LSU FAN ZONE

LSU Tigers News, Schedule, Pictures and Players

Check out LSU coach Les Miles' weekly press conference from Monday, Oct. 6.

The Associated PressOklahoma wins big again and quarterback Sam Bradford has been big this season.

OK, so there's the Associated Press, the Coaches' poll and the BCS rankings, but none have the enthusiasm, or maybe sarcasm, as the Times-Picayune rankings. We'll give you a brand of humor with these picks - usually with a crazy pick at No. 25 each week - or in our quips about a certain team. Don't get too worked up about it, though, nobody goes to a bowl or stays home from a bowl based on our poll, it's all in fun.

AP Photo / Mark HumphreyVanderbilt pulled off the most intriguing win of the day against Auburn.

In a sport increasingly defined by its madness (one never knows who is going to win ... or get upset ... on a weekly basis), it's almost a breath of fresh air when things go to plan on occasion.

Almost.

Oh sure, the network executives have to be overjoyed that the Texas Longhorns (38-14 winners over Colorado) and Oklahoma Sooners (49-17 victors over Baylor) did NOT get upset this weekend, thereby preserving a battle of undefeateds in next weekend's Red River Shootout. And fans of USC and Ohio State have to be feeling tons better about themselves ... both squads took giant steps forward in putting themselves back in championship contention with wins over Oregon and Wisconsin, respectively.

Just don't expect me to embrace it fully.

Susan Poag / The Times-PicayuneThe Hornets are gearing up for their preseason opener.

With so much going on in the New Orleans sports community, it's easy to lose sight of things.

That's where NOLA.com comes in. David Gladow offers a weekend preview of sorts every Friday at 1 p.m. in the form of a live chat with the New Orleans community.

Want to talk about the Hornets' offseason moves or the upcoming Saints game? Want to vent your frustrations over Tulane or LSU? This is your time to sound off. Send in your questions and comments, and Dave will touch on your hot topics every week.

Michael DeMocker/The Times-PicayuneTalk LSU football withTimes-Picayune beat reporter James Varney.

What's an LSU fan to do, what with a week off from football? Mow the yard? Fix that gate with a rusty hinge? Take out the trash?

Nah, it means sitting in the living room, watching the other games. (Especially Florida vs. Arkansas).

So in that spirit, join Times-Picayune beat reporter James Varney today for a noon LSU football chat.

We'll start taking your LSU questions around 11:30.

LSU basketball Trent Johnson received his first commitment this week when Gulf Coast Community College swingman Brad Reese called to say he plans to be part of the Tigers 2009 recruiting class.

Reese, who is 6-feet-6 and 200 pounds, is expected to sign during the early signing period. He is expected to be one of many as LSU will lose five seniors after the upcoming season.

Reese averaged a team-leading 16.7 points and had 4.1 rebounds per game as a freshman at GCCC. He is a native of Laurel Hill, Fla. He spent one year at Southeastern Louisiana before transferring to GCCC. He also took official visits to Alabama and Texas Tech.

BATON ROUGE - After the last two games, LSU Coach Les Miles decried the occasional coverage breakdown in the secondary, errors he stressed were "correctable."

Since then, the players have identified a failure to communicate as the culprit. Miles had this to say about the topic this week:

"As much as it is a new adjustment or a different wrinkle, like something else that they have seen but not the specific adjustment, and having to relate it to what they've done in the past is the job of the coach," he said.

BATON ROUGE -- One of the new faces on the LSU defense is making a big impression early on.

Junior linebacker and first-year starter Perry Riley has risen to No.¤2 in tackles among LSU defenders with 20, two behind the leader, safety Harry Coleman. Nearly half of those came Saturday in LSU's 34-24 victory against Mississippi State at Tiger Stadium.

AP Photo / John BazemoreAlabama flew past Georgia into this week's top spot.

When upsets start happening (and there were plenty over the weekend), the polls start getting shaken up, and that's when it really gets fun putting this thing together every week.

To the powers that be, is there any way I can get a vote that actually counts for something? No? I didn't think so.

But that's not why I do this thing anyway. It's mostly just for fun, partly for my own benefit (putting this together every week forces me to keep better tabs on all the top teams) and partly to needle all those LSU fans who consider me an idiot (and there are many).

Rob Carr / The Associated Press ArchiveFor Alabama Coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide's 41-30 victory over Georgia was a mixed blessing, simply because it gave him a classic opportunity to talk about a subject close to his heart -- "drinking the Kool-Aid" -- which he enjoyed using during his days with LSU.

As LSU was pretty much having its way with Mississippi State this past Saturday night, although not by as large a margin as the home crowd expected, there was one score you realized would not be announced as a public service.

Of course, fans sitting at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, with images from the No. 3 Georgia-No. 8 Alabama tussle on their hand-held devices, didn't need any reminders.

From Athens, Ga., the news had the effect of a stun gun. ... 7-0. ... 10-0. ... 17-0. ... 24-0. ... 31-0.

