by Michael Bonnette, Associate AD/Sports Information Director
PARKING ADVISORY -- Heavy rains on the LSU campus have resulted in many grass parking lots that will have restricted parking due to standing water. Fans are encourage to arrive early and to carpool as much as possible. Individuals without tickets to the LSU-Tulane game are discouraged from tailgating on campus.
BATON ROUGE -- LSU will take a break from Southeastern Conference play on Saturday when the ninth-ranked Tigers host in-state rival Tulane at 7 p.m. in Tiger Stadium.
The Tulane game comes following a four-week stretch that has seen the Tigers face Mississippi State, Georgia, Florida and Auburn in consecutive games. Next week, LSU travels to face second-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa in a contest that could go a long way in determining the winner of the SEC Western Division.
Still, with all of that both behind them, and what remains in front of them, the Tigers have approached this week focused on one thing – Tulane.
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“I like the position that we’re in and I this team understands that we have to take each opponent one at a time as we go forward,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “All of our goals are still there, but we have not lost sight of the fact that we are still a long way away. We need to continue to improve in all three phases of the game.
“The key is having a good week of preparation, which we have done this week. I like our focus and the enthusiasm that we’ve had on the practice field. In order to play well on Saturday, you have to prepare well during the week. This team knows that and that’s the way they’ve approached practice this week.”
LSU goes into Tulane game with a 6-1 overall mark following last week’s 31-10 victory over Auburn. Tulane, losers of three straight, slumped to 2-5 last week after its 43-6 setback to Southern Miss.
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GameDay Info LSU vs. Tulane GameDay Forecast Times of Interest 9 a.m. Noon 2:30 p.m. 4 p.m. 4 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:50 p.m. 5 p.m.
5:05 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:38 p.m. 6:39 p.m. 6:40 p.m. 6:42 p.m. 6:45 p.m. Golden Band from Tigerland takes the field for pregame performance 6:49 p.m. Alma Mater, National Anthem, and flyover 6:56 p.m. 6:56:45 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
First Timeout of First Quarter First Quarter Halftime Guest Captains |
LSU brings the nation’s longest non-conference winning streak into Saturday’s game as the Tigers have won 21 straight non-SEC games since the start of the 2005 season. LSU hasn’t lost a non-conference game since a 30-25 defeat to Iowa in the Capital One Bowl to end the 2004 season. Miles is 21-0 in non-conference games at LSU.
LSU has won 17 straight over Tulane, a streak that dates back to the 1983 season. Even though the series has been dominated by the Tigers for the better part of the last three decades, Miles said the Tigers are not looking past the Green Wave.
“Tulane is a very dangerous team,” Miles said. “You take the records, and you throw that out. They’ve lost to two very good football teams and they will play very good football against us. Bob Toledo is a tremendous coach and he does a great job preparing his team.
“We understand that we must play well against Tulane. No game is more important than the next one, especially an in-state rival that will prepare very well against us, and our football team understands that we made improvement against our last opponent. That kind of improvement must continue against the next opponent.
“The specific challenge of Tulane will help prepare us for the next games we play. There will be no want to look beyond that. We understand that our greatest ally at this point is time, to improve, do better and play strong and play dominant against our next opponent.”
The Tigers are coming off perhaps their most complete game of the season in the 31-10 win over Auburn. In that game, LSU had its highest offensive output of the season with 376 yards (122 rushing, 254 passing), while limiting Auburn to just 193 total yards, including only 42 in the first half.
Sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson played his best game of the year, connecting on 21 of 31 passes for 242 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Jefferson also rushed for a touchdown in the victory.
“I really felt like our quarterback (Jordan Jefferson) did a nice job running the game and managing the game,” Miles said. “We’re a team with great wide receivers. If we can get the ball in their hands and if our quarterback can dish the ball to the playmakers, then we’re going to have a pretty good day.”
Jefferson’s top targets in the passing game have been junior Terrance Toliver with 34 catches for 442 yards and three touchdowns and senior Brandon LaFell with 33 catches for 393 yards and six scores. Toliver and LaFell have combined for more catches in the SEC this year than any other tandem in the league.
LSU also got the running game going against Auburn as Russell Shepard scored on a 69-yard run for the Tigers’ longest scoring play of the season. LSU’s top rusher this year is senior Charles Scott, who has 347 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 85 carries.
Defensively, the Tigers continue to show improvement each week. Last week against Auburn, LSU completely dominated an Auburn offense that was averaging nearly 35 points and 450 total yards per game. LSU’s defense has allowed a combined 36 points over its last three SEC games, the fewest over span of three league games since the 2005 season.
“Our defense is getting better each week,” Miles said. “There is a real pride there, an enjoyment or a spirit if you will, but that defense just wants to keep improving and play better than the teams they’re playing against.”
The Tiger defense is led by a trio of linebackers in seniors Harry Coleman (47 tackles) and Perry Riley (47 tackles) along with junior Kelvin Sheppard (57 tackles).
Against Tulane, LSU will face a Green Wave squad who is led by running back Andre Anderson, who has 646 yards and six touchdowns, along with wide receiver Jeremy Williams, who has 44 catches for 662 yards and three scorers. Tulane has played three quarterbacks this year, most recently starting Ryan Griffin in the loss to Southern Miss.
“Anytime you play an in-state school there’s guys that know each other on both teams,” Miles said. “Either they went to high school across town, or went to the same school and know each other well. There is great respect there. Certainly there is a want to play against each other and we look forward to that.”
LSU Notebook
Saturday night will be a historic one in Tiger Stadium as it will be the 50th anniversary of Billy Cannon’s legendary 89-yard punt return against Ole Miss in 1959 ... Cannon will be recognized on the field at the first quarter break on Saturday and the punt return will be shown on the video board in Tiger Stadium ... This year also marks the 60th anniversary of the 1949 LSU team who played Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl ... Members of the 1949 LSU team will be recognized on the field on Saturday during the first timeout of the first quarter ... LSU goes into the Tulane game having won 33 of its last 34 Saturday night games in Tiger Stadium ... LSU has also won 23 consecutive games against teams from Louisiana, which includes a 31-3 win over Louisiana-Lafayette earlier this year ... LSU hasn’t lost a home non-conference game since a 13-10 defeat to UAB in 2000 ... Since then, LSU has won 26 straight non-conference home games ... With a win over Tulane, LSU coach Les Miles will move past Nick Saban as the third-winningest coach in school history with 49 victories.
