Priciest ticket this weekend? One guess ... 
October, 30, 2012
10/30/12
3:47
PM ET
By
Gary Laney | ESPN.com
No surprise, but the LSU-Alabama game is the hottest ticket in college football.
The average resale price for a ticket to Saturday's game pitting the nation's top-ranked Crimson Tide and the No. 5 Tigers is $752, according to TicketsNow. That's more than double the price of the second most coveted game, the Oregon at USC game (average price: $310).
This is of no surprise. LSU fans who have looked to sell their tickets have been asking for those kinds of prices since the summer. Some fans looked to sell their season tickets, except for the Alabama game.
The average resale price for a ticket to Saturday's game pitting the nation's top-ranked Crimson Tide and the No. 5 Tigers is $752, according to TicketsNow. That's more than double the price of the second most coveted game, the Oregon at USC game (average price: $310).
This is of no surprise. LSU fans who have looked to sell their tickets have been asking for those kinds of prices since the summer. Some fans looked to sell their season tickets, except for the Alabama game.
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Priest Willis talks Nebraska, future visits
October, 30, 2012
10/30/12
1:49
PM ET
By
Erik McKinney | ESPN.com
In the battle for ESPN 150 safety Priest Willis (Tempe, Ariz./Marcos De Niza), the Nebraska Cornhuskers were able to launch the first offensive this past weekend, as coach Bo Pelini's program hosted the 6-foot-2, 199-pound athlete on an official visit.
"It was really fun," Willis said of his first trip to the Nebraska campus. "Outside of football, there's really not much to do, but the feeling at the game was overwhelming and the tunnel walk was pretty awesome."
Nebraska's fans certainly made an impression on the recruit ranked No. 58 in the country.
"It was really fun," Willis said of his first trip to the Nebraska campus. "Outside of football, there's really not much to do, but the feeling at the game was overwhelming and the tunnel walk was pretty awesome."
Nebraska's fans certainly made an impression on the recruit ranked No. 58 in the country.
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Since returning to the SEC in 2007 as Alabama’s coach, Nick Saban has won 39 of his 48 games against league opponents.
Four of those nine losses came in his first season at Alabama, and three were to the same coach.
He’s the same coach who will be on the home sideline Saturday night in Tiger Stadium when Alabama and LSU resume what has become one of college football’s premier rivalries.
And if Saban is indeed college football’s premier coach, LSU’s Les Miles at least deserves to be in that conversation.
Sure, they’re as different as Anchorage, Alaska and Maui, Hawaii, but Miles is one of the few coaches who’s had some degree of success against the guy he followed on the Bayou.
They’re deadlocked at 3-3. In fact, Miles beat Saban in back-to-back games in 2010 and 2011 (in the regular season). It was the first time Saban had lost to the same coach in consecutive years since his first two years at LSU when Steve Spurrier’s Gators walloped the Tigers 41-9 in 2000 and 44-15 in 2001.
Saban had won 12 straight rematch games until Miles came into Bryant-Denny Stadium last season and guided his Tigers to a 9-6 overtime win against the Crimson Tide in one of the most anticipated regular-season games in recent college football history.
Granted, that game is a mere footnote for a lot of people since Saban came back and prevented what would have been a hat trick for Miles.
What’s more, it was the money game.
Alabama pummeled LSU 21-0 in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans to win its second national title in the last three years and ruin what had otherwise been a dream season for the Tigers.
It made for a long offseason in Baton Rouge despite the fact that LSU won 13 games and its second SEC championship under Miles.
But losing the way the Tigers did in New Orleans, and the fact that it was Saban on the other sideline, made it even more difficult for LSU fans to stomach.
Most of their ire was naturally directed at Miles, who’s probably never going to completely get out of that massive shadow that Saban has created by winning national titles at both LSU and Alabama.
Even when Miles won his national title in 2007, the knock was that he won it with Saban’s players.
To Miles’ credit, he’s handled what would have been an impossible situation for a lot of coaches about as well as anybody could, and he’s kept LSU among the elite in college football.
In seven seasons, Miles has won 11 or more games five times, and despite the huge disappointment in New Orleans in January, he’s beaten Saban two of the last three times they’ve played.
