LSU is battle tested. We know how to come from behind and win, and if we have to, we will do it again. As soon as Ohio State falls behind, the entire country, including their players, are going to be thinking "oh no, here we go again". LSU will be healthy. Ask VATech how that feels! LSU WILL WIN THIS GAME! "Have a GREAT day"
I guess I bought into the hype from a Sporting News article that had a current SEC coach break down LSU and what he said was disturbingly true... He said our offense was "predictable" and that we're not much of a spread offense, but more smash-mouth...and that Ohio State had the horses on the offense and defensive lines to combat that.
I think a lot of people--both media and LSU fans--look at LSU right now and see 1) The team that struggled on offense in the first half of the season with Doucet out and shaky receivers/QB, 2) the banged-up defense with Dorsey hurt/out, that gave up a lot of yards in the other half. With this team finally as close to completely healthy as possible, and with more mature/experienced QB/O-line/receivers, they're gonna surprise a lot of people in the NC game. I certainly don't underestimate the #1 team in the country, but they have yet to face a real front 7, and that's where the game will be won or lost. OSU's strengths don't lie in the mobility/misdirection that has given LSU problems, and the D should be able to handle the north-south attack (they've certainly seen much more potent offenses this year than OSU's). LSU has plenty of screens and option plays to offset OSU's blitzes and confuse the defense. Maybe not 41-14 spectacular, but I think LSU wins by at least 2 scores.
Lyle Hitt and Carnell Stewart need to play solid and level-headed against the Buckeye D-line. I want to see our WR's LINE UP CORRECTLY (no illegal formations) and NO false starts!!!!!
Naturally, the team must play focused, disciplined football. LSU's playing for all the marbles, so if they don't come out 100% focused for this game, they never will. But I have every confidence that this team will come out and play some of its best football this year. OSU is a very tough team, but LSU's faced a gauntlet of equally tough teams this year and has prevailed more often than not. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm concerned about how they'll perform, like I've been concerned all season before each game, but LSU has all the tools and the ability to bring home a NC, and given the obstacles they've already overcome, I'm very confident that they'll come through in the end, especially with the momentum of winning a SEC championship and Miles' decision to stay.
I would like to think that LSU will play a full 60 minutes of football with few penalties. But the likelyhood is they will play as they have most of the season: a slow 1st half followed by a strong 2nd half and plenty of penalties. If we win, it will be close for that reason.
Let me put it this way, I feel a lot better about LSU's chances against OSU than against Oklahoma, West Virginia or USC. Of all the possible NC matchups, I think this one favors LSU's style of play the most and is the most likely to bring home one of these: :crystal: Don't forget that, similar to LSU this season, Florida looked shaky and uncertain for nearly all of last season before turning on the jets in the NC game. This game is a clean slate. Like a rivalry game, stats and records often go by the wayside for a prize like this.
I don't.. think our offense is predictable. We do play very smash-mouth football.. but who's getting the ball? We have to many weapons to be predictable. Our strength is and will be 1st and 10 situations. Where's it go then? If we play 2nd/3rd and short we'll dominate this game IMO. We also seem to have a fairly good 3rd down conversion rate. Change of pace backs are going to win this for us. :wave:
i think our guys getting a "second chance" at something they thought they lost will have them pretty UP for the game. it's a special bunch of seniors we have this year - they are committed and hungry.
