Top 10 in 2013 – Sports
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On the surface, it sure doesn’t seem like LSU fans are overly excited about being in the 2014 Outback Bowl.
At press-time, Tigers’ fans hadn’t sold out the school’s entire allotment of tickets for the game, and the opinion of the average diehard seems to indicate that neither the game, nor opponent Iowa are overly appealing.
But don’t let the LSU football team hear the negativity – they are preparing to win a game that they say is critical to the Tigers’ program.
With not as many fans making the trip to Tampa as one might expect, LSU players still figure to be motivated for today’s Outback Bowl matchup with their 8-4 foe from the Big 10.
At stake for LSU is a 10-win season – an achievement that would be the fourth-straight for the university’s football program. That, and momentum heading into the 2014 season, which could impact the team’s recruiting efforts in advance of February’s National Signing Day.
Kickoff for the game will be at noon.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
“It’s going to be fun,” LSU coach Les Miles said as the Tigers arrived in Tampa. “They are a very fine football team, and we look forward to competing against them. … There’s some excitement in our room. They’re looking forward to playing this one.”
“Don’t discount how important it is to have another 10-win season for those players, especially those seniors,” LSU Athletics Director Joe Alleva added. “And don’t underestimate or disrespect Iowa, either. They are a quality, quality football team. This is as fine a matchup as you’re going to see, and I think we’re going to see a really evenly contested matchup on New Year’s Day between two premium college football programs.”
For LSU, the Outback Bowl will mark somewhat of a new era in Tigers’ football history.
After starting all 12 of LSU’s regular season games at quarterback, senior signal caller Zach Mettenberger will be forced to miss the bowl game after tearing his ACL in the second half of the Tigers’ regular season finale against Arkansas.
With LSU’s two-year starter on the shelf, the Tigers will turn to inexperienced Anthony Jennings to lead their offense – a 19-year-old true freshman from Marietta, Ga., with just 10 pass attempts and zero starts in his young career.
But Jennings’ only opportunity at significant playing time was a memorable one. With the Tigers desperately needing offense to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit against the Razorbacks, the freshman led LSU’s offense on a 99-yard touchdown drive capped with a 49-yard strike from Jennings to freshman receiver Travin Dural with 1:15 to play.
After a defensive stand, Jennings then took the Tiger Stadium field to take a victory knee – a fitting end to the youngster’s big day.
With a month to prepare for his first start, Miles said he expects the quarterback to play well. Of course, having an experienced offensive line, a 1,000-yard halfback (Jeremy Hill) and two, 1,000-yard receivers (Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham) helps, too.
“We’re not in a position that we have to change a lot (with Jennings),” Miles said. “We will run our offense just the way it is. That will benefit him because that is what he has been doing the entire year anyways. It will be fun.”
But even with lethal weaponry at his disposal, Jennings’ first time leading LSU’s offense will not be a joy-ride.
The Hawkeyes come into the bowl game with the No. 7 defense in America, allowing just 303.2 yards per contest. The team is also No. 11 in scoring defense, stingily yielding 18.8 points per contest.
The strength of Iowa’s attack is balance. The Hawkeyes are in the Top 20 nationally in both rushing and passing defense. They have the ability to takeaway whatever an opponent’s strength is on the offensive side of the ball.
Miles said he knows LSU’s offense must be crisp if it expects to possess the ball against the Hawkeyes throughout the game.
“I think we understand the need to play well in this game,” Miles said. “That’s a heck of a football team over there.”
But on the opposite side of the football, some of Iowa’s 2013 efforts leave much to be desired. The Hawkeyes ranked No. 79 in America in total offense, averaging 389 yards per game.
The team’s biggest threat for success comes on the ground. Halfback Mark Weisman rushed 208 times for 937 yards and seven touchdowns in the regular season. His counterpart, Damon Bullock, toted the ball 115 times for 467 yards.
But against LSU, the Hawkeyes know that balance will be key. Hawkeyes offensive coordinator Greg Davis said quarterback Jake Rudock has to have a big day.
The 6-foot, 3-inch sophomore tossed for 2,281 yards and 18 touchdowns this year. His weaponry is diverse. No Iowa receiver has 40 catches or 400 receiving yards.
“Their ends can really rush and their inside guys are big and push the pocket well,” Davis said of LSU’s defense. “We’ll have to employ different personnel groupings to find ways to run the ball and also have success out of some play action passes.
“We have to be balanced. There’s no doubt. We have to be able to do both.”
Las Vegas tends to think that the Hawkeyes won’t be able to have much offensive success. The Tigers opened as a 5-point favorite – a line that has since ballooned to as many as 8 at press-time.
But both Miles and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz think the Vegas sharks have it wrong.
Each coach touted the other’s successes this year, saying the game will be a battle between two prized foes.
“LSU’s losses came to quality opponents, just like ours,” Ferentz said. “The most telling thing is they’re the only team to beat Auburn this year, and Auburn obviously is an outstanding football team. … It will be a great challenge, but it will be something for our football team to latch onto.”
“I think our guys really respect Iowa,” Miles added. “Iowa is a very good football team. I think our guys are looking forward to playing a game of importance late in the year with an opportunity at a 10th victory.”