They'll square off for a third time in 12 months Saturday night, and a win this time would probably be Miles’ biggest yet.
For one thing, No. 1 Alabama has steamrolled everybody in sight this season, and more than a few have questioned whether anybody can beat this Crimson Tide team.
But probably most importantly, LSU could vault right back into the national-title picture with a win over the Crimson Tide.
If so, talk about that giant pendulum swinging.
No longer would Miles be peppered with questions about how LSU could look so bad in last season’s national title game.
The questions would shift to Saban and how he could manage to lose three of his last four games to Miles.
It changes quickly in this league. Always has and always will.
Four of those nine losses came in his first season at Alabama, and three were to the same coach.
[+] Enlarge
Marvin Gentry/US PresswireLSU's Les Miles faces Alabama's Nick Saban for the third time in 12 months on Saturday night.
Marvin Gentry/US PresswireLSU's Les Miles faces Alabama's Nick Saban for the third time in 12 months on Saturday night.And if Saban is indeed college football’s premier coach, LSU’s Les Miles at least deserves to be in that conversation.
Sure, they’re as different as Anchorage, Alaska and Maui, Hawaii, but Miles is one of the few coaches who’s had some degree of success against the guy he followed on the Bayou.
They’re deadlocked at 3-3. In fact, Miles beat Saban in back-to-back games in 2010 and 2011 (in the regular season). It was the first time Saban had lost to the same coach in consecutive years since his first two years at LSU when Steve Spurrier’s Gators walloped the Tigers 41-9 in 2000 and 44-15 in 2001.
Saban had won 12 straight rematch games until Miles came into Bryant-Denny Stadium last season and guided his Tigers to a 9-6 overtime win against the Crimson Tide in one of the most anticipated regular-season games in recent college football history.
Granted, that game is a mere footnote for a lot of people since Saban came back and prevented what would have been a hat trick for Miles.
What’s more, it was the money game.
Alabama pummeled LSU 21-0 in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans to win its second national title in the last three years and ruin what had otherwise been a dream season for the Tigers.
It made for a long offseason in Baton Rouge despite the fact that LSU won 13 games and its second SEC championship under Miles.
But losing the way the Tigers did in New Orleans, and the fact that it was Saban on the other sideline, made it even more difficult for LSU fans to stomach.
Most of their ire was naturally directed at Miles, who’s probably never going to completely get out of that massive shadow that Saban has created by winning national titles at both LSU and Alabama.
Even when Miles won his national title in 2007, the knock was that he won it with Saban’s players.
To Miles’ credit, he’s handled what would have been an impossible situation for a lot of coaches about as well as anybody could, and he’s kept LSU among the elite in college football.
In seven seasons, Miles has won 11 or more games five times, and despite the huge disappointment in New Orleans in January, he’s beaten Saban two of the last three times they’ve played.
They'll square off for a third time in 12 months Saturday night, and a win this time would probably be Miles’ biggest yet.
For one thing, No. 1 Alabama has steamrolled everybody in sight this season, and more than a few have questioned whether anybody can beat this Crimson Tide team.
But probably most importantly, LSU could vault right back into the national-title picture with a win over the Crimson Tide.
If so, talk about that giant pendulum swinging.
No longer would Miles be peppered with questions about how LSU could look so bad in last season’s national title game.
The questions would shift to Saban and how he could manage to lose three of his last four games to Miles.
It changes quickly in this league. Always has and always will.
LSU coach Les Miles sat down with Jenn Brown early Tuesday and gave some insight into the mentality of his team right now -- if not the X's and O's of preparing for Saturday's SEC West rivalry with Alabama.
On coming out of bye week: "We like the energy and effort ... I think our coaching staff has a good plan, i think the players are enjoying preparing. I think we're getting ready."
On keeping emotions in check for rematch with Bama: "It really is how we play And we didn't feel like we played like we were capable. So our focus is to correct the things that we can correct. And that's us. If we do that we'll play well."
On coming out of bye week: "We like the energy and effort ... I think our coaching staff has a good plan, i think the players are enjoying preparing. I think we're getting ready."
