Homecoming is traditionally a game the home team should win, and LSU’s homecoming contest against Louisiana Tech is no different.
The Tigers assume their familiar role this season as the favorite this week with the latest odds favoring LSU by 26.5 points. Despite being such heavy favorites, LSU coach Nick Saban said the players are responding well in practice this week.
“The players have been really good the last couple of weeks,” Saban said. “They seem to be responding to the fact that they kind of create what happens in the game by how they play and what they do.”
Saban used the analogy that nobody is able to beat the dominant professional tennis sisters – Venus and Serena Williams- unless they do not focus on their game. He said the Tigers take the same approach.
“Nobody really beats the Williams sisters,” Saban said. “It’s basically how [the Williams sisters] play … it’s kind of how we play and that’s what we kind of focus on. We only prepare for the other team. We don’t focus on them.”
LSU has not met its North Louisiana rival since 1941 when the Tigers won 25-0 in Baton Rouge. LSU leads the series 15-1, with Tech’s only win coming in 1904, defeating the Tigers 6-0 in Ruston.
LSU offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth said he respects Tech like any other opponent.
“For us, it’s going to be a game where we’re trying to prove ourselves,” Whitworth said. “We’re going to take it seriously and we’re going to play this game just like we were playing anybody else.”
Tigers strong safety Jack Hunt said he thinks the team will not have the problem of focusing on Tech like the Tigers had earlier in the season when they were favored by nine points against Florida. The Gators handed LSU its only loss, 19-7, on Oct. 9.
“I think the loss kind of got guys refocused and hopefully we won’t have any more of those letdowns,” Hunt said. “And if the guys will just … prepare the same way, treat everything the same and not necessarily worry about what they [Tech] do just prepare for the things they do and then go play with the same intensity every week, then we’ll be fine.”
LSU defensive tackle Chad Lavalais earned honors as Southeastern Conference defensive player of the week with eight tackles, three for loss, and a sack. Lavalais thinks this week is a chance for him and the defense to improve.
“They have a dangerous offense,” Lavalais said. “We can do a lot better defending the pass. I think it’s a challenge for the defense to get better.”
The person who motivates the Tigers most is the late Jeff Boss. He served as LSU’s equipment manager for 24 years before he passed away Monday with brain cancer. Boss gave selflessly to the LSU football program and linebacker Lionel Turner hopes to return the favor on Saturday night.
“We just look at it as another chance for us to go out and show everybody what we can do, compete for 60 minutes and play hard to keep that intensity up,” Turner said. “This one right here is going to go out for JB so there’s going to be a lot of intensity for us. Even though he’s gone, he’s going to always want for us to remember him so this one is going to be for him.”