SEC Football:What We Saw, What We’ll See:Week 8-9
By James Bowers
WHAT WE SAW: LSU OUTLASTS REBS
Louisiana State football looked to be at a low point when Les Miles, the program’s coach since 2005, lost his job following a heart wrenching 18-13 loss to Auburn. The Tigers had a GW touchdown taken from them when an official review determined that time had expired before the ball was snapped. Ed Orgeron took the Tiger team off Les’ hands, and proceeded to cruise to victories against Missouri and Southern Miss before Ole Miss arrived in Baton Rouge on October 22. Many remember Orgeron as the man who salvaged Southern Cal’s 2013 after the abrupt termination of Lane Kiffin.
LSU WINS ON STRONG SECOND HALF
Though Hugh Freeze’s squad was only 3-3 ahead of the contest, few expected the Tiger team to beat on the Rebs the way they did Saturday night, especially after the visitors opened up a 10-0 first quarter lead on the arm of QB Chad Kelly and the first half ended in a 21 all tie. After Ole Miss opened the third quarter with a punt, LSU’s RB Leonard Fournette took the football 78 yards to the end zone, in a play that gave LSU a 28-21 lead and proved a turning point in the contest, as LSU did not allow another Mississippi score and chewed clock efficiently as Fournette set a single game rushing record, in his first game both back from injury and offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger’s new scheme.
FOURNETTE THE GREAT
Fournette’s performance not only inspired his fans and teammates but also chewed clock, as seen on a 6 minute touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Though he’s only played in three games this year, the stellar junior is already approaching the 700 yard mark, and eyeing a third straight 1000+ yard rushing season. The 240 pound Fournette is a popular guess for the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft. At 21, he’s already a legend among LSU supporters, who is expected to join Odell Beckham, Jr., Tyrann Mathieu, and Shaq among the ranks of the Bayou’s most prolific alumni. Ole Miss falls below .500, and looks ahead to an Auburn game in which the odds do not favor them.
WHAT WE’LL SEE:BYE FOR LSU; OLE MISS VS AUBURN
LSU will not play on October 29. The following week, they get a crack at Nick Saban, whose Alabama team has not dropped a LSU contest since the infamous sans-touchdown grinder at Bryant Denny in 2011, which they would avenge in New Orleans
to claim that year’s national title. The Tide handled the Tigers, 30-16 last year.
HOTTY TODDY VS WAR EAGLE
Ole Miss will face Auburn, and having home field is one of the few advantages they’ll have. The Auburn Tigers boast the SEC’s leading passer in Sean White; who showcased his arm while torching Arkansas this week, and the Rebel defense ranks 90th. The secondary has suffered since the injury of CB Ken Webster in a season opening loss to Florida State. They’ve given up 231 throwing yards per game.
Ole Miss’ offense is above average, QB Kelly’s already past the 2000 passing yard mark. Most of those passes have gone the way of Tight End Evan Engram, but a weak run game does them no favors against the Tigers’ top 20. A long night could be in store for the boys from Oxford.
WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK
The world’s largest outdoor cocktail party highlights Week 9, as Georgia, humiliated by Vandy on homecoming, looks to upset a solid Florida group. Tennessee heads to the Palmetto state to face Muschamp and South Carolina, Bama and LSU recoop before their de facto SEC West title game, and Ole Miss will see what it can do against Gus Malzahn’s team. What we may see is a very clear post season picture after next week. We’ll find out.
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