From the Sidelines

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 30, 2000

MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / September 30, 2000

Just five games into the Nick Saban era, LSU faces a contest that could have a big influence on the future of the program.

Coming off a 13-10 upset at the hands of UAB (yes, that was Alabama- Birmingham, not Alabama), the Tigers enter a stretch that includes No. 11Tennessee and No. 3 Florida over the next two weekends. A victory overone would be a big boost to the confidence of the players and further their belief in Saban’s system. Losses to both would leave the Tigers 2-4 andcreate an up-hill climb for them to have a winning record in 2000.

Today’s game against Tennessee in Tiger Stadium seems to be the Tigers’ best bet to achieve that victory, although LSU has lost 18 of its 24 games against the Volunteers. Both teams really beat themselves in their lossesthis season, LSU to Auburn and UAB and Tennessee to Florida.

Tulane also faces an important game today at home against Cincinnati. Avictory would even the Green Wave’s record at 2-2 with a trip to Louisiana-Lafayette coming up next week. Tulane got Patrick Ramsey backat quarterback and he did not skip a beat in a win at SMU, earning Conference USA offensive player of the week honors. Ramsey and freshmanMewelde Moore, the conference’s leading rusher, will need to be clicking against a Cincinnati team that took Wisconsin into overtime two weeks ago.

Southern is in a do-or-die situation as well at home against Alabama State. With two losses already in the SWAC, the Jaguars cannot afford tofall further back in the pack.

There are also a number of intriguing matchups in the Top 25 today. No. 1Nebraska hosts Missouri, a team that it has not lost to in over two decades. But remember, it was the Tigers who almost upset thechampionship-bound Cornhuskers in 1995 before Nebraska got the mother of all breaks to pull the game out in overtime.

Third-ranked Florida travels to Mississippi State. The Gators are lookingmore and more impressive as the season goes on. Mississippi State iscoming off a loss to South Carolina.

Fifth-ranked Kansas State plays at Colorado. This is the upset alert of theweek. Kansas State has not played a team with a winning record while theBuffaloes have played one of the toughest schedules in the country.

Sixth-ranked Washington also travels into dangerous territory today. TheHuskies play at Oregon, the site of the Ducks upset of No. 3 UCLA lastweek. A win by Washington and the Huskies could face clear sailing untilthe UCLA game Nov. 11.Ninth-ranked Michigan hosts No. 17 Wisconsin in the only matchupfeaturing two Top 25 teams. Wisconsin has everybody back from early-season suspensions. Michigan has looked like anything but a preseason topfive team.

Two other Big 10 matchups could see upsets. No. 18 Michigan State hosts asurprising Northwestern squad that upset the Badgers last week. ThePurple back in Pasadena? Probably not but this may be the best Northwestern team since that one in 1995. No. 22 Purdue has to travel toHappy Valley. Penn State may be down but Joe Paterno’s squads are seldomout.

Vanderbilt plays at No. 19 Auburn. The Commodores are one of those teamsthat you hate to play and the Tigers haven’t exactly dominated this season.

Staying in the SEC, 2000’s biggest surprise, South Carolina, travels to play the season’s biggest disappointment, Alabama. A win by theGamecocks pushes Lou Holtz closer to the coach of the year award while also pushing Mike DuBose closer to the unemployment line.

Another disappointing SEC team, Georgia, faces one of the toughest tasks in the conference – winning at Arkansas. No conference team has yet founda way to do it in the Houston Nutt era.

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