The LSU football team has a long lists of accomplishments in the past three seasons and through 10 games of the 2010 campaign.
The Tigers (9-1, 5-1) have accumulated 37 wins, beating every Southeastern Conference team on their schedule at least once, a national championship and a bowl game win.
But there’s still one thing LSU coach Les Miles wants another crack at — a victory against Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt.
The former Arkansas coach has gotten the better of Miles the past three seasons, and Saturday afternoon’s Senior Day could be Miles’ chance to stop the streak as No. 5 LSU faces the struggling Rebels (4-6, 1-5).
“Houston Nutt does a great job,” Miles said. “Any time you line up against his teams, they are going to be very sound in offense, defense and special teams.”
Junior running back Stevan Ridley likes his coach’s chances of knocking off Nutt.
“This game is definitely one that I circled on my personal schedule,” Ridley said. “You look at what [Nutt’s] done to Coach Miles at Arkansas and Ole Miss. I think we’re going to get this one, though.”
LSU’s last game with Ole Miss may be the most vivid memory for the Tigers.
LSU fell, 25-23, in Oxford, Miss., after a failed drive — and severe mismanagement of the game clock — in the waning seconds.
“We looked at that very long, and we made adjustments,” Miles said. “The issue is one that is certainly not a pleasant memory, but getting beyond it and making sure we’re headed in the right direction, that’s got to be our focus.”
Junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson heaved a pass to then-junior wide receiver Terrence Toliver at the Rebels’ 5-yard line with a few seconds remaining, but time expired before Jefferson could spike the football.
“That was a really tough situation,” said junior cornerback Patrick Peterson. “With one second left on the clock, there was pretty much nothing you could do. After that moment, Miles definitely coaches the offense for any and every situation that is possible.”
Senior left tackle Joseph Barksdale sees the battle against the Rebels as more of a stepping stone to the postseason rather than avenging past losses.
“They’re a team that’s in the way of what we are trying to accomplish,” Barksdale said. “I wouldn’t call it revenge.”
LSU is holding onto a slim shot at a national championship and is vying for an at-large BCS berth at No. 5 in the BCS standings.
“We would like to be undefeated, but our strength of schedule was so tough,” Jefferson said. “Teams in the [Southeastern Conference] will be happy with a two-loss season.”
Fifteen seniors will be honored Saturday at Senior Day.
High-profile seniors such as linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, defensive tackle Drake Nevis and Barksdale will don the purple and gold in Tiger Stadium for the final time.
“It seems like just yesterday I was getting down here for the first time,” Barksdale said. “There’s a new memory every week. I could write a book about things that have gone on here.”
Lesser-known players, like special teams star Dan Graff, will also celebrate their last home game as a Tiger.
“I never would have thought this would turn into something big and become a starter on special teams my senior year,” Graff said.
It also may be the final game in Death Valley for Peterson, who will decide after the season if he will declare for the NFL draft.
“Me and my dad and Coach Miles and the other coaches will come together, probably at the end of the season, and weigh the options,” Peterson said. “I just want to go in there and hopefully get a couple of interceptions if they try me.”
Ole Miss is led by inconsistent senior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who has thrown for 1,601 yards with 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The former Oregon signal caller only completed seven passes for 80 yards and three interceptions in the Rebels’ 52-14 loss last week against Tennessee.
Masoli will face a steep test this weekend in LSU’s defense, the top-ranked in the SEC.
“LSU has one of the finest defenses I have ever seen,” Nutt said. “It starts with their front, their front is outstanding. They are big, fast and give up very few points.”