On keeping emotions in check for rematch with Bama: "It really is how we play And we didn't feel like we played like we were capable. So our focus is to correct the things that we can correct. And that's us. If we do that we'll play well."
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All-access with the LSU Tigers today
October, 30, 2012
10/30/12
8:20
AM ET
By Recruiting Nation staff | ESPN.com
GeauxTigerNation and ESPN will bring you an extended look at LSU football today as the Tigers prepare to face Alabama in a rematch of last season's BCS Championship Game.
The started with coach Les Miles, naturally. ESPN's Jenn Brown rode shotgun as the coach drove to work Tuesday morning -- and was sure to fasten her seat belt.
"I've received the worst-driver award on several staffs that I've coached," Miles quipped before getting down to brass tacks about his day's agenda.
"A series of meetings, offense, special teams, defense, kind of view the game plan to this point," he said. "A Tuesday practice. A work-day practice."
Though events are subject to change, others on the schedule include defensive coordinator John Chavis, quarterback Zach Mettenberger, defensive end Barkevious Mingo and safety Eric Reid.
Check back with GeauxTigerNation and tune in to all day long for the kind of updates fans don't often get to see!
The started with coach Les Miles, naturally. ESPN's Jenn Brown rode shotgun as the coach drove to work Tuesday morning -- and was sure to fasten her seat belt.
"I've received the worst-driver award on several staffs that I've coached," Miles quipped before getting down to brass tacks about his day's agenda.
"A series of meetings, offense, special teams, defense, kind of view the game plan to this point," he said. "A Tuesday practice. A work-day practice."
Though events are subject to change, others on the schedule include defensive coordinator John Chavis, quarterback Zach Mettenberger, defensive end Barkevious Mingo and safety Eric Reid.
Check back with GeauxTigerNation and tune in to all day long for the kind of updates fans don't often get to see!
Blame this season's passing woes on whichever deserving party you see fit: the coaching staff, the quarterback or the wideouts. There's plenty of blame to go around for a passing attack that is middling -- at best -- for a third consecutive year at LSU. And while all three of those parties deserve criticism, there's no denying that the Tigers' young receivers just haven't stepped up their level of play after the departure of Rueben Randle for the NFL. There have been too many drops, fumbles and miscommunications through eight weeks of the season.
The commitments of ESPN 300 wide receiver Chuck Baker, ESPN 300 athlete John Diarse and juco wide receiver Quantavius Leslie should boost that depth in the receiving corps. And the possible commitment of No. 1 2013 wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones later this year would be a huge boon.
But with the absurd amount of in-state talent at wide receiver in 2014, combined with this year's struggles, LSU is certain to look for some more talent to catch passes in Tiger Stadium.
The commitments of ESPN 300 wide receiver Chuck Baker, ESPN 300 athlete John Diarse and juco wide receiver Quantavius Leslie should boost that depth in the receiving corps. And the possible commitment of No. 1 2013 wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones later this year would be a huge boon.
But with the absurd amount of in-state talent at wide receiver in 2014, combined with this year's struggles, LSU is certain to look for some more talent to catch passes in Tiger Stadium.
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Part 3 of Alabama-LSU is finally here
October, 29, 2012
10/29/12
1:40
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
You’ve waited long enough.
For 10 months, you courageously sat through spring/fall ball, NBA playoffs, the Olympics, Tiger Woods coming and falling back, and the very, very long MLB season just to get to this moment.
"The Game of Games: Part III."
Trilogies can jump the shark ("Matrix" trilogy, anyone?), but we’ve had some classics (thank you, "Godfather" and original "Star Wars"). The hope is that Game 3 between Alabama and LSU will live up to its blockbuster billing.
LSU’s loss to Florida and its mediocre passing game has taken a little of the luster out of this one -- especially with Alabama currently dismantling everything in its path -- but people worried about "The Dark Knight Rises" disappointing and it didn’t even come close.
(Don’t even try to argue that last point because you won’t get far at all.)
