Great read.

[Ogre]

On the brink

There’s been a lot of stuff going around this week amongst Auburn folks. Everyone’s talking about everything in the world — the Heisman Trophy, the ESPN Gameday location, Florida of all things — except the only thing that really matters: LSU.

Sure, there’s been talks about the rivalry — the hard hitting, the voodoo magic, and the smell of corndogs — but few are talking about the only important part: the part between the sidelines. There have been the looks back — the Earthquake Game, the Fire Game, the Interception Game — but no one’s talking about the only game that really matters: the one on Saturday.

This could be one of the most important games for our football program in recent memory. A victory would put Auburn in the position to really start thinking about the SEC Championship Game… to really start thinking about this season as one for the ages.

Truth is, this is probably the biggest game of the year, as far as those aspirations are concerned. Honesty, if Auburn wins Saturday, the West — with LSU hosting Alabama in a couple of weeks — will probably already be clinched before the trip to Tuscaloosa. And, frankly, this game is much more losable than any potential matchup against whatever two-loss team the East is going to spit out.

Say what you will about LSU, but, as Lee Ziemba said earlier this week, their fair share of close victories, just like Auburn’s, only means that they have a close group willing to battle for 60 minutes and, in the Tennessee game’s case, beyond.

And come Sunday, the toughest parts of their schedule will be behind them. They’ll be a home tilt against Alabama away from winning out and getting to a BCS bowl, if not the BCS bowl.

I don’t have to tell you what all else is at stake here. It’s the chance to end a three year losing streak in the series. It’s the chance to avenge last year’s squad’s most embarrassing loss. It’s the chance for Chizik and his staff to prove that their program is ready for the next level, and that they are the next-level coaches that are going to take them there.

But above all that, it’s The LSU Game.

It is, despite being only our second-most, still one of the most bitter rivalries in college football. It’s hard-hitting, it’s trash talking, it’s four quarters, and it’s absolutely brutal.  It takes weeks to heal from. It’s two teams that just plain don’t like each other.

It’s the Auburn way of doing things versus the LSU way of doing things. It’s the Tiger Bowl.
And this year, it’s #4 vs. #6 on national television.

Both of these teams are on the brink of an incredibly memorable season. And now, suddenly, we’re on the brink of gameday… on the brink of the game that we’ve had circled on our calendars all year.
I’ll say it again – this Saturday is the Auburn-LSU game. And right now it’s all we should be thinking about.

[Snaggletiger]

All very real stuff.  However, as long as the players and corches have their minds on LSU, that's all that matters.  The stadium is going to be rockin' like a mofo and we as fans are no doubt going to hold up our end of the bargain.  I promise to be both drunk and loud at the same time.  The fans around my area love me.

[JR4AU]

The 2004 LSU game in Auburn was the turning point or launching point for that Auburn team.  They had a break or 2 go there way, and it was a game in which Tubs "play field position, defense, and be patient" paid off...it was the game where Tubs abandoned his "Riverboat Gambler" mentality, and you could tell he thought he was playing with a team capable of beating anyone.  I hope not to start a Tubs bashing here...my point is that this is yet another LSU/AU matchup that is VERY meaningful, not only to this team, and not just this season, but could have far reaching implications on the career of Chizik at Auburn, especially if we come out victorious.  You have to think that if we win, we should make it to Tuscaloosa undefeated.  DAMN this is a HUGE game! 

WAR DAMN EAGLE.

[Snaggletiger]

The 2004 game should never have been close.  Borges said later he had the game plan ready to open that shit up and he felt very confident about lighting LSU up.  However.....he said Tubs pulled back the reigns the day of the game because he was "Worried about the wind". 

It turned out to be one of the classics but I truly believe AU could have run that bunch out of town.

[djsimp]

This is a huge game. Its almost like you can feel the electricity in the air, almost surreal. I just don't know how the stadium itself will handle this. I mean, this may be Earthquake game 2.0!

[AUChizad]

All very real stuff.  However, as long as the players and corches have their minds on LSU, that's all that matters.  The stadium is going to be rockin' like a mofo and we as fans are no doubt going to hold up our end of the bargain.  I promise to be both drunk and loud at the same time.  The fans around my area love me.

O N E Game At A Time ! ! !

[Snaggletiger]

O N E Game At A Time ! ! !

My lovelly bride hates you.

[AWK]

My lovelly bride hates you.

Dark Pink, West Vance, etc... 

[jmar]

Ogre, you're right. I was wondering why there was so much looking back at Arkansas, the officiating and everything but LSU on this site until Thursday really.