The vaunted LSU defense, which had begun springing leaks weeks ago, gave way to gushers of yardsSaturday nightas theArkansas Razorbacksupset the Tigers 31 -23. QuarterbackJordan Jefferson went just about the entire way, consistently facing 3rd and long and just as importantly, not letting the Tigers defense get any semblance of rest. And it showed. Razorbackrusher Knile Davis knifed through purple and gold defenders for 158 yards on 31 carries. Arkansas gained 465 yards on one of the best defenses in the country.
The Tigers will still be eligible for a great game, but the fantasy, the mirage of being the best team outside of Auburn is over.
Against a stubborn and determined Ole Miss squad, LSU somehow scored early and often, outgunning the Rebels 43-36.
Of all people, quarterback Jordan Jefferson turned in a lights-out offensive performance. Jordan passed for a career-high 254 yards, running and passing for a score. Of course, he also threw a pick.
They needed every ounce of Jefferson this week because Ole Miss, led by senior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, almost won the game.
He threw for 177 yards, but had two interceptions. Fleet-footed Mississippi running back Brandon Bolden churned up 91 yards on the ground and made several athletic plays that left Purple and Gold defenders in the dust.
The first thing people are going to say is that LSU's defense got shredded against a team that came in with six losses.
But Ole Miss stayed in the game by going for fourth down FOUR TIMES. And making it ... all four times.
LSU also had 2 turnovers (Ole Miss had 3, the last one an interception on a deep heave to the end zone). Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard said Ole Miss had some razzle-dazzle that the Tigers hadn't seen before, and he said their starting running back, who scored two touchdowns, is the real deal. "I didn't realize he was that fast," Sheppard said. "When he got to the edge, he took it. I tip my hat off to Bolden."
Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt has a knack for showing off against LSU. He'd been 3-0 against the Tigers the previous three games before Saturday. He was proud of his guys at the end. "You like the way they played," Nutt said of his team. "You like the way they competed and they left their heart out there. That's the thing that I'll go to sleep with tonight."
Mississippi's kick return game was huge, amassing 188 yards with at least three almost broken for touchdowns.
After the game, Jefferson did a Cam Newton: He went up to the fans and raised his arms in the air as they chanted his name. "I have definitely been waiting on a night like this," Jefferson said. "I'm just glad that [the passing game] finally came through when we needed it."
The University of Louisiana-Monroe had to know this was coming sooner or later: The Fighting Tigers of LSU finally scored some points, easily notching its 9th win of the season in a 51-0 victory.
LSU, who still has faint chances of a BCS at-large berth, did most of the damage with defense and on the ground.
ULM quarterback Kolton Browning, a Texas native, said before the game he was insulted how LSU's fans were openly wearing their colors in the week leading up to the game.
"Seeing people that wear LSU stuff around campus kind of makes me mad, personally," Browning said. "Honestly? LSU stuff? Why can't you root for ULM? I'm here to play for us and that's all I'm worried about."
He had plenty to worry about.
LSU only amassed 251 yards but had a defensive scores, and a plethora of touchdown runs from short distances. Jordan Jefferson, shaky as usual had less than 60 yards. We'll take it.
When Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee aren't confused, they're pretty good.
Case in point, Jefferson's 75-yard slant to receiver Rueben Randle.
Another case in point: Lee's 47-yard lob to Randle on a 3rd down play late in the game.
Maybe the Tigers should call a timeout before every play, then they'd have confident quarterbacks under center.
Whatever you call it, LSU's 24-21 win against the defending national champs Alabama Crimson Tide was a major statement and huge win.
It meant that the Nebuchadnezzar-like (grass-eating) Les Miles doesn't have to take a back seat to any coach in the SEC.
It meant that Nick Saban can be outcoached.
It meant that LSU should be a top 5 team, schedule-wise.
But all that is for another day.
Now, LSU sits just a game behind undefeated Auburn Tigers, who need to lose to Georgia next week then Alabama for LSU to get a shot.
Got to give it to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they have one of the top defenses in the NFL, again. But fortunately they ran into New Orleans and Drew Brees, one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
Who else can throw an interception, lose the football on a sack fumble, and be hailed as a hero but Brees?
He did it Sunday night, throwing for 304 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Big Ben and Rashard Mendenhall did all they could to stop the Gold and Black, but on this night, a gloulish night, the Black and Yellow didn't have the magic. Saints win 20 - 10.