And Saturday’s game in Baton Rouge, La., between No. 1 Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) and No. 5 LSU (7-1, 3-1) has the chance to be epic. No, we don't have a Honey Badger or Trent Richardson, but we have two swarming defenses and major BCS implications on the line. An SEC and national championship appearance are there for both, and it’s a chance for one squad to break the 1-1 tie these teams, which are very similar to the ones that battled twice last year, have.
It also will break the 3-3 tie Nick Saban and Les Miles have against each other.
Now, Saban and his Crimson Tide have the edge when it comes to style points. A 21-0 drubbing of LSU in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game last year trumps the Tigers’ 9-6 overtime win against Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
In a way, it essentially eliminated everything LSU did to get to New Orleans and almost made everyone forget about the epic bout these two teams had in Bryant-Denny Stadium in November.
That was the game everyone had wanted to talk about. You had the two best teams in the country duking it out in a game that, at the time, stood as a quarterfinal for the national championship. It was the defensive standstill of all defensive standstills, as we witnessed eight punts, four turnovers and 534 combined yards of offense.
Oh, and no touchdowns.
Although many above the Mason-Dixon Line yawned at both offenses, fans in the Deep South oohed and ahhed at what they thought was how real football was supposed to be played. If you were a true fan of great defense, you fell in love with Epic Rumble: Part I.
But we quickly forgot just how great Game 1 was after these two teams (clearly still the best teams in the country) met again in NOLA. Basically playing in its own backyard, top-ranked LSU was knocked unconscious by the Tide. Alabama literally resembled a herd of elephants as it stomped LSU into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf.
The run-first attack that worked against Alabama in November was immediately suffocated by the Tide defense. LSU’s game plan never really changed, and the Tigers were held to just 92 total yards and didn’t cross midfield until eight minutes were left in the game.
LSU was supposed to have a historic year, but everything was lost with an offensive game plan that didn’t come close to challenging Alabama. In essence, it was a one-game season for LSU, and 13-0 swiftly vanished from everyone’s memory.
It’s redemption time for LSU, which is looking to get back into the national championship picture while Alabama is trying to continue its dominant run that really started on that crisp night in New Orleans.
We’ll see similar teams to what we saw last year, as both defenses rank in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense, passing defense, rushing defense and total defense, with Alabama being No. 1 in all but passing defense.
Both have a run-first mentality, as Alabama ranks second in the SEC (214.4 yards per game) in rushing and LSU third (208.4). Both have also had up-and-down special-teams performances.
The only real difference is that Alabama’s passing game, manned by potential Heisman Trophy candidate AJ McCarron, is far superior to LSU’s.
But you can throw statistics out when these semitrucks slam into each other in a game that could send the winner on a one-way ticket to Miami for the Discover BCS National Championship Game.
It’s been fun to watch these teams elevate this rivalry in the past year, and Saturday’s bout should be a dramatic finish to such a great trilogy.
For 10 months, you courageously sat through spring/fall ball, NBA playoffs, the Olympics, Tiger Woods coming and falling back, and the very, very long MLB season just to get to this moment.
"The Game of Games: Part III."
Trilogies can jump the shark ("Matrix" trilogy, anyone?), but we’ve had some classics (thank you, "Godfather" and original "Star Wars"). The hope is that Game 3 between Alabama and LSU will live up to its blockbuster billing.
[+] Enlarge
Cal Sport Media via AP ImagesAJ McCarron showed in last season's BCS Championship Game that Alabama has an edge over LSU in the passing game.
Cal Sport Media via AP ImagesAJ McCarron showed in last season's BCS Championship Game that Alabama has an edge over LSU in the passing game.(Don’t even try to argue that last point because you won’t get far at all.)
And Saturday’s game in Baton Rouge, La., between No. 1 Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) and No. 5 LSU (7-1, 3-1) has the chance to be epic. No, we don't have a Honey Badger or Trent Richardson, but we have two swarming defenses and major BCS implications on the line. An SEC and national championship appearance are there for both, and it’s a chance for one squad to break the 1-1 tie these teams, which are very similar to the ones that battled twice last year, have.
It also will break the 3-3 tie Nick Saban and Les Miles have against each other.
