LSU 2007 season preview: Who dat afraid of USC?

Sat, Sep 08
Virginia Tech - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 8:15 p.m.
The massacre last semester will weigh heavily on this one: finally Tech fans will get to do what they enjoy the most: Watch the Hokies play smashmouth football. This one reminds me of LSU a couple of years ago after Katrina; they became the sentimental favorite. V-Tech will be the same. Look for one game-turning play to run the emotions off the charts for the Hokies. Ahhh, the suspense is killing me. 21-13 Hokies

Sat, Sep 15
Middle Tennessee Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 7:00 p.m.
LSU will show up for the first half ... then the lead will be so big that the waterboys will show up after that to coast to victory. 55-17 LSU

Sat, Sep 22
South Carolina - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 7:00 p.m.
"Ole Ball Coach" Steve Spurrier says this is the year his team joins the first tier. He'll have to prove it in the East with the Georgias, Tennessees and Floridas. He's not ready to challenge the West. Not yet. 36-11 LSU

Sat, Sep 29
Tulane - at New Orleans, La. (Louisiana Superdome)
Expect the unexpected — just kidding, LSU will whip the living snot outta these boys — but with love, since they are Louisiana homeboys. 48-3 LSU.


Sat, Oct 06
Florida
- Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 7:00 p.m.
Last year it was the Tim Tebow show plus a stout Gator defense as Florida scored 16 points off three LSU turnovers and earned seven more on a short field following a safety, as the No. 5 Gators took advantage of the errors to win, 23-10, at The Swamp. Without a muffed punt and the turnovers (including a goal-line fumble by JaMarcus Russell) the Tigers would have won the game with the score reversed, but that was then. Look for the Tigers to come out ferocious and dominate the Gators for some getback. Oh, and it gets fugly. 34-10. LSU

Sat, Oct 13
Kentucky - at Lexington, Ky. (Commonwealth Stadium)
If the Tigers can run on you, they will. Last year the Tigers owned the Wildcat defense for 546 total yards; 268 on the ground and 278 in the air. Meanwhile the LSU defense held Kentucky to 227 total yards and recorded its first shutout of the year. Kentucky will be better than last year, and I DO believe in getback (not Karma). This is the upset. 27-24 KU.

Sat, Oct 20
Auburn - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium)
7:00 p.m.
Last year, these teams met in the 3rd game of the season. And LSU surrendered its first touchdown of the season, but wasn't able to get into the Auburn endzone with a last gasp effort in the final minute. This game will again be a close one, and a seasoned Brandon Cox may be able to pick apart and blitz-happy scheme. Or maybe not. 13-7 LSU.

Sat, Nov 03
Alabama - at Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Bryant-Denny Stadium)
It's Nick Saban, y'all! The Tigers don't need any pep talk, no motivation. Just show them the hash marks. We're gong to particularly enjoy punishing this team. 'Bama actually has decent talent. Even last year the the two teams combined for 35 points in the first half, until LSU's blitz started to work up ole Brody Coyle. The Tide went scoreless for the last 30 minutes of the contest and the Tigers held on for a 28-14 win. Look for a repeat. 28-14 LSU.

Sat, Nov 10
Louisiana Tech (HC) - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium)
7:00 p.m.
This game will allow the LSU running backs to pad their stats. No surprises here. 42-0 LSU.

Sat, Nov 17
Ole Miss - at Oxford, Miss. (Vaught-Hemingway Stadium)
The Rebels soundly beat LSU in every aspect of the game through three quarters last year and carried a 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter. But, LSU fought back in the final quarter, scoring with 8:46 left in the game and for the final time in regulation with just 14 seconds to play in a 23-20 overtime thriller. I don't think Ole Miss can play over their heads again. 45-17 LSU.

Fri, Nov 23
Arkansas - Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium) 1:30 p.m.
This is always, ALWAYS, the scariest game of the season for Tiger fans. The Razorbacks have been down-right scary since Houston Nutt took over the program a few years ago and this year it's no different. As long as Darren McFadden is in the Razorback backfield it could be a long day. Last year LSU needed a 92-yard kickoff return to escape the fifth-ranked Arkansas, 31-26, this year it'll come down to the fourth quarter with maybe a BCS bid on the line. Yeah, I said it.