BATON ROUGE -- One of the most competitive rivalries in the Southeastern Conference resumes on Saturday when ninth-ranked LSU hosts Auburn in a key SEC Western Division contest in Tiger Stadium.
 
A total of 19 points separate the winner and the loser in the highly-contested series over the past  five years with all five of those games not being settled until either the fourth quarter or overtime. Last year, LSU scored with just over a minute left to win, 26-21, at Auburn. A year prior, LSU scored a touchdown with just one second left on the clock for a 30-24 victory in Tiger Stadium.

Kickoff between LSU and Auburn is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised to a national audience on ESPN2. LSU, which is coming off an open date, brings a 5-1 overall mark and a 3-1 league record into the game.

Auburn has lost two straight after opening the year with five consecutive wins. Auburn, which dropped a 21-14 decision to Kentucky last week, is 5-2 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

LSU At the Game programs are available on campus three hours prior to game time and online while supplies last.

“It’s LSU-Auburn and you expect those types of games when these two teams play,” LSU coach Les Miles said of the recent history between the teams. “The traditions between these two teams are steep. They are two of the more successful teams in our conference, teams that are used to playing in tight games, and this will be another great Saturday night in Tiger Stadium if history repeats itself.”

GameDay Info LSU vs. Auburn Saturday, Oct. 24 6:30 p.m. CDT ESPN2 GameDay Forecast High: 72° Kickoff: 63° Halftime: 57° End of Game: 54° Low: 46° Rain: 10% chance Humidity: 55% Wind:  N 10 mph Forecast Sunrise:  7:14 a.m. CT Sunset:  6:24 p.m. CT Kickoff:  6:34 p.m. CT Times of Interest 9 a.m. LSU SportShop opens | Shop online at www.LSUshop.net Noon LSU Ticket Office opens Buy and Print Tickets Online Ticket Marketplace Student Ticket Central 1:30 p.m. WNBA Champion Temeka Johnson signs autographs in Zatarain's Tiger One Village (front of PMAC) 2:45 p.m. Trombone Shorty performs at Zatarain's Tiger One Village (front of PMAC) 3:30 p.m. Club level and Suites open at Tiger Stadium LSU At the Game Programs on Sale in and around Tiger Stadium. Read More Live Sports Radios on Sale in and around Tiger Stadium. Read More  3:45 p.m. LSU Student gates open at Tiger Stadium 4 p.m. All remaining gates open at Tiger Stadium | Seating Charts 4:25 p.m. LSU walks down “Victory Hill” 4:30 p.m. LSU Game Day presented by CST radio show at Zatarain's Tiger One Village Listen Live Watch Pregame Stadium Video (ends prior to kickoff per SEC rules) 4:40 p.m. Mike VI and The Golden Band from Tigerland march down Victory Hill | Register for Taco Bell's "March to Death Valley" 6:04 p.m. Mike the Tiger and LSU Cheerleaders field parade 6:12 p.m. Miss LSU Presentation 6:13 p.m. TAF President’s Cup 6:15 p.m. Watch Live Video of the LSU Sports Radio Network broadcast team in the Geaux Zone (no live game action, per SEC rules) Guest Captain (listed below) and Game Sponsor (Verizon Wireless) Presentations 6:19 p.m. Golden Band from Tigerland takes the field for pregame performance 6:23 p.m. Alma Mater, National Anthem, and flyover 6:30 p.m. LSU takes the field 6:30:45 p.m. Auburn takes the field 6:34 p.m. Kickoff: LSU vs. Auburn Follow Live Stats on LSUsports.net/livestats. First Timeout of First Quarter LSU-Capital Area United Way text promotion: Text "LSU" to 864833| Read More Halftime LSU Golden Band from Tigerland performs Guest Captains Josh Booty Troy Twillie

Since the start of the decade, the winner of the LSU-Auburn game has gone on to claim the SEC Western Division title six times, most recently in 2007 when LSU went on to win the national title.

This year’s LSU-Auburn matchup will feature one of the league’s top defenses in LSU against an Auburn offense that is among the best in the nation. Auburn goes into Saturday’s game averaging nearly 35 points, 465 total yards and 247 rushing yards per game.

LSU, on the other hand, is allowing just 14.5 points and 322.5 total yards per game. Since allowing 23 points and 478 total yards in the season-opening win over Washington, the LSU defense has clamped down, allowing just 12.8 points and 291.4 total yards over its last five games.

The LSU defense will be challenged by an Auburn offense that is led by running back Ben Tate and quarterback Chris Todd. Tate ranks second in the SEC in rushing with 122 yards per game, while Todd is fourth in the league in passing with 206 yards per game. In seven games, Todd has tossed for 12 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

“Auburn is a very talented team,” Miles said. “They have a great scheme on offense and two tremendously talented tailbacks to go along with a very good quarterback who does a great job of throwing the football.

“They have great balance on offense with the way they throw it and the way they run it.”

LSU will defend the wide-open Auburn offense with a unit that is led by a trio of linebackers in Harry Coleman, Perry Riley and Kelvin Sheppard. Sheppard, who is coming off a career-best 13-tackle performance against Florida, leads the Tigers with 44 total tackles, followed by Riley with 42 and Coleman with 38.

When LSU has the ball, the Tigers will try to get their offense on track against an Auburn defense that ranks among the lower half of the SEC in points allowed (26.3), total yards (367.6) and rushing defense (181.4).

LSU will once again rely on the running of Charles Scott and the arm of quarterback Jordan Jefferson. LSU goes into the Auburn game averaging 23 points and 295 total yards per game.

“I think we’re doing the right things, we just need to execute a little bit better,” Miles said of the LSU offense. “The want to improve has taken on in really every phase of the offense. If there was just one piece, certainly we’d go wrestle with that. We’re trying to run the ball more efficiently, and if we do that, we feel like that will open up the opportunity to throw it. I think our ability to throw it down the field is coming.

“We spent a lot of time in the open week throwing the ball downfield, and our guy can do that. I think we have talented receivers, and we’ve practiced it a little bit more, and it’s been called, but it may be called a little bit more regularly.”

Scott leads the Tigers rushing attack with 327 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The bulk of his yards this year have come in LSU’s last two games against Georgia and Florida.

Jefferson, who is 6-2 as LSU’s starting quarterback, has connected on 91 of 145 passes for 1,016 yards, seven touchdowns and just three interceptions. Jefferson’s top targets have been that of Brandon LaFell (27 rec., 326 yards, 5 TDs) and Terrance Toliver (25-356-2). Tight end Richard Dickson is third on the team with 12 catches for 103 yards.

“The open date gave us a chance to get some things accomplished on both sides of the ball,” Mile said. “Our guys came to work and worked awfully hard during the open date. We followed that with another good week of practice and preparation. We are excited about the chance to get back in Tiger Stadium to play a very good Auburn team.”