LSU students have been celebrating the school’s 100th Homecoming across campus this week with events, concerts and pep rallies.But it was business as usual for the LSU football team as the Tigers prepared for their 10th game of the 2009 season.No. 9 LSU (7-2, 4-2 SEC) will try to rebound from its second loss of the season when the Tigers face in-state foe Louisiana Tech (3-6, 2-4 WAC) for the Homecoming game Saturday night at 6 p.m. in Tiger Stadium.LSU coach Les Miles wants to avoid the downward spiral his team began after falling to Alabama last season.”I’ve seen these men handle disappointment before,” Miles said. “They’ll very quickly turn their attention to their opponent. There is an opportunity to be a great team.”The Tigers defeated Troy, 40-31, after a second-half comeback but then lost the final two games to Ole Miss and Arkansas.”Last year, guys were kind of hanging their heads after the Alabama loss,” said junior linebacker Kelvin Sheppard. “It’s not like that. Everybody’s trying to get back healthy and looking forward to the future.”LSU’s opportunity to move forward begins Saturday night against Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs only have three wins, but they nearly upset No. 6 Boise State last Saturday in a 45-35 loss.”This Louisiana Tech team’s record is not as good as they would like, but I can tell you that they play better and better,” Miles said. “If you watch how they play week-in and week-out, you have great respect for them.”LSU is still reeling from injuries ensued from the Alabama game. Sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson suffered an ankle injury during the Alabama game. Jefferson practiced Wednesday, but sophomore quarterback Jarrett Lee is waiting in the wing if Jefferson can’t make the start.Senior running back Keiland Williams and sophomore running back Stevan Ridley will carry the load for Charles Scott, who is out for the season after sustaining a fractured collarbone last weekend. Freshman quarterback Russell Shepard and senior running back Trindon Holliday will get some touches as well.Ridley saw time in the Alabama game when Scott went down. Ridley scored the go-ahead touchdown against the Crimson Tide with an 8-yard run.”You never know when your number’s going to be called,” Ridley said. “We’re playing against Alabama, and they call my number to go in there and make something happen. When I get close to the goal line, I want to score. “Ridley said he wants to be his own running back, even though Scott has been a mentor for him.”I can’t be Charles Scott. I can’t be Keiland Williams,” Ridley said. “I can only go out there and run the ball like I run the ball and try to make something happen.”This weekend also marks a homecoming for Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley. Dooley was a former assistant coach at LSU from 2000-04.Dooley has wins against Nicholls State, Hawaii and New Mexico State, while bowing to schools such as Auburn, Navy and Idaho.Louisiana Tech senior running back Daniel Porter has rushed for 773 yards and eight touchdowns this season, including 96 yards and one touchdown against Boise State.Bulldog junior quarterback Ross Jenkins has been hot and cold this season. Jenkins was 10-for-19 with 114 yards and one touchdown against the Broncos and has 1581 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season. “They are very good on offense,” Miles said. “Defensively, they play a quality defense over the top with a good scheme and have the ability to stunt and blitz you. We have to be prepared.”Louisiana Tech is LSU’s third in-state opponent this season and may provide the steepest test.”It’s going to be a big game like every game is,” Lee said.Senior offensive lineman Lyle Hitt said the Tigers are treating it like a normal game.”It’s just another game,” Hitt said. “There’s a lot of stuff going on outside the game, but you can’t be distracted by that. We have a task at hand and a job to do.”But the students aren’t sold on the Homecoming game.Undeclared junior Tyler Reynolds said the Homecoming isn’t anything special because of LSU’s opponent.”It’s not a big deal because of who LSU plays,” Reynolds said. “If it was a bigger game, it would be a bigger deal.”Many students don’t have time to participate in the Homecoming festivities.”It’s kind of cool to have some sort of celebration. But other than that, it’s nothing special,” said  biochemistry senior Ereene Tan. “You get bogged down with work, so it’s hard to do much Homecoming stuff unless you are involved in a group.”—–Contact Michael Lambert at [email protected]