As is usual each season, LSU must address the elephant in the room in early November: it has to face those guys again.
Who?
The reigning national champions. The undefeated, top-ranked team in college football. The team that swiped a former LSU title-winning coach and transformed a once-dull program into possibly the most dynastic team in college football history.
And yet, those guys are treated the same as any other opponent.
“We have not treated this opponent any differently during the week and in our preparation,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said two days removed from arguably the SEC’s most intriguing rivalry — No. 13 LSU versus No. 1 Alabama — in which the Crimson Tide have won the last five meetings.
To make Saturday’s 7 p.m. primetime kickoff at Tiger Stadium more interesting, the No. 13 Tigers feel like they’ve got a shot against the Tide.
Although Orgeron said it was wrong to say, LSU defensive back Dwayne Thomas even guaranteed a win nearly one week ago.
“This is the year,” Thomas said. “We’ve been letting them off the hook for the last couple of years. This is my senior year. We’re going out with a bang. It’s time for us to bring that win back.”
“He can say what he wants to say, we’re going to settle it on the field,” Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen rebutted. “So we’ll see on Saturday.”
On the two-day eve of LSU’s yearly bout with the Tide, Tiger players even assembled for a players-only meeting.
“Today before practice the players chose to have a players-only meeting to discuss things among their leadership,” the coach said Thursday. “I thought it was fantastic.”
It can happen, LSU’s players believe it. Former Tiger players do too, as roughly 20-25 of them visited LSU’s team this week prior to Saturday’s duel, Orgeron said.
“Leadership is coming,” he added. “You can see guys like Leonard Fournette, Jamal Adams, Ethan Pocic — those guys are stepping forward.”
Fournette led the players-only meeting one day before “the drum” starts beating at 3 p.m. Friday, roughly 24 hours before the Tigers host the Tide at Tiger Stadium.
“Obviously, we’ve got a tall task ahead,” Orgeron said.
“We’re focusing in on this football game,” he continued. “It’s a big game for our fans. Big game for our team. Big game for our coaching staff. We realize that. But it’s Game 4 to our new season.”
As head coach, Orgeron has lead LSU to three double-digit wins against Missouri, Southern Miss and Ole Miss by a combined 84 points.
The top-ranked Tide barrel into Baton Rouge with possibly one of the best college defenses in history, Orgeron said. Alabama has nine defensive touchdowns in eight games, 32 sacks this season and allows an average of 14.9 points per game to opponents.
“They have one of the best defenses I’ve ever seen,” the coach said Monday. “Might be one of the best in college football history.”
On the other side, Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts has tailback-like speed surrounded by NFL-ready receivers.
“Most of their yards are short passes, great protection and yards after catch,” Orgeron said. “That’s what they do.”
But, to Orgeron, LSU’s game will be won on the offensive line against Alabama’s ruthless front seven.
Etling has had an excellent week of practice, Orgeron said.
“Protection has been good,” Orgeron said of LSU’s pass protection in practice this week. “We’ve rushed him as hard as we possibly can to simulate their great rush. He’s going to get hit Saturday night. He’s going to get sacked. But I really believe he’s going to respond.”
If Etling and LSU’s offense do respond, the Tigers will end a five-game losing streak against Alabama and plug Orgeron with his fourth win of a four-game season at the helm.
“See y’all Saturday!” Orgeron said.