BATON ROUGE — LSU will look to continue its dominance over in-state opponents on Saturday when the No. 7/9 Tigers host Louisiana-Lafayette at 6:05 p.m. in Tiger Stadium.
The game between the two unbeaten teams ? both squads come into the game with a 2-0 record ? will be televised nationally on ESPNU. LSU is coming off a 23-9 win over Vanderbilt, while UL-Lafayette knocked off Kansas State, 17-15, last week.
Saturday’s game will represent the 22nd meeting between LSU and UL-Lafayette and the Tigers have won all 21 of the previous games between the teams. This week’s game will be just the third meeting between the teams since 1938. The teams last met in 2006 when LSU posted a 45-3 win in Tiger Stadium to open the season.
LSU brings a nation’s best 21-game winning streak in non-conference contests into the UL-Lafayette game. The Tigers have also won 31 straight Saturday night games in Tiger Stadium and they’ve won 22 consecutive games against opponents from the state of Louisiana.
LSU coach Les Miles said he has prepared his team this week to face a talented UL-Lafayette team.
“I think this team we’re playing is a good football team,” Miles said. “I look forward to competing with them. I think this game will give a chance to the people of Louisiana to fill that stadium and celebrate two in-state teams.
“We understand that we play in this state; our guys know each other. We know every team that comes into Tiger Stadium is going to be prepared to play the Tigers. We look forward to those kinds of games.”
LSU’s been good against in-state opponents, holding a 127-25-8 all-time mark when playing a team from Louisiana. LSU hasn’t lost to an in-state opponent since 1982 when the Tigers dropped a 31-28 decision to Tulane in Tiger Stadium.
GameDay Info
LSU vs. UL-Lafayette
Saturday, Sept. 19
6 p.m. CDT
ESPNU
GameDay Forecast
High: 88?
Gametime: 83?
Low: 71?
Rain: 30% chance
Humidity: 72%
Wind: SSE 9 mph
Forecast
Sunrise: 6:51 a.m.
Kickoff: 6:05 p.m.
Sunset: 7:05 p.m.
Times of Interest
Noon
LSU Ticket Office opens
Kids Zone presented by Times Grill opens on South lawn of Tiger Stadium
1:30 p.m.
Pierce Penniless performs at Zatarain’s Tiger One Village (in front of PMAC)
3 p.m.
Club level and Suites open at Tiger Stadium
LSU At the Game Programs on Sale in and around Tiger Stadium. Read More
Live Sports Radios on Sale in and around Tiger Stadium. Read More
3:15 p.m.
LSU Student gates open at Tiger Stadium
3:30 p.m.
All remaining gates open at Tiger Stadium
3:55 p.m.
LSU walks down “Victory Hill”
4 p.m.
LSU Game Day presented by CST radio show at Zatarain’s Tiger One Village
- Listen Live
- Watch Pregame Stadium Video (ends prior to kickoff per SEC rules)
4:15 p.m.
Mike VI and LSU band march down Victory Hill
5:35 p.m.
Mike the Tiger and LSU Cheerleaders field parade
5:45 p.m.
Watch Live Video of the LSU Sports Radio Network broadcast team in the Geaux Zone (no live game action, per SEC rules)
5:47 p.m.
Guest Captains (see list below) and Game Sponsor (Coca-Cola) Presentations
5:50 p.m.
Golden Band from Tigerland takes the field for pregame performance
5:54 p.m.
Alma Mater and National Anthem
6:01 p.m.
LSU takes the field
6:01:45 p.m.
UL-Lafayette takes the field
6:05 p.m.
Kickoff: LSU vs. UL-Lafayette
- Follow Live Stats on LSUsports.net/livestats.
Presentations:
End of First Quarter
LSU’s 2008-09 Individual National Champions Recognition
Halftime
Director’s Cup Presentation
LSU Golden Band from Tigerland performs
Guest Captains
Jon Streete
Mike Conway
The Tigers go into the UL-Lafayette game trying to get the offense into a rhythm after sputtering at times during the first two games of the year. LSU is averaging 27.0 points and 323.5 total yards per game.
Quarterback Jordan Jefferson leads the Tiger offense, accounting for 310 passing yards and three touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 52 yards. Jefferson has completed 31 of 48 passes, which are the most completions by an LSU quarterback in the first two games of a season since Rohan Davey connected on 32 passes over that span to open the 2002 season.
Jefferson, who is 3-1 as LSU’s starting quarterback, has thrown 94 straight passes without an interception.
LSU running backs Keiland Williams and Charles Scott have shared the rushing load, gaining 123 and 101 yards respectively. Williams is coming off one of his better efforts with 72 yards and a pair of touchdowns in last week’s win over Vanderbilt. Scott, who is doubling as a fullback, is averaging 4.0 yards per carry on 25 attempts this season.
Jefferson’s top targets in the passing game have been Brandon LaFell with 11 catches for 72 yards and one touchdown and Terrance Toliver, who has seven receptions for 138 yards and 2 scores. Senior R.J. Jackson emerged as a threat in the passing game last week, hauling in six passes for 55 yards.
Defensively, the Tigers put together a solid performance last week, limiting Vanderbilt to just 210 yards and one touchdown. LSU goes into the UL-Lafayette game allowing 16.0 points and 344.0 yards (139.5 rushing, 204.5 passing) per game.
Harry Coleman leads the Tigers in tackles from his linebacker spot with 17 stops, while Perry Riley has 12 tackles. Defensive end Rahim Alem, this week’s SEC Defensive Player of the Week, leads the team with two sacks, while defensive tackle Drake Nevis has a total of eight tackles, including a team-high three tackles for losses.
Against UL-Lafayette, the Tigers will face a Cajun team who is averaging 29.5 points and 410.0 total yards per game. UL-Lafayette quarterback Chris Masson has completed 38 of 60 passes for 468 yards, three touchdowns and just one interception.
Cajun running back Undrea Sails opened the year with a 114-yard effort in a win over Southern and then followed that with 78 yards and 1 TD on 20 carries against Kansas State.
Defensively, UL-Lafayette is holding opponents to 378.5 total yards and 17 points per game. The Cajuns top defender is linebacker Antwyne Zanders, who has 24 tackles in the first two games of the season.
The ULL game will be the final non-conference contest for the Tigers for over a month as LSU will play Mississippi State, Georgia, Florida and Auburn in consecutive games before hosting Tulane in Tiger Stadium on Oct. 31.