Gameday Approaches
Not the actual ESPN Gameday crew though. They are headed to Los Angeles for possibly the 5th best college showdown this weekend. But the actual college football intellegencia is staying focused on Jordan Hare Stadium where #6 LSU comes to town to face #3 Auburn. This game will almost certainly decide the SEC West Champion and possibly the SEC or National Champion. For some general Auburn info hit up the profile SI on Campus has up this week. For game specific ramblings check out Chaste Chad's Meditation XXVIII.
After a few years of trading decided victories, the last two meeting between the two have come down to kicking. I wouldn't expect this year's matchup to be much more lopsided. I think Auburn has a slight edge in the running game, LSU in the passing game. On defense I'm taking Auburn's defensive line, LSU's linebackers, and calling the secondaries a wash.
So where do I see the deciding Auburn advantages? Coaching and home field advantage. I've never been a huge fan of LSU OC Jimbo Fisher. The four and five wide formations look pretty, but they are pretty ineffective in the redzone. There's obvious discussion about the fact the Fisher and Muschamp were the respective coordinators under Saban and how well they know each other's systems. I don't really think that's a factor. The issue is JaMarcus Russell being able to handle all the heat that Muschamp will throw at him. Auburn's defense may lack size but they have plenty of speed to burn. Auburn played mostly out of the nickel and dime against WSU in the opener and a base 4-3 against MSU. Against LSU this week we should see a plethora of new blitz packages as well as Auburn lining up in the 3-4 with different personnel blitzing and quick defensive ends dropping into coverage.
Bo Pelini seems like more a name than a list of accomplishments to me. Though you could say the same thing about Muschamp. So I going to go with Al Borges' brilliance over the last two years. I expect the TE's to flourish tomorrow after being kept under wraps the first couple of games. Although I'm still not sold on Auburn's WR's other than Courtney Taylor.
Either way, I'm predictably predicting an Auburn victory. If it was in Baton Rouge I wouldn't be as confident.
2 comments:
as much as it pains me to say it, that overturned pass interference call should not have decided the game. though the call was wrong in my opinion, the refs did not let a flag decide the game. in the opinion of this LSU fan, the refs made a number of bad calls.
but the bottom line is that if jamarcus russel makes the plays that he is supposed to make, LSU wins the game. unlike most LSU fans right now, i am steamed at his play (not the refs).
the last 45 seconds of regulation were the worst clock management skills i've ever seen by a QB for a big name school. it all capped off by a pass to the 5-yard line at the end of the game. you've got to throw that ball in the end zone. completed or not, you've got to give it that shot.
I agree. He definitely had all day to throw the ball and didn't do much with the opportunity. I'm a little shocked how much LSU abandoned the run. One thing about the passing game, was that they seemed to be keeping a running back or tight end in to block on every play. As a result I don't think Jamarcus had as many options as he should have.
Hell of a game. I could easily see LSU not losing another game. That defense is sick.
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