David Cutcliffe and all those around the program are obviously embracing all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding this game, whereas Nick Saban has been more precise than ever in downplaying the game and demanding singular focus by his players on what is before them and nothing more. Who's right? Who's wrong? One thing I do like is Eli Manning is all over the place this week: I just saw him on Best Damn this week, for example. Do the Rebs get too wound up for this one? Odds are LSU gets up early in this one. If that happens, isn't it reasonable to assume the emotional crash will be so severe for these guys who have lived and breathed LSU for 13 straight days leading up to the game that LSU could---could---run them right out of the stadium a la South Carolina or Miss. St.?
Both are right. This is the biggest game ever for Ole Miss. For us, it is just another bump on the way to the SECC game. In the last few games, LSU has pretty much set the tone early on by taking control and scoring some points. This game won't be any different for LSU.
Two different situations ... for Ole Miss, a win guarantees their first ever trip to Atlanta, regardless what they do against Miss St. For LSU, a win guarantees nothing ... we must still beat Ark to go to Atlanta. Even Nick Saban has reluctantly admitted this is a big game ... but they are all big when you are in the hunt for the SEC Championship!
It's a big game for both teams and everyone knows it. I don't buy that the pressure is on one team or the other. It's on both teams. I understand Saban's philosophy with the comments he made. You don't want to be so hyped up that you can't sleep the night before or let the anxiety affect you.
I like the hype the media and Ole Miss fans are putting on the Rebels. My bet is they won't be able to take the heat generated and will burn out before they get to the game...
It's a big game for both teams. This is actually tied for biggest game in Ole Miss history, the first game and the one this one is being compared to is the Ole Miss Maryland game from the early 50's where a 3rd ranked Maryland team went to Oxford and lost, thus starting the good years for the Ole Miss football program. I know there is a lot of smack and trash talk between the fans and students of both schools, but as a LSU grad and huge SEC fan, I like seeing this game brought back to the national level. It really used to be a big heated game between La and Miss.
