LSU vs. Ole MISS Preview:

By Taylor Cannon

Magnolia flower

One the best rivalries in the South comes to a head in Oxford, Mississippi when the TOP RANKED RED HOT LSU TIGERS take on the woeful Ole Miss rebel (Or after the name change last year the Black Bears whatever) in the 100th meeting of the two teams. This game has special meaning to me, because this was my FIRST LSU football I saw live at Tiger Stadium (still to this day has to be one of my favorite venues to watch and experience a football game) it was in 1993 (which was the 100 year anniversary of LSU Football) my dad, sister and me watched the game (I can’t remember the score, but I remember two things it was cold and we won), plus when my dad went to school at LSU during the late 60s and early 70s, LSU told its African-American students not to attend the game because of the racial tension at the time. This rivalry is now known as the Magnolia Bowl (because the Magnolia is the state flower of both states).

LSU leads the series 56-39-4 and this series has had its notable games from the Halloween Night game in 1959 where Ole Miss was leading 3-0 and LSUs Billy Cannon (no relation) returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown which turned out to be the game winner and gave Cannon the Heisman trophy. To the 1960 game where both teams were tied and was Ole Miss’s only blemish on route the 1960 national championship. In 1972 the Jones to Davis where LSUs Bert “the Ruston Rifle” Jones found Brad Davis for the last second game winning TD with one second remaining. In fact the “home-clock advantage inspired a sign at the Louisiana state line reading “You are now entering Louisiana. Set your clocks back four seconds”. To a heart-warming 1989 game where Ole Miss was playing its first game and it was at home since the pharyalis of its linebacker Chuckie Mullins. The Rebel fans were emotionally charged as they saw their team come from 21 points only to come up short against the Tigers.

The 1997 match up where Ole Miss upset then ranked #7 LSU coming off a win over Florida. To the 2003 when Ole Miss led by Eli Manning was undefeated in the conference and had to battle LSU who had one loss and the winner was to represent the West in SEC Championship. If Ole Miss won they would win the West outright, but if LSU won the two would be co-champions, but LSU would win the tie breaker. LSU WON before a record crowd to EVER WATCH A FOOTBALL IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. It was a puzzling way to end and lose the game as LSU was down 25-23 with 9 seconds completes a 40 yard pass on a 4th and 26, but with no timeouts and no time to execute a play the kneel the ball preserving the Ole Miss win. So with this rivalry history laid out lets go to the preview.

Offense vs. Offense: What does that North Mississippi High School (Ole Miss) have on offense when you’re ranked next to last in the SEC in Offense, you get blown out by LA TECH, your starting QB Randall Mackey made a comment about Bama being beatable then your squad only putting up 7 against them and now recently its leading rusher in Jeff Scott and Mr. Mackey will be suspended for the game (and possibly against their season finale game against MSU). Here comes LSU with dual threat QBs Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, quad running backs in Kenny Hilliard, Alfred Blue, Michael Ford, and Spencer Ware and receivers Russell Shepard, Odell Beckham Jr., and Rueben Randle (While we’re at it, Special Team Hit-Man and Freshman Receiver Jarvis Landry might see some playing time). LSU is going to go wild tonight and it will be a long night also for that North Mississippi High School D Edge LSU

Defense vs. Defense  - LSUs physical secondary led by Tyrann “The Honey Badger” Mathieu, Morris Claiborne, Eric Reid, Ron Brooks and Tharold Simon look to put down the already pathetic Ole Miss receivers and bring some Louisiana heat to the Quarterback and Running Backs of North Mississippi High. Sam Montgomery, Ryan Baker, and Keith Hatcher looks to make whoever the Black Bears QB is suffer. This 3rd ranked defense in the NCAA looks to sharpen its skills even more before its day after clash before they face the Razorbacks of Arkansas. Edge LSU

Intangibles - Lame duck Coach Houston Nutt will be coaching his next to last game as a Ole Miss Rebel/Black Bear with opening season losses to Jacksonville State in 2010, losing to BYU and getting shellacked by Vandy, UK, and WAC opponent for homecoming LOUISIANA TECH 27-7 in 2011, and with a 150 million dollar athletic expansion in the works things had to change, but has had a knack of getting under LSU’S skin and Its being played at Vaught- Hemmingway Stadium on the campus of Ole Miss where its home to “The Grove” – supposedly the best place to tailgate (If it is its about the only thing that Ole Miss is doing well this year, because they are definitely aren’t playing football down there) and its Ole Miss’s SENIOR DAY. LSU has been playing lights out, and taking to heart what Miles has said “Bringing the WOOD” and they are just finding ways to win which is to just flat out be focused, play mistake free ball, and most of all STEP UP when the pressure is on and when you can do those things YOU JUST CAN’T BE JUST STOPPED BUT CAN’T BE BEAT. – Edge-LSU

Winner and why – Ole Miss has just looked awful this year from on the field as well as off, even their heart has been held in to question as early as last week the coaching staff was seen packing up their stuff (Heartless and no PRIDE) personally this couldn’t have happened to a more deserving team. To reference an old Dave Chappelle bit LSU IS GOIN BUCK YA GROVE – OLE MISS and do a ‘what did the five fingers say the face- SLAP”!!! to Ole Miss (its going be COOLLDDD BLOOOODED). So you take that attitude which I mentioned earlier Ole Miss has, plus bring in a physical LSU team this will be a flat out blow out. LSU IS GOING TO BRING DA WOOD AND THEN SOME. I am going to enjoy this beat down very thoroughly. LSU 52-10