Ninth-ranked LSU (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) and No. 17 Auburn (5-2, 4-0 SEC) have more in common than the same mascot name.
Both teams will depend on a stout defense combined with a consistent offensive attack to carry them to the promised land in this Saturday night’s game at 6:45 p.m. in Tiger Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPN.
LSU brings the No. 1 rushing defense in the country, allowing 53.1 yards per game, while Auburn’s rushing attack is piling up 262 yards per contest in SEC play. Those numbers set up all the makings for a drag-em-up, knock-em-out type of game that will give the winner the position in the driver’s seat for the SEC West crown.
Auburn has more than one option in the backfield, but as of late, coach Tommy Tuberville has ridden his horse, feeding Carnell “Cadillac” Williams the ball in regular doses.
In Auburn’s three latest victories over then-No. 7 Tennessee, then-No. 7 Arkansas and Mississippi State, Williams has rushed for 496 yards on 86 carries with eight touchdowns. He rushed for six touchdowns in the Mississippi State win alone.
Also available for Auburn are 6-foot-4, 257-pound junior Brandon Jacobs, who rushed for 182 yards on 31 carries against Mississippi State, and 6-foot-1, 224-pound junior Ronnie Brown, who rushed for 95 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns in Auburn’s 31-7 victory over LSU last year.
“They actually have three guys that have played a significant amount two at a time,” Saban said. “And it probably helps them all play better longer.”
LSU senior linebacker Eric Alexander said it is rather challenging to prepare for three running backs.
“There is no time to relax,” Alexander said. “Because if Carnell goes out, another one will come right in and take his place and there’s not a letdown. If the next one goes down, another one comes in. It is quite difficult to try to prepare for these running backs.”
If LSU does have success stopping the running game, Auburn junior quarterback Jason Campbell will shoulder much of the load.
Campbell is 89-for-145 on the year with 1,127 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
“Some quarterbacks are different in style and nature,” Saban said. “And for what they ask him to do and in the right situations, he’s a very effective quarterback.
“But you ask a guy to be a good quarterback in a balanced offense that can run and play action pass and make a third down and seven when you need to, if you look at the five wins, he’s done that extremely well.”
Sometimes overlooked with Auburn’s prolific rushing attack is its stellar defense. Auburn is eighth in the country in total defense, allowing 277.7 yards per game, and fourth in the country in scoring defense, giving up 12.4 points per game.
The defense is led by mammoth linebackers Karlos Dansby and Dontarrious Thomas. They have combined for 88 tackles, including 14 for losses.
LSU’s rushing attack will once again be headed up by three freshmen, as sophomore Joseph Addai is out with a medial collateral ligament sprain, and it is uncertain if junior Shyrone Carey, who suffered the same injury, will play against Auburn either.
The trio of Justin Vincent, Barrington Edwards and Alley Broussard combined for 222 yards and two touchdowns in LSU’s 33-7 win over South Carolina last weekend and may have to bear the rushing burden this weekend.