Now, Saban and his Crimson Tide have the edge when it comes to style points. A 21-0 drubbing of LSU in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game last year trumps the Tigers’ 9-6 overtime win against Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
In a way, it essentially eliminated everything LSU did to get to New Orleans and almost made everyone forget about the epic bout these two teams had in Bryant-Denny Stadium in November.
That was the game everyone had wanted to talk about. You had the two best teams in the country duking it out in a game that, at the time, stood as a quarterfinal for the national championship. It was the defensive standstill of all defensive standstills, as we witnessed eight punts, four turnovers and 534 combined yards of offense.
Oh, and no touchdowns.
Although many above the Mason-Dixon Line yawned at both offenses, fans in the Deep South oohed and ahhed at what they thought was how real football was supposed to be played. If you were a true fan of great defense, you fell in love with Epic Rumble: Part I.
But we quickly forgot just how great Game 1 was after these two teams (clearly still the best teams in the country) met again in NOLA. Basically playing in its own backyard, top-ranked LSU was knocked unconscious by the Tide. Alabama literally resembled a herd of elephants as it stomped LSU into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf.
The run-first attack that worked against Alabama in November was immediately suffocated by the Tide defense. LSU’s game plan never really changed, and the Tigers were held to just 92 total yards and didn’t cross midfield until eight minutes were left in the game.
LSU was supposed to have a historic year, but everything was lost with an offensive game plan that didn’t come close to challenging Alabama. In essence, it was a one-game season for LSU, and 13-0 swiftly vanished from everyone’s memory.
It’s redemption time for LSU, which is looking to get back into the national championship picture while Alabama is trying to continue its dominant run that really started on that crisp night in New Orleans.
We’ll see similar teams to what we saw last year, as both defenses rank in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense, passing defense, rushing defense and total defense, with Alabama being No. 1 in all but passing defense.
Both have a run-first mentality, as Alabama ranks second in the SEC (214.4 yards per game) in rushing and LSU third (208.4). Both have also had up-and-down special-teams performances.
The only real difference is that Alabama’s passing game, manned by potential Heisman Trophy candidate AJ McCarron, is far superior to LSU’s.
But you can throw statistics out when these semitrucks slam into each other in a game that could send the winner on a one-way ticket to Miami for the Discover BCS National Championship Game.
It’s been fun to watch these teams elevate this rivalry in the past year, and Saturday’s bout should be a dramatic finish to such a great trilogy.
Greg Gilmore: OU visit 'mind blowing'
October, 29, 2012
10/29/12
1:00
PM ET
By
Bob Przybylo | ESPN.com
ESPN 150 defensive tackle Greg Gilmore (Hope Mills, N.C./South View) entered the weekend with a top three of Oklahoma, Florida and LSU.
He had seen Florida and LSU before but had no idea what to expect on his official visit to Oklahoma. After seeing the Sooners, he now knows what to expect.
“It was a mind-blowing experience,” Gilmore said. “I had a lot of fun and got a lot out of it. There were no negatives at all. The atmosphere was amazing, as good as any I’ve seen.”
He had seen Florida and LSU before but had no idea what to expect on his official visit to Oklahoma. After seeing the Sooners, he now knows what to expect.
“It was a mind-blowing experience,” Gilmore said. “I had a lot of fun and got a lot out of it. There were no negatives at all. The atmosphere was amazing, as good as any I’ve seen.”
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David Dawson announces new top three
October, 29, 2012
10/29/12
11:37
AM ET
By
Brad Bournival | ESPN.com
The No. 1 offensive guard in the nation has put out a new top three and it has a Big Ten feel as Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin -- in no particular order -- will now be in a dogfight for the services of David Dawson (Detroit/Cass Tech).
The 6-foot-4, 282-pound senior -- ranked 87th overall in the ESPN 150 -- was thought to be a heavy lean toward Florida after taking an official visit on Oct. 19.
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Video: Ricky Seals-Jones talks recruiting
October, 29, 2012
10/29/12
9:00
AM ET
By GigEmNation staff | ESPN.com
The sweepstakes for the nation's No. 1 wide receiver is down to LSU and Texas A&M. Sealy (Texas) senior Ricky Seals-Jones talks with Sam Khan about the Tigers and Aggies.
