Non-conference road wins have been few and far between for the LSU football team, partly due to a lack of opportunities and partly due to struggles on the road.
LSU is 0-3 since 1995 in non-conference road games, and the Tigers last victory at a stadium of an opponent not in the Southeastern Conference came in 1994, when LSU defeated Tulane 49-25 in New Orleans.
LSU’s last non-conference road win outside the state came in 1987, when the Wendell Davis-led Tigers defeated Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, 17-3.
The Nick Saban-led Tigers will try to buck this trend when LSU visits the University of Arizona in Tucson on Saturday. The game will be televised nationally by TBS. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m.
LSU won the only time the two schools met, defeating Arizon 27-26 at Tiger Stadium in 1984.
Arizona defeated the University of Texas at El-Paso 42-7 last weekend after jumping out to a 42-0 lead.
The Wildcats amassed 446 total yards, including 217 yards on the ground. Running back Michael Bell led the team with 119 yards on 13 carries.
“I think that Arizona played really well in their first game and was dominant,” Saban said at his Wednesday press gathering. “It is going to be a test for us to go on the road for the first time and being able to overcome all the distractions that you have when you make a road trip, especially the first one.”
Arizona used a two quarterback system in the game, with sophomore Nic Costa starting and going 6-for-10 for 110 yards and one touchdown, and redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan O’Hara relieving Costa and throwing 8-for-16 for 119 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Saban said a two-quarterback system can be tough to defend.
“I think both guys can throw the ball effectively,” Saban said. “Costa looks like a running back playing quarterback, being very quick and athletic with excellent speed. (O’Hara) is more of a classic, drop-back passer, tall, good arm and accurate. So they are a little different.”
Cornerback Corey Webster said the Wildcats’ offense will present some challenges to LSU’s defense.
“They have a couple of good athletes,” Webster said. “They have a good running back and two good quarterbacks. Since one of the quarterbacks likes to run a little more than the other, the defensive line has to contain more and we just have to stay back in coverage the whole time when he is scrambling around.”
The Tigers are not sure what to expect from Arizona’s defense, as coach John Mackovic hired Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz right before spring practice began.
Hankwitz, who oversaw the Aggies’ “Wrecking Crew” defense of the nineties, brings in a 3-4 set that Texas A&M used to rank in the Top 10 in total defense in 1998, 2000 and 2001.
“It is kind of difficult because this week we had to watch some of the Texas A&M film,” said LSU quarterback Matt Mauck. “Teams play a little bit different against different styles of offenses. They are listed as a 3-4, but they have been playing a lot of four down linemen defense, and they don’t blitz as much as some teams, but they will do it.”
Unlike last year when LSU traveled to Blacksburg, Va. for its first game of the season and fell 26-8 at the hands of a Virginia Tech team that had played the week before, the Tigers believe the ULM game will prepare them better.
“It makes a huge difference,” Mauck said of the ULM game. “Our athletic staff should be commended for putting that on the schedule. There is so much improvement between the first and second game, and so many little mistakes that go on in the first game really doesn’t happen in the second game. I think you can execute a lot better.”
Saban hopes to see marked improvement this weekend.
“In the first game, you have a lot of anxiety,” Saban said. “Some young players that haven’t played don’t realize the readiness that it takes to play at this level, so they make a lot of mistakes and have a lot of focus after that. And some of the older players who have high anxiety about playing settle down a little bit, and it seems like you make some improvements, and we are hopeful that we are able to that.”