The last time LSU lost to an unranked non-conference opponent was the Tigers’ Homecoming, the team was led by a first-year coach and a tough Southeastern Conference opponent was next on the schedule.
When LSU lost its homecoming game under coach Nick Saban to UAB in 2000, none of the players nor first-year coach Les Miles were on the team. Players and coaches said they cannot overlook a similar game this weekend against Division I-AA Appalachian State, even with their SEC West showdown nine days ahead at No. 4 Alabama.
“This I-AA opponent is a good football team,” Miles said. “In 1999, they went down to Auburn and played Auburn off their feet and almost beat them. Auburn came from behind in the closing minutes of the game to win [22-15]. This is a very capable football team and they will give us challenges.”
LSU’s back-to-back games against North Texas and Appalachian State is the latest in a season where the Tigers have played two non-conference opponents in consecutive weeks since 1994.
After playing six straight games in as many weeks, senior left tackle Andrew Whitworth said playing two non-conference opponents this late in the season is an advantage.
“It’s a benefit for us at this point because of what we had at the beginning of the year with the crazy schedule and all the emotions and stuff that went on,” Whitworth said. “We need to play some non-conference games and get out there and work and play some teams that definitely talent wise we’re better than, but it’s going to take us playing our game to win.”
The Tigers were able to rest several of their starters on Saturday after they built a commanding lead in their 56-3 win over North Texas.
Senior center Rudy Niswanger said it would be nice if they could do that again.
“That would be nice, but you have got to give teams the respect they deserve,” Niswanger said. “You really never know what’s going to happen in the game. We are just going to prepare this week and go out there to play, and I hope good things will happen.”
Senior tailback Shyrone Carey and junior receiver Dwyane Bowe said the Tigers have a saying they go by to stay focused on each opponent instead of looking toward future opponents.
“We go by the motto of ‘Who’s Next?,'” Carey said. “Whoever is next on the schedule, that’s who we want to play and we want to take it to them. Whoever is coming into Tiger Stadium, we always say we want to give them our best effort so we don’t let them down as our opponent.”
The Mountaineers are 6-2 this season. They lost to Division I-A Kansas, who is in the Big 12, and Furman, who is the top rated team in I-AA. Both losses were on the road.
Appalachian State, located in Boone, N.C., has all-time recorded of 1-9 against SEC teams. The one win was in 1975 when the Mountaineers beat South Carolina, 39-35.
“This game is really important for us going into Alabama,” junior free safety LaRon Landry said. “It really gives us a chance to go out there and compete. We can’t look down on these guys just because they’re a non-conference team.”
 
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