BATON ROUGE, La.-- There's one thing Justin Manning wants to see when he visits LSU for the Alabama showdown Saturday.
"Hopefully, I'll see a win [for LSU]," said the Dallas/Kimball four-star defensive tackle who will make LSU his fourth official visit. "For some reason, all the schools I visit lose while I'm there."
Indeed, he visited Texas A&M when LSU won there, 24-19. He was at TCU when the Horned Frogs were upset by Iowa State, and he visited Oklahoma when the Sooners lost to Kansas State. So next weekend he'll be looking for a win -- just as LSU is looking for a win in its efforts to land a quality defensive tackle like Manning.
"Hopefully, I'll see a win [for LSU]," said the Dallas/Kimball four-star defensive tackle who will make LSU his fourth official visit. "For some reason, all the schools I visit lose while I'm there."
Indeed, he visited Texas A&M when LSU won there, 24-19. He was at TCU when the Horned Frogs were upset by Iowa State, and he visited Oklahoma when the Sooners lost to Kansas State. So next weekend he'll be looking for a win -- just as LSU is looking for a win in its efforts to land a quality defensive tackle like Manning.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- With LSU going through its bye week, updating the LSU 10 isn't necessary. So we altered it, looking at 10 players who need to have big games for LSU to beat Alabama.
1. QB Zach Mettenberger: LSU's deep stable of running backs gives LSU an offensive threat, but for the Tigers to have any chance at putting up points against the nation's best defense, Mettenberger, 12th in the SEC in pass efficiency, is going to have to be better than he's been this season.
2. DT: Bennie Logan: There will be a lot of discussion of quarterbacks and skill players, but any LSU-Alabama game will be won in the trenches. Logan and the LSU defensive line will have their toughest test of the season and need to step up.
1. QB Zach Mettenberger: LSU's deep stable of running backs gives LSU an offensive threat, but for the Tigers to have any chance at putting up points against the nation's best defense, Mettenberger, 12th in the SEC in pass efficiency, is going to have to be better than he's been this season.
2. DT: Bennie Logan: There will be a lot of discussion of quarterbacks and skill players, but any LSU-Alabama game will be won in the trenches. Logan and the LSU defensive line will have their toughest test of the season and need to step up.
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What's next for DL Christian LaCouture?
October, 28, 2012
10/28/12
9:54
PM ET
By
Damon Sayles | ESPN.com
News broke Sunday morning that three-star defensive lineman Christian LaCouture (Lincoln, Neb./Southwest) decommitted from Nebraska. What many don’t know is that LaCouture, the No. 3 player in the state of Nebraska, had doubts about his commitment for some time.
LaCouture said he made his decision public on Sunday to avoid being a distraction for teammate Josh Banderas’ U.S. Army All-American jersey presentation this week and Southwest’s playoff game against Omaha (Neb.) North on Friday. The decision, LaCouture said, actually was made a couple weeks ago.
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COLUMBUS, Ga. -- After defeating Columbus (Ga.) Pacelli 47-14 on Friday, ESPN 150 prospect Montravius Adams (Vienna, Ga./Dooly County) admitted that at the moment, he felt more comfortable in a 4-3 defense than a 3-4. Two programs in pursuit of Adams -- Alabama and Georgia -- run a 3-4 base defense, and another -- Florida -- also utilizes three-man defensive lines quite often. On Saturday, Adams was in Tuscaloosa, where the Crimson Tide staff made sure to showcase their plans to use him.
“Coach [Nick] Saban and Coach Rumph told me they want to use me like Marcell Dareus and keep me on the outside,” Adams said. “Seeing them play and thinking about that made me think more about the 3-4, because a lot of teams in the NFL use that. Alabama is still pretty high on my list. As long as I am able to make a lot of plays, it does not matter what scheme I play in.”
Adams arrived at Alabama at about 1 p.m. on Saturday and immediately went to speak with head coach Nick Saban in his office. He then spent some time with assistants Jeremy Pruitt and Chris Rumph, toured the campus and headed to Bryant-Denny Stadium to watch the Tide take on Mississippi State. During pregame warmups, something on the field caught the eye of Adams.
