I have no clue what will happen Saturday night because I don't think anyone knows that much about either team. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But, I don't see Auburn getting bitch slapped in Baton Rude. Not predicting a win. That would be a crack pipe prediction with an unranked team coming off a 3-9 season going on the road to play the #5 team in the nation. However, this team is not even in the same universe as what we had on the field the last 2 years. Not only are we 375% better at quarterback than last year, we're also much better and deeper at running back and if our guys can consistently catch the ball, we have quite a few weapons at WR. Just as important, we have one of the most innovative corches in the country calling the shots.
Defensively, we're better than last year because we're much deeper and far more talented across the front. In the first 3 games, we've rotated 10-11 guys consistently in the trenches. Yes, linebacker is still an issue but axe yoself if you'd rather have McKinzy/Frost/Holland getting all the reps as opposed to Holland/Bates/Evans? We've already got more interceptions and pass break ups this year in 3 games than all of last year. So far, it's been a bend but don't break...very often...defense, but the bottom line for me, which is a huuuuge improvement over last year, is that they're competing. They're getting after people and fighting from start to finish. They're not going to lay down and give up like we saw so many times the last couple of years.
LSU? Who knows? I'm quite sure they're loaded with talent just based on their consistent top 5-10 recruiting classes. I haven't seen them play one down of ball because I've spent the first 3 game days on the Planes. Reports are that Metzencrotcher is throwing the ball much better than last year. They've always got a stable of huge running backs along with cheap shot thug, Jeremy Hill. AU1 sent me something saying they're starting a couple of redshirt freshmen on the O-line. I know they lost their biggest lineman before the season started with a career ending concussion.
Defensively, everyone knows that because of graduation and defections to the NFL, they pretty much started over with the exception of a couple of bad ass D-linemen. Their numbers look good through the first 3 games but srsly, what can you take from wins against:
TCU 1-2 with a loss to Texas Tech where they were held to 10 points. TCU put 27 on LSU in a tight game til the end.
UAB 0-2 with a loss to Troy
Kent State The Golden Flashes are 1-2 with a 41-22 loss to Bowling Green and a ripping 17-10 victory over Liberty.
Can you take much away from our 12-10 loss last year? Don't know. I guarantee this much. Had Nick Marshall been our QB last year, we'd have beat that bunch by 2 TD's. I do think that's the last game where the whole team gave full effort. That was the loss where the entire team said fuck it. They played out the string after that.
Have I talked myself into an Auburn win Saturday? Nope. But I honestly think it's possible. What I realistically hope for is for us to be in the game until the end. I want to come out of that game thinking we really do have some weapons that can play with the best in the country. That this team can hang with the best in the country.
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