LSU doesn't need this game
BATON ROUGE - Games like this one on Saturday night between No. 2 LSU and current No. 9 Virginia Tech on ESPN is why college football is so great. Both are top 10 teams. It will be the first top-10 matchup in Tiger Stadium not involving two SEC teams since 1987 when No. 4 LSU and No. 7 Ohio State tied 13-13 on CBS. It is a matchup of two teams that rarely play.
The Tigers and the Hokies have played only once before with Virginia Tech ripping LSU 26-8 on Sept. 1, 2002. The nation will be watching as this will be the first top 10 pairing of the season and will kick off in prime time at about 8:20 p.m., which serves as a throwback to the old Tiger Stadium kickoff time of 8.
It is one of the most attractive games on the national schedule all season.
LSU needs to win it, but it doesn't need the game. LSU is already No. 2. If the Tigers were playing LSU-Shreveport Saturday and won out against the likes of Florida on Oct. 6 and Auburn on Oct. 20 and all the others, it would still be No. 2 and playing for the BCS national championship.
Now, Virginia Tech needs it. Because a win at LSU would propel it into the national championship hunt. LSU's already in the blind. This is one year in which LSU doesn't need a game like this. LSU coach Les Miles didn't want to get into that conversation on Monday, but earlier this summer he said this is not a game he would schedule because he's already playing Florida, which is No. 6, and Auburn, which is No. 18.
Miles did not schedule this game by the way. Former LSU coach Nick Saban did. Saban lost the first one 26-8 to open his season in 2002. Virginia Tech was supposed to return the game in 2004, but it got out of it because of a late scheduling of USC. So the game was moved to 2007.
LSU could lose Saturday and still have enough time over a season to get back in the BCS title game if it wins out. That has happened before, but other teams have to lose. LSU controls its destiny as the No. 2 team - win out and play in New Orleans.
But just think if LSU loses to Virginia Tech and wins out but doesn't make the BCS title game in New Orleans because two other teams are undefeated. I guess you could blame Nick Saban.
The Tigers and the Hokies have played only once before with Virginia Tech ripping LSU 26-8 on Sept. 1, 2002. The nation will be watching as this will be the first top 10 pairing of the season and will kick off in prime time at about 8:20 p.m., which serves as a throwback to the old Tiger Stadium kickoff time of 8.
It is one of the most attractive games on the national schedule all season.
LSU needs to win it, but it doesn't need the game. LSU is already No. 2. If the Tigers were playing LSU-Shreveport Saturday and won out against the likes of Florida on Oct. 6 and Auburn on Oct. 20 and all the others, it would still be No. 2 and playing for the BCS national championship.
Now, Virginia Tech needs it. Because a win at LSU would propel it into the national championship hunt. LSU's already in the blind. This is one year in which LSU doesn't need a game like this. LSU coach Les Miles didn't want to get into that conversation on Monday, but earlier this summer he said this is not a game he would schedule because he's already playing Florida, which is No. 6, and Auburn, which is No. 18.
Miles did not schedule this game by the way. Former LSU coach Nick Saban did. Saban lost the first one 26-8 to open his season in 2002. Virginia Tech was supposed to return the game in 2004, but it got out of it because of a late scheduling of USC. So the game was moved to 2007.
LSU could lose Saturday and still have enough time over a season to get back in the BCS title game if it wins out. That has happened before, but other teams have to lose. LSU controls its destiny as the No. 2 team - win out and play in New Orleans.
But just think if LSU loses to Virginia Tech and wins out but doesn't make the BCS title game in New Orleans because two other teams are undefeated. I guess you could blame Nick Saban.
posted by Glenn Guilbeau at 1:36 PM
1 Comments:
yeah, and if the Tigers didnt have this game on the schedule you'd complain that their schedule was too easy.
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