Well-timed loss
BATON ROUGE - I meant to write this last week but didn't get to it. As we all know, I am basically a one-man band. There's no two-quarterback system here.
I was going to mention last week that if LSU was going to lose a game this season, a loss at Florida would be the best week to do it. And the Tigers did just that. Boy, did they!
But if LSU can get its pass defense problem fixed - and those of you who read me regularly know that problem has been around for weeks - the Tigers remain in good shape for everything they accomplished last season.
Naturally, they have to win out. Two-loss national champions are rare and very lucky. But if LSU wins its next four, it will be in the top three in the nation if not better. And that would be even better than it was going into Florida.
A win at South Carolina Saturday, then at home next Saturday against No. 9 Georgia, which could even be higher next week after it beats Vanderbilt if teams ahead of it continue to lose, would push LSU back into the top 10.
After a tuneup with Tulane, Alabama will come in on Nov. 8 likely at 8-0 and ranked No. 2. A win there and LSU is right back in with an 8-1 record. Alabama will be 8-1, too, but its loss would be much more recent, which is usualy very important in the polls, and Alabama's loss would be a West loss. LSU's loss is an East loss. So the Tigers would have the tiebreaker for the SEC title game.
Four straight wins is an extremely large task to ask a team with obvious defensive problems and inconsistent play at quarterback. But the Tigers have made similar runs this decade. It could happen. And a very key ingredient in LSU's defensive problem throughout this season will not be in the mix over this next stretch of the schedule. None of these upcoming opponents run the spread offense, which LSU just cannot figure out.
The defense will improve against the traditional offenses coming up. It will be interesting.
I was going to mention last week that if LSU was going to lose a game this season, a loss at Florida would be the best week to do it. And the Tigers did just that. Boy, did they!
But if LSU can get its pass defense problem fixed - and those of you who read me regularly know that problem has been around for weeks - the Tigers remain in good shape for everything they accomplished last season.
Naturally, they have to win out. Two-loss national champions are rare and very lucky. But if LSU wins its next four, it will be in the top three in the nation if not better. And that would be even better than it was going into Florida.
A win at South Carolina Saturday, then at home next Saturday against No. 9 Georgia, which could even be higher next week after it beats Vanderbilt if teams ahead of it continue to lose, would push LSU back into the top 10.
After a tuneup with Tulane, Alabama will come in on Nov. 8 likely at 8-0 and ranked No. 2. A win there and LSU is right back in with an 8-1 record. Alabama will be 8-1, too, but its loss would be much more recent, which is usualy very important in the polls, and Alabama's loss would be a West loss. LSU's loss is an East loss. So the Tigers would have the tiebreaker for the SEC title game.
Four straight wins is an extremely large task to ask a team with obvious defensive problems and inconsistent play at quarterback. But the Tigers have made similar runs this decade. It could happen. And a very key ingredient in LSU's defensive problem throughout this season will not be in the mix over this next stretch of the schedule. None of these upcoming opponents run the spread offense, which LSU just cannot figure out.
The defense will improve against the traditional offenses coming up. It will be interesting.
posted by Glenn Guilbeau at 9:23 PM
1 Comments:
I tend to agree, but LSU does not match up well in the secondary with UGA. Green and Massaquoi (or however you spell it) are better receivers than what LSU has to cover them. If they get pressure on Stafford like they did Garcia, I don't think its going to be a big problem, but he'll pick LSU apart otherwise. LSU just lost too many playmakers from last year's team.
I dont think either Bama or UGA will be able to run on this team though.
J. Lee is another issue entirely, the two-QB system worked well against SC but I'm anxious to see if he can put up one full game against somebody, and not just a half.
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