ATLANTA (AP) — LSU hasn’t won at Auburn since 1998, but the defending national champions are favored to snap a four-game losing streak when the two teams expected to battle for the Southeastern Conference West Division title meet on Saturday.
It will be a difficult assignment for the defending national champions against a tough Auburn defense that has given up only 15 points in three games.
Sixth-ranked LSU is a 2½-point favorite, primarily because No. 10 Auburn has had problems ironing out the kinks in its new spread offense.
“Auburn’s defense is very physical,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “They are fast to the ball. They have a quality scheme. We’ll need to be balanced on offense. Our football team is best when we can do both, run and pass.”
The Tigers will try to dent that defense with a pair of quarterbacks who have never played in a college game on the road — sophomore Andrew Hatch will start and redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee will also play.
“It’s going to be fun,” Miles said. “It just counts as one game, but we are looking forward to taking our team there” to Jordan-Hare Stadium. “I think the game will be awfully competitive. My expectation is that we’ll have to play our best game to date to win.”
“Our players understand the LSU game has been one of the top games in college football the last few years, and the team that wins this usually has the upper hand in getting to the conference championship,” Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. “Last year we were one play away from winning this game. Had we not missed that last play we would have been in the conference championship game and they would not have been, and that’s how close this has been.”
LSU leads the series 22-19-1 and, like Auburn, has won four in row at home in this battle of Tigers. Auburn was unimpressive in beating Mississippi State by a seldom-seen football score last week — 3-2. This time, the home Tigers will be impressive, indeed. Auburn 12-10.
Elsewhere around the SEC, with Kentucky having an open date:
No. 9 Alabama (minus 9½) at Arkansas: The Hogs are unbeaten after struggling to triumphs over Northern Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe. If they struggle against John Parker Wilson and the Crimson Tide (3-0) they will be too far behind for another comeback. Alabama 28-14.
No. 4 Florida (minus 7) at Tennessee: After losing the first 10 in the series, Florida has a chance to even things with the Vols at 19 apiece by winning on Saturday. Tim Tebow had 366 yards of offense and accounted for four touchdowns in Florida’s 59-20 victory last year. He won’t get those numbers, but he’ll still be the winner. Florida 24-14,
No. 3 Georgia (minus 7) at Arizona State: Coach Mark Richt got no joy out of UNLV upsetting Arizona State last week. “I would think they will be playing with an even greater sense of urgency than they would have,” Richt said. “That’s just human nature when that happens.” Georgia carries a 10-game winning streak into the game that will be played in 90-degree heat, another concern for Richt. Georgia 31-21.
Vanderbilt (plus 6½) at Mississippi: This looks like a battle of quarterbacks — Vandy’s Chris Nickson, who has accounted for seven touchdowns, five on the ground, and the Rebels’ Jevan Snead, who leads the SEC with six TD passes. Ole Miss has won 12 of last 15 meetings and 22 of 25 held in Oxford. Ole Miss 24-17.
Mississippi State (plus 8½) at Georgia Tech: State and Tech never met during Tech’s tenure in the SEC from 1933-1963, but did meet twice before the conference was founded. The Yellow Jackets won both games, the last 27-13 in 1929. Make it 3-0 because the Bulldogs have trouble scoring. Georgia Tech 17-7.
Wofford (no line) at South Carolina: Carolina will try to snap a two-game losing streak. It won’t be easy against the defending Southern Conference champions. The Terriers are averaging 400 yards rushing a game, and will test the Gamecock defense, which ranks No. 9 nationally for total defense. South Carolina 17-14.