Georgia football coach Mark Richt can still remember his last trip to Death Valley as if it were yesterday.He opened his Monday press conference with a stroll down memory lane — vividly recalling the 2003 slugfest that got away from the Bulldogs.Down 10-3 late in the fourth quarter, then-No. 7 Georgia scored on a 90-yard screen pass to knot the game at 10 with less than five minutes remaining.”I was expecting a hush from the crowd,” Richt said. “Usually when the opposing team does well, the crowd quiets down. All I began to hear was a chant ‘L-S-U, L-S-U.’ It got louder and louder and louder. It was the loudest I’ve ever heard a stadium.”And then-No. 11 LSU responded to the crowd’s relentless energy — mounting a drive to score on a Matt Mauck to Skyler Green touchdown pass with 1:22 on the clock.It was a game that set the Tigers in motion toward the 2003 BCS National Championship.The No. 7 Bulldogs are headed back to Tiger Stadium for the first time since that game to face No. 13 LSU at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in a CBS-televised game. The two programs have established themselves as Southeastern Conference powerhouses — combining to win five of seven SEC titles since 2001.It’s a trip Richt has been looking forward to for some time, calling Death Valley “one of the most storied stadiums in the country” and the loudest place he’s ever been.Saturday’s contest could easily be dubbed a “must-win” for the teams that have parallel storylines this season.”It certainly has conference and national implications,” said LSU coach Les Miles on Wednesday. “It will have a national television audience and 92,500 Tiger fans will soak it in and there will be great effort and great play.”The Bulldogs (6-1, 3-1) began the season No. 1 in the AP poll with high national championship hopes. A 41-30 blow from Alabama weakened those chances but showed Georgia’s ability to fight back from a 31-0 halftime deficit.The Tigers’ (5-1, 3-1) season also began with lofty aspirations for the post-national championship season — leaping as high as No. 3 when many top teams fell.But a 51-21 thrashing by Florida left many questioning if LSU had been exposed for an over-ranking.The losses have left both teams with no room for error in the SEC — setting the stage for an intense game with much on the line.”Looking at the schedule, we knew coming into this stretch of games that we wanted to be in the driver’s seat,” said Georgia senior safety Andrew Williams. “We wanted to control our own destiny. Each win gets bigger and bigger, and it’s awesome to be in that situation.”LSU’s young quarterbacks will once again be tested, as redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee attempts to prove he has the poise to complete a big game with few mistakes.The increased use of sophomore Andrew Hatch in the Tigers’ 24-17 win against South Carolina gave LSU fans a glimpse of an offensive attack with multiple weapons — perhaps the first time both quarterbacks rotated in-and-out so frequently as both rushing and passing threats.”We’ve been getting in the film room, seeing tendencies and looking for any keys in knowing which quarterback brings what to the offense,” said Georgia sophomore linebacker Rennie Curran. “We’re doing our best not to be surprised.”Georgia junior quarterback Matthew Stafford leads the SEC in passing yards per game (242.4) while Lee ranks No. 7 (173.5).Stafford was asked Wednesday about similarities to Lee since both took the helm early in their collegiate careers.”I’ve seen a couple of clips, and he looks like a good player,” Stafford said. “He looks like he’s understanding what’s going on around him and making accurate throws.”Both teams boast talented running backs posting big-time yardage. Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno averages 108.9 yards per game    compared to the 105.2 average of LSU’s Charles Scott.One key matchup will feature Georgia’s youthful offensive line against LSU’s seasoned defensive front four. The Bulldogs have limited depth with three freshmen and two sophomore starters after significant injuries weakened the line.The Tigers welcome starting junior defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois back to the defensive line after a two-game absence because of a groin injury. LSU senior defensive end Tyson Jackson said the defensive line anticipates a grueling battle signature to the LSU-Georgia series.”It’s just one of those games that’s going to start in the first quarter and not going to end until late in the fourth quarter,” he said.—-Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]