“Coach [Nick] Saban and Coach Rumph told me they want to use me like Marcell Dareus and keep me on the outside,” Adams said. “Seeing them play and thinking about that made me think more about the 3-4, because a lot of teams in the NFL use that. Alabama is still pretty high on my list. As long as I am able to make a lot of plays, it does not matter what scheme I play in.”
Adams arrived at Alabama at about 1 p.m. on Saturday and immediately went to speak with head coach Nick Saban in his office. He then spent some time with assistants Jeremy Pruitt and Chris Rumph, toured the campus and headed to Bryant-Denny Stadium to watch the Tide take on Mississippi State. During pregame warmups, something on the field caught the eye of Adams.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU remained the top-ranked one-loss team in college football as the Tigers checked in at No. 5 in the BCS rankings released Sunday night.
LSU (7-1), which was idle over the weekend, moved up one spot from No. 6 after No. 2 Florida lost to Georgia Saturday, sending the Gators tumbling to No. 7 in the rankings. The Tigers have a chance to continue their ascent this week when they host No. 1 Alabama (8-0).
The Bulldogs rose four spots to No. 6 after their upset victory, perhaps an indication of how much LSU could move up with a win this week -- if undefeated teams other than Alabama lose or play poorly.
The Tigers' path to a national championship game got a bit murkier this week after two of the unbeatens ranked ahead of them, No. 2 Kansas State and No. 3 Notre Dame, both got past tough hurdles. Kansas State beat No. 18 Texas Tech while Notre Dame beat No. 12 Oklahoma on the road.
LSU's resume remains strong thanks to:
The Tigers will also have chances on their remaining schedule to make an impression that could impact their BCS title game chances, with at least two games against BCS top 25 teams:
LSU also has regular-season games at home against Ole Miss and at Arkansas.
LSU was a preseason No. 1 before coach Les Miles dismissed Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu from the team in August camp.
The Tigers were ranked No. 6 after the 14-6 loss at Florida.
• Watch: Sorting out unbeatens after No. 1 Alabama
LSU (7-1), which was idle over the weekend, moved up one spot from No. 6 after No. 2 Florida lost to Georgia Saturday, sending the Gators tumbling to No. 7 in the rankings. The Tigers have a chance to continue their ascent this week when they host No. 1 Alabama (8-0).
The Bulldogs rose four spots to No. 6 after their upset victory, perhaps an indication of how much LSU could move up with a win this week -- if undefeated teams other than Alabama lose or play poorly.
The Tigers' path to a national championship game got a bit murkier this week after two of the unbeatens ranked ahead of them, No. 2 Kansas State and No. 3 Notre Dame, both got past tough hurdles. Kansas State beat No. 18 Texas Tech while Notre Dame beat No. 12 Oklahoma on the road.
LSU's resume remains strong thanks to:
- An Oct. 20 win over No. 16 Texas A&M;
- An Oct. 13 win over No. 8 South Carolina;
- A lone loss Oct. 6 against now No. 7 Florida.
The Tigers will also have chances on their remaining schedule to make an impression that could impact their BCS title game chances, with at least two games against BCS top 25 teams:
- Saturday against No. 1 Alabama
- Nov. 10 against No. 15 Mississippi State, which dropped four spots after losing to Bama.
- Given wins in their remaining games, an SEC championship game appearance, likely against either Georgia or Florida.
LSU also has regular-season games at home against Ole Miss and at Arkansas.
LSU was a preseason No. 1 before coach Les Miles dismissed Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu from the team in August camp.
The Tigers were ranked No. 6 after the 14-6 loss at Florida.
• Watch: Sorting out unbeatens after No. 1 Alabama
ABOUT GEAUX TIGER NATION
Gary Laney
Gary Laney joined ESPN.com in 2012 after spending a year and a half as online sports editor of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate. Before that, he covered LSU sports for the Advocate. He has also been the sports editor at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and covered McNeese State athletics for the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. Laney currently lives in Baton Rouge. Email him at glaneyespn@gmail.com