When Saban got here he said he wanted to play one elite type school a year. Last year we had VT which is a elite team. As for Azizona this year I think the athletic department needs a lesson on what exactally constitutes a "Elite" team. They were supposed to be our good non conference team this year. What a bunch of bull. Every other elite team in the SEC plays a great or good non conference schedule. 2003 Non Conference Schedule for Competetive SEC Teams LSU -ULM,LA TECH,Azizona,Western Illinois 0 bowl teams from last year FloridaFlorida-San Jose State,Miami(Florida),Florida State,Florida A&M 2 Bowl Teams Georgia-Clemson,Middle Tennessee,UAB,Georgia Tech 2 Bowl Teams Tennessee-Fresno State,Marshall(Damm them),Duke ,Miami(Florida) 3 Bowl Teams Alabama-South Florida,Oklahoma,Northern Illinois,Southern Miss, Hawaii 3 Bowl Teams Auburn-Southern Cal,Georgia Tech,Western Kentucky,ULM 2 Bowl Teams Arkansas-Tulsa,Texas,Noth Texas,New Mexico State 2 Bowl Teams South Carolina-Virgina,ULL,UAB,Clemson 2 Bowl Teams
Two years ago, LSU's 2003 non-conference schedule was shaping up to be the toughest we've played in years. Troy State, Marshall and Louisiana Tech all won seven or more games in 2001, Marshall and Tech won their conferences (MAC and WAC) and Arizona was considered a sleeping giant in the Pac-10. Whole different story now. Troy St. and Marshall have been replaced by ULM and Division 1-AA Western Illinois, Louisiana Tech suffered a total collapse last season, and I'm not even going to get into what happened with Arizona last year. We have got to find more stability in our non-conference scheduling. One positive from this experience (IMHO) is that this will strengthen the argument for renewing annual home-and-home series with Tulane and Texas A&M every year (two things I strongly favor). With two games like that and rotating ULM,ULL, and La. Tech out on a three-year basis, we only have to schedule one "rent-a-win" game a year to get to seven home games (I'm betting the twelve game schedule is here to stay). No reason this system of doing things can't work. Let's stick with reliable close-by opponents for the "rent a win" game as well (Houston, Rice, Southern Miss, North Texas, etc.)
Yeah, the first time I saw the 2003 schedule, I kind of cringed. Now its a joke. Not really anyones fault (at LSU), I guess. I agree with you completey Jet, except the thought of Southern Miss being a rent-a-win. Hell, Houston isnt even a rent-a-win if your coaches name is Dinardo. Luckily, we dont have that problem, though.
Since we are talking about rent a win teams I thought I would list some teams that would be a win for us yet are halfway respectable. Tulane-Gives us a good fight, plus a rival Rice-Had a good team last year plus close to Baton Rouge Baylor-Haven't done much lately but Guy Morris has the abality to change that These are all I could think of right now. Anyone else have any other teams to add to this list?
