lost to Missouri, 38-25
Week 3: Lost to Vanderbilt, 31-17
Week 4: Lost to Florida, 30-24
Week 5: Lost to Georgia, 45-17
Week 6: Defeated Louisiana Tech, 24-0
Week 7: Lost to Alabama, 27-24
Week 8: Lost to Arkansas, 44-8
Week 9: Lost to Auburn, 17-3
Week 10: Defeated NW State, 38-31
Week 11: OFF

Tiger Offense vs. Rebel Defense:
LSU’s offense has proven that they are as good as they want to be. Play calling and focus will determine LSU’s offensive success, not the competition. The Rebel defense hasn’t shown the ability to stop anyone, much less the studs wearing purple and gold. I think LSU will tally 450 yards of total offense.

Rebel Offense vs. Tiger Defense:
Running back Benjarvus Green-Ellis is the best player on the Ole Miss offense. LSU should be able to snuff out the running game like they’ve done all season. Robert Lane is the Ole Miss tight end who started his career as a quarterback. In fact, he was committed to LSU until Nick Saban was able to sign an Alabama QB by the name of Jamarcus Russell. He is very athletic and will be a factor in this game. Seth Adams will be the starting QB but he may give way to Brent Shaeffer before the game is through. Ole Miss will gain no more than 240 yards total offense.

Special Teams:
This area of the team needs some major improvements. The return yardage that LSU gives up on kickoffs is mind blowing. Peveto better fix the problems before we get burned.

Game Prediction:
Ole Miss hasn’t beaten a top 5 team in over 30 years (Notre Dame, 1977). This is not the week that they reverse that trend. I think that LSU will play an average game. Not too good, not too bad. That’ll be all we need to leave Oxford with a win. Ole Miss will play their best game of the season but it won’t matter much. Hoddy Toddy!
I’ll take LSU-38, Ole Miss-13.

Injury Report:
LB Darry Beckwith will miss another week while rehabbing his scoped knee. He should be good to go against Arkansas.
OG Will Arnold is also listed as doubtful for the game. This guy just can’t stay healthy.
DT Marlon Favorite should be back after missing the La Tech game.

Rivalry???
Is this game still a rivalry?? LSU vs. Ole Miss goes all the way back to 1894. The rivalry was intense in the late 50’s and 60’s. That was a long time ago. Ole Miss hasn’t won the SEC since Colonel Reb was in diapers. The rivalry is dead. Ole Miss and Mississippi State can battle for the western cellar each year in the Egg Bowl.

Week 12 Games of the Week: (Predicted winner in CAPS)
Iowa St. @ (4) KANSAS
(22) Kentucky @ (8) GEORGIA
Miami @ (10) VIRGINIA TECH
Vanderbilt @ (19) TENNESSEE

Lock of the Week: (3-6)
(3) OKLAHOMA (-9) @ Texas Tech

Upset Special: (5-6)
(7) Ohio St. (-4) @ (23) MICHIGAN