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For fans of college football, much of the time the things that actually matter are forgotten.
Who’s got the better line? Which skill position players are more experienced? Which head coach has a proven track record? Who’s at home?
These are the contributing factors that should decide a college football game most of the time. But c’mon, if college football was always predictable, then it would be boring. If things like experience and the past actually factored in, then we wouldn’t have this crazy, insane, unholy run rivalry with Louisiana State University.
For some reason, we can’t play a normal, boring, uninteresting game with these guys. Much of it is our fault, after all. Much of it its theirs. Do we share the blame for creating a piece of what makes this sport the greatest around? Yes.
For crying out loud, the LSU fans have caused actual natural disasters when celebrating Bayou Bengal touchdowns. This game has played witness to many things...
The point is, there’s nary a corner of storytelling that Auburn and LSU haven’t reached into. Both sides have had their backs against the wall, tales of redemption achieved and stolen away, blowouts, collapses, heartbreak, agony, ecstasy. It’s all here in this rivalry.
What are we going to come up with today?
If you had to guess, this one’s going to hearken back to what might have been the greatest period in the series — the early-to-mid 2000’s — when both sides were at the top of their game, and every year’s meeting got circled as the game in the SEC West.
Both have great defensive fronts. There’s no doubt about it. Both have skill to burn in the secondary and on the offensive edge. The running backs are unproven, talented, and ready to insert themselves into CBS’ intro montage for years to come.
Today’s winner gets the title of September champion, for there’s going to be no team with a better resume than either Auburn (with wins over #6 Washington and #12 LSU) or LSU (with wins over #8 Miami and #7 Auburn). Auburn fans have had to get up and get ready for a top fifteen matchup twice now early on (I didn’t remember how mentally draining this is after last November’s gauntlet), but I know we’re all up for the task... at hand.
It’s Auburn vs LSU. Jordan-Hare Stadium. September. CBS. It doesn’t get much better than this. War Eagle!
RELEVANT LINKAGE —
How to Watch and Listen - Auburn vs LSU