The state of Louisiana was riding a one-way train to Glendale, Arizona, for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game featuring the LSU football team. But on Nov. 7, the train was derailed and remains off the track without a chance to contend for the title.
The rescue plan for its season begins at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday against the University of Mississippi in Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, for a chance at earning the place on an alternate railway heading to a reputable bowl game.
The Tigers are adjusting to the change of plans after expecting the train to keep chugging along before hitting bumps in the track against the University of Alabama and eventual overturn against the University of Arkansas.
“After seven games, you would’ve thought the whole state of Louisiana was on top of the world,” said redshirt freshman offensive lineman William Clapp. “After this, everybody feels like it is the end of the world.”
But LSU still has a chance to save face, starting against a high-powered Ole Miss offense this weekend. To keep up with the Rebels’ top-ranked Southeastern Conference offense, the Tigers are hoping for the resurgence of their run blocking to open lanes for the once-Heisman favorite tailback, sophomore Leonard Fournette.
“We’ve got to put it behind us,” Clapp said. “We’re playing a good Ole Miss team this weekend. They have great players. We have to really focus on that and get back to work.”
Although the specific gameplan against Ole Miss (7-3, 4-2 SEC) couldn’t be revealed, senior safety Jalen Mills made LSU’s goal for this game clear: playing the style of football LSU is known for.
“We have to go in there and dominate,” Mills said. “We have to play our style of football. We have to play with passion. We know it’s going to be a rowdy place. It’s going to be hostile. We have to focus on us and do what we can do best.”
Ole Miss, the only team to defeat Alabama this season, is well-rounded. Junior quarterback Chad Kelly leads the SEC in passing. He’s averaging 322.4 yards per game and 23 touchdowns, along with a Heisman-trophy candidate in junior wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, who leads the SEC in receiving with 100.2 yards per game and seven touchdowns.
The Rebels also house one of the nation’s top defensive lineman, junior Robert Nkemdiche. He’ll line up against a battle-tested and defeated LSU offensive line, which blocked for 113 rushing yards and 399 passing yards in the previous two games. Nkemdiche also has extra motivation Saturday — to play for his brother, senior linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche, who is in an intensive-care unit in Oxford for undisclosed reasons.
The Tigers understand the challenge Nkemdiche and company will present on Saturday.
“This team could easily beat us,” Clapp said. “But we have to make sure that that doesn’t happen.”
But LSU isn’t worried about Ole Miss or its fans. The Tigers said it’s a situation they put themselves in, and only they can get out of it, Alexander said.
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, home to 60,580 fans donned in “Hotty Toddy” navy blue and cardinal red, is a daunting place to play, Alexander said. But on top of the crowd, the two teams competing aren’t too fond of each other, either.
“Oxford is a tough place to play,” Alexander said. “Very loud fans. No love is lost when we’re there around these two teams. Their fans don’t like us, and we don’t like them.”