The last two BCS national champions will square off on prime time television on Saturday, Oct. 11 when LSU travels to face Florida in a game that will be televised to a national audience on CBS, LSU announced Monday in a press release.

Kickoff for the LSU-Florida game is set for 7 p.m. CST from Gainesville.

OK, so there's the Associated Press, the Coaches' poll and the BCS rankings, but none have the enthusiasm, or maybe sarcasm, as the Times-Picayune rankings. We'll give you a brand of humor with these picks - usually with a crazy pick at No. 25 each week - or in our quips about a certain team. Don't get too worked up about it, though, nobody goes to a bowl or stays home from a bowl based on our poll, it's all in fun.

The Associated PressCan Charles Scott get into the Heisman race?

BATON ROUGE -- Behind the grumblings of LSU fans irate Alabama has topped the Tigers in The Associated Press poll is the growing volume of another debate topic: Does junior running back Charles Scott deserve the Heisman Trophy?

LSU is second in the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Harris interactive polls, the two that are used in the BCS formula. It is third in the AP poll.

Only in the feverish fan swamps that dot the nation from Penn State's Happy Valley to the Longhorns in Austin, Texas, do players win the Heisman Trophy in September. But Scott's statistics and the success of No. 3-ranked LSU (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference and No. 2 in the USA Today coaches poll and Harris Interactive poll) show Scott merits the discussion.

Michael DeMocker / The Times-PicayuneJarrett Lee and LSU are up to No. 3.

The LSU Tigers, fresh off a 10-point win at home, are the nation's new No. 3 team.

NEW YORK -- Oklahoma, where the No. 1 ranking rests again.

The Sooners sit atop the AP Top 25 on Sunday after the first upset-filled weekend of the season gave the media poll a powerful shake. Alabama was both a mover and a shaker, as the Crimson Tide rose to No. 2 after a surprising 41-30 pounding of Georgia.

Previously top-ranked Southern California lost at Oregon State to set the tone for a weekend that brought back memories of the topsy-turvy 2007 season.

AP Photo / Oxford Eagle, Bruce NewmanShay Hodge breaks loose for Mississippi ... much to the Gators' dismay.

It's that wonderful time of year, when the leaves start to turn, New Orleans becomes slightly less sweltering, and college football upsets begin to dominate the landscape.

And make no mistake, that last part is now an annual occurrence.

Southern Cal started the weekend off in style, losing in a lackluster effort against Oregon State 27-21. That the No. 1 team lost to an unranked team shouldn't be a surprise (at least not anymore). That the Trojans, who looked so dominant the game before against Ohio State, instead looked so completely inept against the Beavers ... THAT was the surprise.

AP Photo / Bill HaberLSU took care of business against Mississippi State.

BATON ROUGE - While fellow Southeastern Conference heavyweights Florida and Georgia were losing at home, Les Miles' LSU Tigers took care of business, beating Mississippi State 34-24 Saturday night at Tiger Stadium to remain undefeated and in position to move up in the polls.

"It wasn't the game we all would scripted," Mile said, "but I like what we did."

BATON ROUGE - Mississippi State quarterback Tyson Lee hit running back Christian Ducre with an 11-yard touchdown pass with 2:40 to play in the game to cut LSU's lead to 10, 34-24.

The Bulldogs tried an onside kickbut were called offside on their first attempt and then Mississippi State was called for illegal touching on the second attempt, giving LSU the ball at the Mississippi State 49-yard line with 2:37 to play.

MICHAEL DeMOCKER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNELSU wide receiver Demetrius Byrd heads to the end zone on a game-clinching 44-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.

BATON ROUGE - LSU senior wide receiver Demetrius Byrd might just have delivered the knockout blow to Mississippi State, snagging a pass from Jarrett Lee and streaking down middle of the field for a 44-yard touchdown Saturday night.

Colt David's extra point made it 34-17 in favor of the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers with 4:54 left in the game.

BATON ROUGE - The Mississippi State Bulldogs are refusing to fade away against the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers, as Anthony Dixon scored on a 1-yard run to make it 27-17 LSU with 10:25 to play.

The Bulldogs were able to move the ball on the 74-yard drive by hitting their running backs in space on short passes while they were being covered by LSU linebackers and then Dixon finished it off with a plunge over the left side on third-and-1. The drive lasted 9:11.

BATON ROUGE - Quarterback Jarrett Lee led LSU on a methodical march down the field to a 39-yard Colt David field goal, pushing the Tigers' lead to 27-10.

LSU used a mixture of tough running from Charles Scott and passes from Lee to multiple receivers to set up David's second field goal of the night.

BATON ROUGE - Despite the fact that LSU Coach Les Miles insisted all week Jarrett Lee wouldn't be the only quarterback to play for the Tigers against Auburn, Lee has taken all but one of the snaps in the two-plus quarters.

LSU has taken a 24-10 lead with 12:27 remaining in the third quarter.

