In 1997, LSU defeated No. 1 Florida 28-21 at Tiger Stadium in what was called one of the biggest wins in LSU history at the time. A week later, an uninspired Tigers team produced a stinker, falling to unranked Ole Miss 36-21.
In coach Nick Saban’s first season in 2000, the Tigers pulled a shocker, defeating No. 11 Tennessee 38-31 in overtime. The next week, the Florida Gators swamped LSU, pounding the Tigers 41-9 and sending them right back down to planet Earth.
Last season, the Tigers beat Kentucky on the “Bluegrass Miracle” when quarterback Marcus Randall heaved the ball more than 60 yards and it fell right into Devery Henderson’s hands for a game-winning touchdown as time expired. Then No. 10 Alabama came to town and thoroughly whipped the Tigers 31-0 in LSU’s next game.
So historically speaking, LSU’s 17-10 win over Georgia sets the Tigers (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) up for a letdown against Mississippi State (0-3) this weekend, right? Nick Saban said not if the Tigers follows his advice.
“I said it after the [Georgia] game to them and I’ve said it several times this week,” Saban said at Wednesday’s press gathering. “Whatever your commitment and your conviction is to wanting to do something special, and if you’ve got that commitment and you have that conviction then you’re going to be committed to trying to do what you need to do.
“It’s the human condition that I think I talk about all the time. When you have success, sometimes you’re not as hungry as you once were. And sometimes when other people are a little more desperate about what their situation is they’re very dangerous.”
Mississippi State’s situation could probably be classified as desperate.
The Bulldogs are on an eight-game losing streak dating back to last season and have started this season 0-3. Mississippi State has not started 0-4 on the field since 1968.
They have dropped early season games to Conference USA foes Tulane and Houston, and have lost 10 of 11 to LSU.
“I have no idea when you ask me how we’ll respond when the game comes,” Saban said of his team’s mindset for the matchup. “We can only try to prepare the players the best we possibly can. I don’t know how they’re going to respond to it. I have no reason to feel like they’re not doing it the right way, but you never know that until they get out there.”
The Bulldogs’ deficiencies have not come on offense.
The Kevin Fant-led offense is averaging 450.7 yards per game, second in the SEC, and is scoring 32.2 points per game, fifth in the league.
Running back Nick Turner is averaging 100.7 yards per game on the ground, and receiver Justin Jenkins is hauling in eight balls per contest.
“They have a lot of good skill position players,” said LSU cornerback Corey Webster, who tops the SEC with three interceptions on the year. “They have two great running backs, they’ve got a good quarterback that’s been there for a while, and they’ve got some good wideouts. For us it’s just going to be another test. We’ve got to come up and try to stop the run and defend the deep routes because they like to stretch the field.”
Defensively, the Bulldogs have had their fair share of problems. MSU is ranked second-to-last in the nation in total defense, surrendering 512 yards per game and are dead last in pass defense, giving up 342.7 yards per game.
Webster said LSU still needs to treat MSU with respect, especially with the bullseye LSU has on its chest being a Top 10 team.
“We know by trying to be one of the dominant teams that every team is going to bring their A game to play us,” Webster said. “We just have to be prepared and bring our A game every time we play.”