As many LSU alumni return to campus for Homecoming, so too does the LSU football team after its historic victory against Alabama.
The Tigers will now have to change their focus to the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky in hopes of winning LSU coach Les Miles’ 100th career victory, 71 of which have been with the Tigers.
“We’ve got to be real sharp in this game. We’ve got to look at a whole lot of film,” sophomore defensive end Sam Montgomery said. “We have to be ready for their trades, double tight, triple tight. We’ve just got to be ready for them.”
LSU brings the nation’s longest non-conference regular season winning streak of 36 games into Saturday’s matchup. The Tiger’s last non-conference loss was against Virginia Tech in the 2002 season opener, and Miles has never lost a non-conference game in Tiger Stadium, posting a 17-0 record.
Saturday will be the first time Western Kentucky will play LSU and the school’s first time facing the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, but is the second time the Hilltoppers have played in Tiger Stadium.
Western Kentucky defeated New Hampshire, 14-3, in Tiger Stadium to win the 1975 Grantland Rice Bowl and advance to the Division II National Championship Game.
The Hilltoppers started this season with an 0-4 record, but has since won five straight games and moved above .500 for the first time since becoming a bowl eligible team in 2009.
“The guys are coming together and doing it for each other,” Western Kentucky senior running back Bobby Rainey said. “We just came together and started playing for each other.”
Rainey has led the Western Kentucky offense all season with nine touchdowns, averaging 129.89 yards per game.
The nation’s fourth leading rusher in yards per game may run into a wall facing the Tigers’ stingy defense.
LSU’s No. 2-ranked rushing defense held Alabama’s Heisman contender Trent Richardson to 89 yards and no touchdowns.
The Tigers allow an average of 78.78 rushing yards per game, which is 83.44 yards lower than Western Kentucky’s average.
After the Alabama game, Miles continued to stress the need for continual improvement, even if the opponent doesn’t match up as well physically.
“Every week, Coach [Miles] keeps saying the next game is the most important game,” said sophomore defensive tackle Bennie Logan. “Just because we got a win against Alabama doesn’t mean Western Kentucky is just going to come in and lay down.”
The Western Kentucky defense is led by sophomore linebacker Andrew Jackson, who is tied for 10th in the nation with 13.5 tackles for loss.
Western Kentucky’s Old Hickory was named a mid-season honorable mention All-American and is the first Hilltopper since 1984 to open the season with four consecutive double-digit tackle games.
One major storyline for LSU will be how Miles decides to use his quarterbacks.
With senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson taking the majority of the snaps against Alabama, the question of how Miles will split time between Jefferson and senior quarterback Jarrett Lee has been a hot topic.
Lee has started each game this season but was benched against Alabama after throwing two interceptions.
Miles said he still plans on using both signal callers.
“We have two quarterbacks who have contributed significantly to the season, and I think that’ll continue,” Miles said. “It will always be about which quarterback gives us the best opportunity of victory.”
The other possible wild card under center could be sophomore quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who hasn’t attempted a pass since playing Northwestern State. Mettenberger threw for 92 yards and a touchdown against the Demons in LSU’s Sept. 10 home opener.
The Homecoming game is slated to kick off at 6 p.m.
 
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Contact Michael Gegenheimer at [email protected]