Vols Better Know What's Waiting For Them Sept. 24
TEMPE, Ariz. Memo to Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton and football coach Phillip Fulmer:
You are playing in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24 ... The game is going to be at night ... It's going to be louder than normal and louder than that Erecter set you call a stadium ... And you will probably lose.
No. 5 LSU, which defeated No. 15 Arizona State 35-31 Saturday night after the game was switched from Tiger Stadium because of Hurricane Katrina, could have played at home this past Saturday night if the Sun Devils had slept in their bus Friday night. Just about everything else is back to normal after LSU served as the primary emergency relief center for the storm and its aftermath.
Hotels may still be a slight problem around Baton Rouge, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Fulmer, but hey, your fans can just bring their trailers (just kidding). (Not really.)
ESPN will announce today that the LSU game will be at night on Sept. 24. You don't get to choose where or what time your away games will be played, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Fulmer, unless there are serious, extenuating circumstances such as the aftermath of the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. Do not try to milk such a terrible situation so your team can take advantage of it.
Arizona State had legitimate concerns on Sept. 5 when the decision was made to play here. You do not have legitimate concerns.
And seriously, it would not surprise me and it would be just like college football for your Tennessee Volunteers to beat LSU a week from Saturday at night in Tiger Stadium anyway. All signs a crazed Tiger Stadium in its latest home opener since 1961, LSU coming off an emotional victory at Arizona State with an extra week to prepare and Tennessee coming off an emotional week at Florida this week point to an LSU win. That's why there is a strong chance Tennessee could win.
How LSU prepares for and plays in this Tennessee game will be the second major test for first-year coach Les Miles. He has handled distractions and two game changes well. How will he and his team handle such sudden success? Will LSU follow an historic victory with a win as it usually did under former coach Nick Saban or will it fall into the relax mode Saban so painstakingly guarded against?
Or will LSU just return to earth as even Saban's Tigers did after the watershed, 38-31 overtime win over Tennessee in his first year in 2000? That was followed by a 41-9 loss at Florida. The Blue Grass Miracle victory over Kentucky in 2002 was followed by a 31-0 loss at home to Alabama.
Arizona State was good. No one has lit up an LSU defense like quarterback Sam Keller (35-of-56 for 461 yards and four touchdowns) did since Florida quarterback Rex Grossman hit 22-of-32 passes for 464 yards and five touchdowns in a 44-15 win in 2001 against Saban at Tiger Stadium.
Tennessee may be better, though it looked average in a 17-10 win over UAB in its opener on Sept. 3. The Vols may not have as good an offense as Arizona State, but it is a more rounded team and will surely be better on defense than the Sun Devils, who gave up 434 total yards.
Oh, but that game is still miles away. LSU people with the exception of new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini need to relax now, enjoy this one and take a hearty breath after a two-week hurricane blitz no one will ever forget.
It was just a football game that LSU won in highly dramatic fashion Saturday night, but few will ever forget it either, particularly that scintillating fourth quarter that featured 42 points, five lead changes and the transformation of LSU from an SEC team to a Pac-10 team.
LSU and Arizona State both played heroically and with a sense of urgency and a just-get-it-done mentality that FEMA, the Red Cross and the National Guard so desperately need.
After a fortnight to forget, it was a night to remember.
Unless of course, you were a Tennessee person watching at home.
See you in Tiger Stadium, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Fulmer. It's going to be dark, but the power won't be out.
GLENN GUILBEAU covers LSU athletics for The News-Star and Louisiana Gannett.