Last year it was the New Orleans Saints that caught teams by surprise, throwing care to the wind and dialing up all the gadgetry allowed on the gridiron.
The Cleveland Browns showed the world champs how it was done Sunday, amassing a whole 200 yards of offense and winning, going away, 30 -17, in the Super Dome.
Drew Brees had four interceptions, including two brought back for touchdowns by linebacker "Killer" Bowens.
Even former Saint Scott Fujita caught one of Bree's errant passes.
The Saints offense, going weeks now without Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, is anemic, incapable of any ground game and a desparate passing attack.
The only good news? Safety Darren Sharper is back after missing the first six games, and receiver Marques Colston finally surpassed 100 yards receiving and caught a touchdown.
But can the Saints still win the division?
LSU couldn't pass the ball at all, but found a way to tie it early in the 4th quarter. But the only problem was, Auburn had this Super Man-type guy by the name of Cam Newton.
Perhaps you've heard of him? Ran through LSU like syrup down a pancake -- and back up again.
The Auburn Tigers also exposed LSU's fragile two-quarterback system, and more importantly, LSU coaches' lack of confidence it it.
With the game on the line, LSU simply couldn't throw down field. Even when they tried, with Jordan Jefferson, looking off the safety, prize receiver Terrance Toliver dropped the ball, at least twice.
Auburn will be No. 1 by the end of the Sunday, guaranteed.
LSU? They probably are looking at a three-loss season, which in retrospect, is a great year.
For Bayou Bengals fans, no other LSU game incites the raw emotion that Auburn week does.
I mean, it's tiger vs. tiger for goodness sakes. Auburn is one of those rivalries where you really do hope the other team does well when they don't play each other. LSU fans never want to play a weak or sad Auburn team, and I'm sure real Auburn fans feel the same way about LSU.
This year both come into the contest undefeated with Auburn coming off a 63-point outburst. Luckily their defense can give up as many.
Auburn's coach sees it another way.
"Defensively, I keep using the word resilient," Tigers coach Gene Chizik said in a recent interview. "Here's what I like about our defense: They keep fighting. They're into the game.
When these two squads are at their best and loaded with talent, there is nary a college football game in the land that can boast two fine war machines so often in the middle of the season.
Of late LSU, or should I say Les Miles, has owned Auburn winning 4 out of 5 matchups. The one he lost? A 7-3 debacle ruined by bad officiating, but I digress.
For the record, Cam Newton looks even scarier than Tim Tebow did three years ago. Of course, we won that one.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees recently taped an anti-bullying message. Last year the Saints bullied a few people by the name of Kurt Warner, and Brett Favre, on the way to their first ever Super Bowl championship title.
The LSU Tigers, No. 9 in the polls, are licking their chops at their first true cupcake of the season: McNeese State.
The Tigers have won every game this season in a different fashion: A last-second defensive stand, winning drives, clock mismanagement, you name it.
But they have won.
It has not been pretty, but LSU -- in the five years that coach Les Miles has been there -- has not been terribly efficient with the football.
JaMarcus Russell routinely left 10 to 21 points out on the field, and they still only lost two games in his final two years.
But things have changed. A little.
LSU is in prime position to make a serious championship run, if they can get by the AAA powers: Auburn, Alabama and finally, Arkansas.
Now, with Auburn on the horizon, the Tigers can sharpen up some things against McNeese (and even expand their offensive package) and get ready to go up to Alabama.
The Arizona Cardinals are a good team, but last week's 10-point victory over the Saints exposed how banged up New Orleans is rather than how awesome the Cards are.
Drew Brees, with a gimpy knee, is struggling mightily without his two starting running backs, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush.
The screen plays that used to go for big gains have been null and void for the past two games.
The deep ball, which used to be a staple of the New Orleans offense, is gone.
Coach Sean Payton doesn't seem to worried about it all, according to a recent interview.
"You know how this league is. It's week by week," Payton said Monday. "Do I think we can play better? Yes. That's the thing that's encouraging; that's the thing that gets you here and started on the next plan and that's the thing that keeps you driven and motivated. We don't have to identify it as anything other than a setback. Any time you lose a game, we feel like it's disappointing, but what's most important is what you do about it."
Marques Colston showed up last week, but for most of the season he's been a nonfactor.
The defense is missing at least three starters, including Tracy Porter and Darren Sharper. Despite this, they are playing decent football, holding the Cards without a touchdown, except for a freaky fumble.
So, what's killing the Saints? Turnovers.
Brees had three of them Sunday. Against the Carolina Panthers they had two of them.
