There’s been a lot of stuff going around this week amongst Auburn folks. Everyone’s talking about everything in the world — the Heisman Trophy, the ESPN Gameday location, Florida of all things — except the only thing that really matters: LSU.
Sure, there’s been talks about the rivalry — the hard hitting, the voodoo magic, and the smell of corndogs — but few are talking about the only important part: the part between the sidelines. There have been the looks back — the Earthquake Game, the Fire Game, the Interception Game — but no one’s talking about the only game that really matters: the one on Saturday.
This could be one of the most important games for our football program in recent memory. A victory would put Auburn in the position to really start thinking about the SEC Championship Game… to really start thinking about this season as one for the ages.
Truth is, this is probably the biggest game of the year, as far as those aspirations are concerned. Honesty, if Auburn wins Saturday, the West — with LSU hosting Alabama in a couple of weeks — will probably already be clinched before the trip to Tuscaloosa. And, frankly, this game is much more losable than any potential matchup against whatever two-loss team the East is going to spit out.
Say what you will about LSU, but, as Lee Ziemba said earlier this week, their fair share of close victories, just like Auburn’s, only means that they have a close group willing to battle for 60 minutes and, in the Tennessee game’s case, beyond.
And come Sunday, the toughest parts of their schedule will be behind them. They’ll be a home tilt against Alabama away from winning out and getting to a BCS bowl, if not the BCS bowl.
I don’t have to tell you what all else is at stake here. It’s the chance to end a three year losing streak in the series. It’s the chance to avenge last year’s squad’s most embarrassing loss. It’s the chance for Chizik and his staff to prove that their program is ready for the next level, and that they are the next-level coaches that are going to take them there.
But above all that, it’s The LSU Game.
It is, despite being only our second-most, still one of the most bitter rivalries in college football. It’s hard-hitting, it’s trash talking, it’s four quarters, and it’s absolutely brutal. It takes weeks to heal from. It’s two teams that just plain don’t like each other.
It’s the Auburn way of doing things versus the LSU way of doing things. It’s the Tiger Bowl.
And this year, it’s #4 vs. #6 on national television.
Both of these teams are on the brink of an incredibly memorable season. And now, suddenly, we’re on the brink of gameday… on the brink of the game that we’ve had circled on our calendars all year.
I’ll say it again – this Saturday is the Auburn-LSU game. And right now it’s all we should be thinking about.
Amen man. WAR DAMN EAGLE!!
Could not have stated it better!!
WAR DAMN EAGLE!!
War Damn Eagle….no mercy…stomp the corndogs
Yep, reminds me of how the Clemson game week played out with all the fan talk of Game Day, potential uniform color combinations, dismissing the opponent as “Oh, they’re just an ACC team”, etc.
At least this time, I have no concerns over the team coming out flat.
WDE!
Roger that.
Need to change the pic and cap. I’m superstitious like that. You are showing a pic of us punting and saying not much else need be said… like LSU will have us punting all day. Miles has gotten to you too 😉
Never assume anything when playing the corndogs….
KICK ‘EM IN THE BUTT BIG BLUE!!
Ok boys, so I’ve done some of the math that tends to get me into trouble.
A lot of talk has been made about the SEC’s #1 D going against its #1 Offense. I thought I’d look at the comeptition each has faced.
I took an average national ranking each team’s opponents in offense and defense per game for both yards and points.
First let’s look at each team’s strength (Auburn’s offense and LSU’s Defense):
Auburn’s opponents to date average a national defensive ranking of 62.
LSU’s opponents to date average a national offensive ranking of 81.
So Auburn’s offensive credentials have been earned against stiffer competition than LSU’s defensive credentials.
Now each team’s weakness (Auburn’s D and LSU’s O):
Auburn’s opponents to date average a national offensive ranking of 54.
LSU’s opponents to date average a national defensive ranking of 50.
Not a lot of separation there, but a slight edge to LSU. But given the fact that Auburn’s defensive issues are concentrated on the passing game (Auburn is #15 in run D) and what success LSU has had has been in the running game, I think this is a favorable matchup for Auburn.
“Honesty, if Auburn wins Saturday, the West — with LSU hosting Alabama in a couple of weeks — will probably already be clinched before the trip to Tuscaloosa.”
I’ve been disappointed in the way Alabama still seems to be the media favorite to win the West — bowl projections at both ESPN and CBS among others out them in the Sugar with us getting a Fiesta or Orange at-large bid — but that is a limb I am not quite willing to go out on. I’m much more confident about them losing that game in Baton Rouge than I would be if LSU was going to Tuscaloosa but I think that’s far from a foregone conclusion, especially if we’re hoping to “expose” LSU this week as a strongly overrated team relying on incredible luck and getting too much credit for beating Florida. Not to mention that I think we should be more concerned about how Georgia matches us with us than we currently are. Hope you’re right but I’ll be waiting for this chicken to hatch.
War Eagle from Baton Rouge…
Imagine living with these people year round.
There’s actually a restaurant in the Mall of LA food court called “Corndog Express”. No joke. Actually, I should have taken a picture of it and sent it into this blog. Maybe next year….
JTygerAU,
A thousand thanks in advance if you do send that photo in to us. War Eagle!