LSU Tigers: Bo Wallace
Here are a few storylines to watch this spring in the Western Division. Edward took a look at the Eastern Division on Monday.
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Start date: March 16
Spring game: April 20
What to watch:
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Start date: March 16
Spring game: April 20
What to watch:
- Battling complacency: Alabama is gearing up for yet another title defense. Will complacency finally rear its ugly head? Not if Nick Saban has anything to do with it. The head coach will no doubt remind players of the targets on their backs and what little they've accomplished as presently constituted.
- Opening up the passing game: The return of AJ McCarron, coupled with a talented, deep crop of receivers, could mean a more wide-open passing game in Tuscaloosa. If true freshman tight end O.J. Howard develops as some expect, the offense could become even more dynamic.
Identity found, Tigers look toward bowl 
November, 16, 2012
11/16/12
9:30
AM ET
By
Gary Laney | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A few days after his LSU team beat Mississippi State 37-17, a game in which the offense scored on seven of 10 possessions, LSU coach Les Miles declared, "This is us."
The Tigers offense is clicking. The defense is its dominant self, save some issues defending two-minute offense. It's a shame there isn't an eight-team playoff in college football because if there were, Baton Rouge would be buzzing about must-win games against Ole Miss and Arkansas and how much damage the LSU could do if it got in the playoffs.
Alas, college football still lacks any kind of playoff, at least for a couple more seasons. So instead, No. 7 LSU (8-2, 4-2 in the SEC) plays its last home game Saturday against the 5-5 Rebels hoping to continue its recent offensive rebirth, thus becoming a foe that the teams in the BCS Championship Game are glad they don't have to play.
The Tigers offense is clicking. The defense is its dominant self, save some issues defending two-minute offense. It's a shame there isn't an eight-team playoff in college football because if there were, Baton Rouge would be buzzing about must-win games against Ole Miss and Arkansas and how much damage the LSU could do if it got in the playoffs.
Alas, college football still lacks any kind of playoff, at least for a couple more seasons. So instead, No. 7 LSU (8-2, 4-2 in the SEC) plays its last home game Saturday against the 5-5 Rebels hoping to continue its recent offensive rebirth, thus becoming a foe that the teams in the BCS Championship Game are glad they don't have to play.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Saturday will be senior day for LSU when the No. 7 Tigers host Ole Miss. And while it’s hard to say goodbye, there are plenty of other storylines when the Tigers and Rebels mix it up:
1. Take a knee?: LSU has won eight of the last 10 meetings, including what was, for Ole Miss, an embarrassing 52-3 Tigers win last season in Oxford, Miss. The game got so out of hand, the Tigers took a knee four times starting at the Rebels’ 1 well before the game was over. Needless to say, Ole Miss will want to make up for that embarrassment. “We recognize that they’ve had this date circled on their calendar,” LSU coach Les Miles said.
2. BCS hopes: LSU can still play its way into a spot in a BCS bowl game, but the Tigers (8-2) must first win their remaining two games against the Rebels, then at Arkansas. The Tigers have outside shots at invitations to the Sugar or Rose Bowls and a more realistic shot at a Fiesta Bowl trip.
1. Take a knee?: LSU has won eight of the last 10 meetings, including what was, for Ole Miss, an embarrassing 52-3 Tigers win last season in Oxford, Miss. The game got so out of hand, the Tigers took a knee four times starting at the Rebels’ 1 well before the game was over. Needless to say, Ole Miss will want to make up for that embarrassment. “We recognize that they’ve had this date circled on their calendar,” LSU coach Les Miles said.
2. BCS hopes: LSU can still play its way into a spot in a BCS bowl game, but the Tigers (8-2) must first win their remaining two games against the Rebels, then at Arkansas. The Tigers have outside shots at invitations to the Sugar or Rose Bowls and a more realistic shot at a Fiesta Bowl trip.
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Wildcats, Rebels coast during night-game drama
September, 9, 2012
9/09/12
1:31
AM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
No. 8 Arkansas fell to Louisiana-Monroe in the season's first shocker. No. 7 Georgia also pushed past Missouri in an SEC East slugfest while Vanderbilt blew an early lead by allowing a 17-point fourth quarter to Northwestern.
With all of that going on, it's easy to forget that two other SEC teams -- Kentucky and Ole Miss -- squared off in non-conferences games of their own. With chaos going on all around them, the Rebels and Wildcats handled their business.
