BATON ROUGE – One of the main areas that LSU has focused on this week in practiced has been how to stop, or at least slow down, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and the Southeastern Conference’s most potent offensive attack.
Auburn goes into Saturday’s game with an offense that leads the league in scoring (40.7 points per game), total offense (481.1 yards per game) and rushing offense (283.7 yards per game). LSU will counter that with a defense that leads the conference in total yards (242.1 yards per game), rushing defense (83.6 yards per game) and passing defense (158.6 yards per game).
LSU and Auburn both go into the game with identical records of 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play. They represent the only two undefeated teams remaining in the SEC. LSU is ranked No. 6 in all of the major polls, including the BCS, while Auburn is No. 5 the major polls and No. 4 in the BCS.
“This has been a good week of preparation,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “Guys have been flying around at practice. There’s been a little extra contact this week and a lot of players going quick to the ball.
“Everybody understands this is a big game. Everyone understands that this is two undefeated teams playing for position in the SEC West. I am looking forward to it. It’s been a great week so far.”
Against Auburn, LSU will be faced with the task of slowing down Newton, who leads the SEC in rushing yards (122.9 yards per game) and total offense (305.4 yards per game). When he’s not running the ball, Newton is completing 65 percent of his passes and he’s thrown for over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. Newton has accounted for 25 TDs this year, most in the league.
“Newton is an outstanding player who can do so many things with the football,” Miles said. “It is very difficult to take pieces of their offense away because (Newton) has his hand in everything that they do. It’s generally a wide run, an inside run or a pass. You have to pick your poison with this offense because if you take away two of the three, then the third option because an issue.
“It’s very difficult to take pieces (of this offense) away. What you do is play the percentages, play zone and man and see how it fits.”
Offensively, LSU will continue to use its two-quarterback system with Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee sharing time. Miles said that Jefferson will start against Auburn, just as he’s done in the previous seven games this year. Jefferson is the second-winningest quarterback in the SEC with a 16-5 mark, trailing only Greg McElroy of Alabama, who has a 21-1 mark as a starter.
The Tigers will continue to look for running back Stevan Ridley, who ranks second to Newton in rushing in the SEC, to carry a bulk off the offensive load. Ridley leads the SEC in carries with 140 as he’s rushed for 686 yards and six touchdowns.
LSU will practice again on Thursday followed by a walk-thru on Friday. LSU will depart for Auburn on Friday afternoon. Kickoff for Saturday’s contest is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and the game will be televised to a national audience on CBS.