Truth or blowing smoke?

Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury was talking on the SEC teleconference Monday about his team's upcoming game with LSU.

In SEC terms, it's a big game. LSU leads the SEC West and the overall SEC standings at 7-1. State is a game behind at 6-2. And LSU already owns a home win over State.

"It's very obvious that we're going to play the best team in the SEC,'' Stansbury said.

Now, I know LSU has the best record in the SEC. I know LSU has been the most consistent team in the SEC.

But the best team?

Do we know that now?

Then Stansbury went on to say LSU was the "team to beat.''

And maybe the Tigers are. Tennessee has struggled to shoot the ball. Florida has shown flashes of brilliance. Kentucky goes flat just when you're about to believe in the Wildcats.

But I wonder if he's just blowing smoke. Maybe it's the memory of that Utah game that doesn't have me completely sold on this team. I mean, LSU's most impressive game in nonconference was a home-court loss to Xavier.

If LSU rolls through the remainder of the SEC schedule, then we'll know Stansbury was telling the truth. But if the Tigers go flat, then we'll know Stansbury was planting some seeds for a fall.