LEXINGTON, Ky. — One week removed from what has been called one of the most important wins in the history of Tiger Stadium, No. 1 LSU tries to continue its forward progress, this time on the road here Saturday against 17th-ranked University of Kentucky.
The game will take place at sold-out Commonwealth Stadium (67,606) and the game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports coverage of the Southeastern Conference beginning at 2:30 p.m. The LSU Sports Radio Network will have the radio coverage of the event with the pre-game show beginning two hours prior to kickoff at 12:30 p.m. The radio coverage is also available for subscribers of the “Geaux Zone” at LSUsports.net.
The Tigers are coming off a come-from-behind 28-24 win over Florida this past Saturday as LSU willed itself to victory behind the running of Jacob Hester and the gutsy play calling of head coach Les Miles. Training 24-14 entering the final quarter, the Tiger offense dominated the final 15 minutes of the game, possessing the ball for 12 minutes and scoring 14 points during the final frame.
GameDay Info
LSU at Kentucky
Saturday, Oct. 13
2:34 p.m. CT
Driving Directions (Baton Rouge to Lexington)
LSU’s Travel Plans
Departure: LSU flies via charter plane from Baton Rouge Metro Airport on Friday at 1 p.m. CT; arrives at Blue Grass Airport at 4 p.m. ET.
Team Hotel: Hyatt Regency-Lexington; 401 W. High St.
Return: LSU flies via charter plane from Blue Grass Airport on Saturday at approx. 9 p.m. ET; arrives Baton Rouge Metro Airport at 10 p.m. CT.
Weather
GameTime Condition: Sunny
GameTime Temp: 61?
Rain: 0% chance
Humidity: 46%
Wind: WNW 8 mph
Forecast
Kickoff: 3:34 p.m. EDT
Sunset: 7:03 p.m. EDT
LSU took its first and only lead of the contest on its last possessions, going 60 yards in 15 plays, capped with a two-yard Hester touchdown that put the Tigers up with just over a minute left.
“I am certainly thrilled with how our team performed (against Florida),” said LSU Coach Miles. “When you are behind by 10 (points) at three different times in the game, there are a lot of key performances. There is a time where every player has to make a decision on how he plays. I enjoyed it. I felt like our offense, when called upon, did the things that they needed to do to win.”
Kentucky has had a couple of extra days to get ready for the Tigers after losing for the first time in six games to South Carolina on Oct. 4, 38-23 in Columbia. The Wildcats are 1-1 in the SEC, while the Tigers are 6-0 overall and 3-0 and on top of the SEC Western Division.
LSU has the nation’s longest current winning streak with 13 consecutive wins along with eighth straight conference victories.
“I really like how we have approached practice this week,” said Miles. “There’s really been a great shift of attention to this week’s opponent (Kentucky). The greatest way to figure if they have shifted attention is if they have accomplished the game plan. They are practicing. I like the spirits at practice.”
Kentucky is led by the outstanding quarterback, Andre’ Woodson, who leads a Wildcat offense that is ranked ninth in the nation and leads the SEC in scoring offense, averaging 42.7 points per game. UK scored 40 or more points in the first five games of the season.
“Kentucky is a very talented team,” said Miles. “Andre Woodson is a big-time player. He is a young man that will play for years in the NFL. He is going to be a great challenge to our defense, he and Rafeal Little, who is averaging 113 yards (rushing) a game. He is a very dangerous running back. They are a very dangerous team at home. We understand the task at hand is to focus on Kentucky. I don’t think we will have a problem with that. We are a mature team and as long as they walk through our building (Football Operations Center), they will understand the things that we want them to do: focus on improvement, focus on our opponent, get the plan mastered and take it one at a time. That is certainly our goal.”
This will be the 55th meeting between the two teams with the Tigers holding a 38-15-1 advantage in the series. LSU is 16-10 in games played in Lexington. This will be the first time the Tigers are back in Lexington since the “Bluegrass Miracle” in 2002 when the Tigers scored on a 75-yard TD pass as time expired to post a 33-30 win. Last year, LSU was a 49-0 winner in Tiger Stadium over the Wildcats.