Lee, who is 12-of-18 for 162 starts the second half as LSU puts together an impressive drive, with tailback Charles Scott and the Tigers' offensive line taking over.

Mississippi State took advantage of two second-quarter turnovers by LSU to go into halftime trailing just 17-10.

The Bulldogs' Christian Ducre, who prepped at Fountainebleau, scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 2:20 left in the second quarter to end the scoring for the first half.

MICHAEL DeMOCKER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNELSU running back Charles Scott flies backwards into the end zone on a 1-yard score in the first quarter of the LSU game against Mississippi State Saturday.

BATON ROUGE -LSU answered Mississippi State's opening field goal with back-to-back scores to take a 10-3 lead Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers got on the scoreboard with a 38-yard Colt David field goal with 11:18 left in the first quarter and then added a 1-yard touchdown by Charles Scott with 1:03 left in the quarter.

BATON ROUGE - Mississippi State took advantage of a long return of the opening kickoff to strike first in its game against LSU as kicker Adam Carlson made a 42-yard field goal.

It was the first points LSU has given up to Mississippi State since 2006 as the Tigers blanked the Bulldogs 45-0 last year.

Jarrett Lee opened as the Tigers' starting quarterback.

Chuck Cook/The Times-PicayuneLSU coach Les Miles always seems to have his teams ready to play against an inferior opponent.

BATON ROUGE -- One hallmark of LSU teams under Coach Les Miles has been this: when opponents who are predicted to get scaled come to Tiger Stadium, they tend to leave smooth.

That's a bad omen for Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1 Southeastern Conference), which must face No.¤5-ranked LSU (3-0, 1-0), a 24¤1/2-point favorite. Perhaps even worse for Bulldogs fans, LSU essentially has been covering that sort of spread against Mississippi State for a while.

Butch Dill / APLSU safety Chad Jones (3) puts pressure on Auburn quarterback Chris Todd (12) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008.

Hot links

Game Preview courtesy of Stats

Head to Head statistics courtesy of Stats

LSU vs. Mississippi State video preview / By: Chuck Cook / Times-Picayune

LSU photos on NOLA.com

LSU fan forum

James Varney, LSU beat reporter for The Times-Picayune, gives a preview of LSU's game against Mississippi State.

AP Photo / Bill HaberTulane got a win last night ... what is in store for the rest of the local teams?

With so much going on in the New Orleans sports community, it's easy to lose sight of things.

That's where NOLA.com comes in. David Gladow offers a weekend preview of sorts every Friday at 1 p.m. in the form of a live chat with the New Orleans community.

Want to talk about the Hornets' offseason moves or the upcoming Saints game? Want to vent your frustrations over Tulane or LSU? This is your time to sound off. Send in your questions and comments, and Dave will touch on your hot topics every week.

AP Photo / Don RyanUSC could not avoid the upset bug against Oregon State, losing 27-21 Thursday night.

This script is getting familiar.

In the biggest of huge games (against USC), Ohio State wets itself and loses big. The LSU Tigers find a way to win in the fourth quarter against a formidable opponent (Auburn). And to complete the trifecta, USC loses to a much weaker conference opponent (Oregon State) ... mere days after looking completely invincible.

Folks, welcome to 2007.

Chuck Cook/The Times-PicayuneCan Charles Scott get into the Heisman race?

With Southern California losing, do you think LSU will move into the top 3?

Can Charles Scott get himself into the Heisman race?

Will LSU overlook the lowly Mississippi State Bulldogs?

Ask these and other questions to LSU beat reporter James Varney who will be with you at noon to talk Tigers. We'll open it up for questions around 11:30-11:45.

LSU quarterback Andrew Hatch did not practice Wednesday though Tigers Coach Les Miles said he expects him to play on Saturday.

Hatch, who has started all three of LSU's games this season, suffered a slight concussion in Saturday's victory at Auburn and did not return. Jarrett Lee came in and guideded LSU to 23 second-half points and the victory.

Miles did not say who will start Saturday when LSU plays host to Mississippi State.

AP Photo / Butch DillThe Tigers were victorious in a hostile environment ... but do they deserve to rise in the polls?

The only drama at the top of the rankings this week centers on the debate of what to do with the LSU Tigers and Auburn in the wake of LSU's fourth-quarter win at Jordan-Hare Stadium over the weekend.

Certainly, LSU showed a great deal of heart (and a little good fortune too) in prevailing in such a tough environment, but the Tigers also showed signs of weakness. Conversely, Auburn finally got its offense into gear, but nevertheless still lost at home.

I'm basically calling it a wash. I had LSU fifth and Auburn ninth coming into the game, and I didn't see much of anything to change my stance on those rankings Saturday night.

BATON ROUGE - LSU junior wide receiver Brandon LaFell has emerged as one of the top wideouts in the Southeastern Conference, which he leads in average yards per game (82.7). LaFell has displayed a no-nonsense approach this year and consults regularly with former Tigers star Early Doucet. Here he talks about making the most of his opportunities in 2008.