Who would have thought at the start of this season LSU would be in this position?
I had LSU at 8-4 and most experts had them around 9-3 before the season began.
Now, here we are heading into the final game of the regular season, and the Tigers sit pretty at 10-1 and No. 5 in the BCS rankings.
Somehow, LSU and coach Les Miles have found a way to win.
Sure, there have been the stumbling points (Tennessee, Ole Miss and Auburn), but what team hasn’t had some of those? Hell, it says a lot about a team that finds a way to win.
It also says a lot about a team that constantly puts itself in situations to have to find a way to win, but that’s not the point here.
LSU has a chance (with a little bit of luck) to mess up everything in the college football landscape with a win against Arkansas on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers will likely lock up a BCS berth with a win, but there are higher aspirations that could yet unfold. Should Boise State, TCU, Oregon or Auburn (or perhaps a combination of the four) fall, LSU slides up closer to those two top spots with a win.
But here’s the problem. LSU has to win first. And they have to beat a damn good Arkansas team.
I feel like I’m basically repeating what I said last week about Ole Miss, but here we go.
Arkansas is another Southeastern Conference foe that has given LSU heartache after heartache for the past three years. In fact, the combined score of these games since I got to campus in 2007 is 111 to 111 with four overtime periods.
Talk about your outstanding SEC defensive battles.
The Razorbacks won in three overtimes in 2007, 50-48, and at the time it looked like that loss would keep LSU out of the national title game.
It didn’t, and Tiger fans rejoiced.
Then Arkansas came out with a 31-30 victory in 2008 on an absolutely miserable night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark.
I say absolutely miserable because I was there. It wasn’t fun. It was raining and cold, and LSU held a 23-14 lead at halftime.
That was Jordan Jefferson’s first start at LSU, and he played decently. But Arkansas threw a last-minute touchdown pass in the sloppy weather to take the victory.
It just was not a fun road trip.
LSU finally got the better of team Pig Sooie last season with a 33-30 victory in overtime.
LSU is in a must-win game this year if it wants a trip to a BCS game.
Will the Tigers do what they did last year and come out with a late victory? Or will they do what they did back in 2007 and choke when everything is on the line?
If history says anything, this game is going to be a classic.
I’m looking forward to watching this one from home this year, rather than hanging out with their fat (oh so very fat) razorback.
This year LSU is hungry to prove wrong all those who were against them at the start of the season.
Me, I just want the Golden Boot.
Andy Schwehm is a 21-year-old English and psychology senior from New Orleans. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_ASchwehm.
 
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Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]