Kentucky 47, Kent State 14: It's hard to believe that this was a three-point game with 10 minutes to play in the third quarter. After Kent State running back Traylon Durham scored from 26 yards out to cut Kentucky's lead to 17-14, the Wildcats exploded. Kentucky quarterback Maxwell Smith threw an 18-yard touchdown pass with 7:06 remaining in the third quarter, which capped off a run of 30 unanswered Wildcats points to close the game. Kentucky scored four touchdowns and caused a safety during a 12-minute stretch of play between the middle of the third quarter and the early fourth. Smith eviscerated the Golden Flashes' defense with 30 of 39 completions for 354 yards and four touchdowns.
Ole Miss 28, UTEP 10: His stats weren't as gaudy as Smith's, but Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace was efficient in leading the Rebels past UTEP for a 2-0 start. Wallace completed 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns. The Rebels' defense shut the Miners out in the first half and didn't allow UTEP into the end zone until 10:57 mark of the third quarter. Ole Miss ran for a whopping 332 total yards, led by a 113-yard effort from running back Jeff Scott. It's slightly concerning that the Rebels surrendered 274 passing yards to a Conference USA team, especially with No. 17 Texas coming to town next week.
With all of that going on, it's easy to forget that two other SEC teams -- Kentucky and Ole Miss -- squared off in non-conferences games of their own. With chaos going on all around them, the Rebels and Wildcats handled their business.
Kentucky 47, Kent State 14: It's hard to believe that this was a three-point game with 10 minutes to play in the third quarter. After Kent State running back Traylon Durham scored from 26 yards out to cut Kentucky's lead to 17-14, the Wildcats exploded. Kentucky quarterback Maxwell Smith threw an 18-yard touchdown pass with 7:06 remaining in the third quarter, which capped off a run of 30 unanswered Wildcats points to close the game. Kentucky scored four touchdowns and caused a safety during a 12-minute stretch of play between the middle of the third quarter and the early fourth. Smith eviscerated the Golden Flashes' defense with 30 of 39 completions for 354 yards and four touchdowns.
Ole Miss 28, UTEP 10: His stats weren't as gaudy as Smith's, but Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace was efficient in leading the Rebels past UTEP for a 2-0 start. Wallace completed 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns. The Rebels' defense shut the Miners out in the first half and didn't allow UTEP into the end zone until 10:57 mark of the third quarter. Ole Miss ran for a whopping 332 total yards, led by a 113-yard effort from running back Jeff Scott. It's slightly concerning that the Rebels surrendered 274 passing yards to a Conference USA team, especially with No. 17 Texas coming to town next week.
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Here's a quick primer for Week 2 in the SEC:
SATURDAY
Auburn (0-1) at Mississippi State (1-0), Noon ET, ESPN: Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is looking for his first win against a West opponent not named Ole Miss. Auburn is looking to rebound after its rush defense was shredded against Clemson. It won't get easier for that defense Saturday. This game set the tone for both teams last year and probably will again.
East Carolina (1-0) at No. 9 South Carolina (1-0), 12:21 p.m. ET, SEC Network: Quarterback Connor Shaw's shoulder will be monitored all week, and the receivers have got to step up this week. The good news is that Marcus Lattimore shook off the rust early in his return against Vanderbilt and is back to his bullish ways. The Gamecocks know all too well that they can't sleep on the Pirates, so the focus should be good this week.
No. 23 Florida (1-0) at Texas A&M (0-0), 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN: The Gators have named Jeff Driskel the starting quarterback and that's a step in the right direction. This offense struggled mightily in the opener, but now those players know who their quarterback is. That can only help with chemistry and timing. The Aggies are opening the season with Florida after their original opener was postponed. Florida's defense could provide first-time starting quarterback Johnny Manziel with a bunch of problems, but this team will be itching to get on the field. Expect an electric environment in College Station.
SATURDAY
Auburn (0-1) at Mississippi State (1-0), Noon ET, ESPN: Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is looking for his first win against a West opponent not named Ole Miss. Auburn is looking to rebound after its rush defense was shredded against Clemson. It won't get easier for that defense Saturday. This game set the tone for both teams last year and probably will again.
East Carolina (1-0) at No. 9 South Carolina (1-0), 12:21 p.m. ET, SEC Network: Quarterback Connor Shaw's shoulder will be monitored all week, and the receivers have got to step up this week. The good news is that Marcus Lattimore shook off the rust early in his return against Vanderbilt and is back to his bullish ways. The Gamecocks know all too well that they can't sleep on the Pirates, so the focus should be good this week.
No. 23 Florida (1-0) at Texas A&M (0-0), 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN: The Gators have named Jeff Driskel the starting quarterback and that's a step in the right direction. This offense struggled mightily in the opener, but now those players know who their quarterback is. That can only help with chemistry and timing. The Aggies are opening the season with Florida after their original opener was postponed. Florida's defense could provide first-time starting quarterback Johnny Manziel with a bunch of problems, but this team will be itching to get on the field. Expect an electric environment in College Station.
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