After weeks of hearing boos from the LSU faithful -- despite an undefeated record --- the Fighting Tigers on Saturday heard cheers seconds after a thrilling come-from-behind victory over the No. 14 Florida Gators.
The two-quarterback system of Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson operated wonderfully and efficiently, giving the Gator defense fits.
LSU stumbled at times, most notably Jefferson's interception in the first quarter that allowed Florida to score their first touchdown. Again in the second half, Patrick Peterson, muffed a kickoff.
But LSU overcame it. More importantly, coach Les Miles got a huge monkey off his back after last week's debacle (still a win) against Tennessee. It was the first time he actually outcoached somebody too. Urban Meyer literally couldn't guess right against the Tigers as Miles hit him with Lee for a spell then Jordan for a span. In the process, LSU may have discovered lightning in a bottle for their until-now anemic offense.
Having resigned itself to a two-quarterback system from here on out, the 5-0 LSU Tigers are hoping one of them -- near-sighted Jarrett Lee or the numb-armed Jordan Jefferson -- can emerge with a hot game to win in Gainesville.
LSU with nary a loss and five wins over BSC opponents (which no other team in the country can say) can expect to crack the top 10 with a win.
If Florida comes out victorious, look for the Gators to lick their chops at another chance to take down Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and a shot at a national title. LSU coach Les Miles has been lampooned for the whole seven days since his team squeezed by an undermanned and ultimately unprepared Tennessee team. But Miles, bumbler as he is, is not a wobbler. Gators coach Urban Meyer, after losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game last year, quit then changed his mind. And you wonder why the teams play so wishy-washy? Lord knows what he'll do at season's end. At any point, someone has to win this game. And a quarterback has to find his way. LSU 21-FLA 20
Saints quarterback Drew Brees has a brace on his knee.
Safety Darren Sharper was out even before the season started after undergoing surgery.
Running back Reggie Bush has a broken leg.
Pierre Thomas has knee and ankle problems.
Oh it goes on and on, that's just the big names.
The latest broken Saint? Safety Tracy Porter had knee surgery and will miss up to four weeks.
Can the Saints continue to compete with injuries mounting like they are?
Saints coach Sean Payton says it looks like the New Orleans has slowed down, but actually the defenses they are facing are dictating the way the Saints attack. "Certainly we see people getting a little softer in their coverages and yet we still constantly are paying attention and looking for ways to get an optimum look to get behind the defense," Payton said in a recent interview. "But sometimes there are plays that when they come out of my mouth and Drew (Brees) calls them in the huddle, all of us are (thinking) 'shot' and then it ends up being a dump-off or a check-down.
This poignant and plain-sung folk song captures the sentiment of the millions of Gulf Coast residents that have been affected by the Gulf Oil Disaster. While BP and federal talking heads have scaled back tremendously, the very livelihood of men and women of the sea is at stake. But it ain't over.
Saints new-old kicker John Carney probably didn't think he would be needed so urgently in a so-called "high-powered" offense, but the only thing high-powered about the New Orleans Saints these days is their kicking game.
Against the fiesty Carolina Panthers squad, the Saints had to scratch and claw to hang on Sunday, 16- 14 as rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen almost pulled off an upset before regressing badly during his team's final few plays.
For sure, the Saints were undermanned. Actually the Saints are hurtin' bad. Both starting running backs are out. Two safeties are out as well. A hodge-podge of offensive players did what they could but two early turnovers made this game a nail biter.
Drew Brees played a great game, but the Saints receivers, most notably Devery Henderson, couldn't hang on to the easy ones, and when they did they couldn't take the tough shots the Panther defenders gave them without losing the football (Lance Moore).
Still, the Saints had Carney, who hit three huge field goals. In the process, he showed the NFL why a decent kicker -- no matter the age -- is so valuable.
It was ugly, but a win is a win.
Sat, Sep 5 vs McNeese State (CANCELLED)
Yesterday @ Mississippi State W 21 - 19 Final
Sat, Sep 19 vs Auburn W 45 - 21
Sat, Sep 26 @ Syracuse
Sat, Oct 3 vs Eastern Michigan
Sat, Oct 10 @ South Carolina
Sat, Oct 17 vs Florida
Sat, Oct 24 vs Western Kentucky
Sat, Nov 7 @ Alabama
Sat, Nov 14 vs Arkansas
Sat, Nov 21 @ Ole Miss
Sat, Nov 28 vs Texas A&M
