BATON ROUGE — Houston Nutt returns to Tiger Stadium on Saturday as he brings a surging Ole Miss squad to town to face 18th-ranked LSU in a game that could clinch second place in the Southeastern Conference Western Division for the Tigers.
Kickoff for the Tigers and the Rebels is slated for 2:35 p.m. in Tiger Stadium. The game, billed as the Magnolia Bowl, will be televised nationally by CBS.
LSU brings a 7-3 overall mark and a 3-3 league record into the game. Ole Miss is 6-4 overall and 3-3 in conference action. LSU has won six straight and seven of the last eight games against the Rebels, including a 41-24 victory a year ago in Oxford.
The focus this week for the Tigers on the practice field has been getting off to a quick start, something that nearly cost LSU last week. A week ago, the Tigers fell behind 31-3 to Troy before scoring 37 unanswered points in the 40-31 victory over Trojans. The 28-point comeback victory was the biggest in school history, while the 30 points the Tigers scored in the fourth quarter to win the game ranked as the third-highest point total in the final quarter to win a game in NCAA history.
“We had a good practice,” LSU coach Les Miles said following Wednesday’s workout. “The guys have had good focus this week. I like the shape we’re in physically. I look forward to playing this game. It’s going to be a rivalry game; we know it and certainly understand it.
“They’re a very good team, but they play better against us. We need to play a good football game ourselves. We’re looking forward to playing in this one; it will be a competitive, great afternoon in Tiger Stadium.”
Saturday’s game also marks the return of Nutt to Tiger Stadium, who led unranked Arkansas to a 50-48 triple-overtime win over No. 1 ranked LSU last November. Last year, Nutt employed a Wildcat offense that accounted for 394 yards rushing in the win over the Tigers.
“Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were spectacular at it,” Miles said of executing the Wildcat offense. “Both are playing in the NFL and both have had great starts to what appears to be long, productive professional careers.
“Certainly the formation and the motions have responsibilities on how to defend it. I think we’re better at it now having experienced the best Wildcat formation that I’ve ever seen last year against Arkansas.”
In addition to the Wildcat offense, the Rebels have gotten a productive season from sophomore quarterback Jevan Snead, who has thrown for 1,983 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Rebels.
“He’s (Snead) a big, tall throwing quarterback,” Miles said. “I saw him in high school and liked him and thought he was a heck of a quarterback. He’s very productive for them.”
Miles said the enthusiasm and focus this week at practice has been a good sign. At 7-3, the Tigers still have a shot at capturing an unprecedented fourth straight 10-win season. To do so, LSU must win its final two regular season games as well as a bowl contest.
“I think our team wants to play,” Miles said. “That’s the key. The key is how our guys respond and I think our guys are ready to go in this one.”
LSU will have a light workout on Thursday followed by a walk-thru on Friday afternoon in preparation for Saturday’s afternoon kickoff. The Ole Miss game will also serve as Senior Day for LSU as the Tigers will honor their 19 seniors prior to kickoff.