AUBURN, ALA. College football, or any sport for that matter, can often get bogged down in its own lexicon, which often turns clich.


Illustration by Tony O. Champagne


Take for example, when two unbeaten teams meet in a showdown game, such as No. 6 LSU's visit to today. Who wants to hear both sides saying it's just another game carrying the same weight as any of the other 12?


Today's game clearly is not, as the dual set of Tigers will battle to become the last remaining SEC unbeaten team and first in line, at least for now, in the running for the BCS title game.


LSU players are treating it as such without succumbing to the mindnumbing stock answers. They're seeing this game for what it is and saying so, some even waxing poetic.


"This is the time when football becomes something a little special," LSU guard TBob Hebert said this week. "When the weather starts cooling off, the sun starts going down a little earlier . you have these bigtime, laterintheseason undefeated matchups. This is why you come to LSU, to play in these games where everything is on the line. I'm looking forward to it, and I know the rest of the team is, as well."


That's something all observers outside the arena can relate to, and something LSU Coach Les Miles has encouraged from his players.


"I don't think you can hide when there is a national enthusiasm for a specific game," Miles said. "For the coach to come into the team meeting room and Kevin Burnett Elite Jersey not really have a little extra juice about preparing and understanding this game is a significant one, would not be an honest approach.


"For you not to enjoy playing in a matchup with two nationally ranked guys, both teams undefeated, to not have enjoyment of that circumstance, I don't know if I could do it."


The basic premise that it's just one game still resonates with his players, Miles said. But he thinks his players work too hard and sacrifice too much not to extract the pure joy of playing in a big game for the sake of a robotic approach.


"You have to enjoy it," LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee said. "When you have two teams like this coming together, any SEC week, you have to enjoy it, but you also have to stay focused and stay confident."


There's plenty to enjoy in this game. Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is perhaps the hottest name in college football after guiding his team to 6543 victory over Arkansas last week with 328 yards of offense and accounting for four touchdowns. He adds the Heisman Trophychase element to the nationally televised game.


Across from Newton and the SEC's No. 1 offense will be the conference's No. 1 defense. LSU is allowing only 2.4 yards per carry and is led by tackle Drake Nevis and linebacker Kelvin Sheppard.


The game has nearly everything one would want in one of the aforementioned matchups, except perhaps, ESPN's GameDay. That traveling circus opted for another set of unbeatens BCS No. 1 Oklahoma at Missouri after appearing at Auburn earlier this season.


"It's definitely an SEC showdown. I can't wait to get down to Auburn," LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson said. "It's definitely going to be fun, and it's definitely going to be worth watching."


Just as important are the more maligned units LSU's offense and Auburn's defense. LSU is 10th in the conference in total offense (328.6 yards per game) and last in passing offense. LSU has four touchdown passes this season; that's below an average twogame total for Newton.


This week, LSU has a chance to improve against an Auburn secondary that has done its part to keep games close. Auburn has three victories by three points and another by eight, in which it came from behind in the fourth quarter. On top of that, the home raidersofficialonline.com/94_kevin_burnett_jersey_authentic_black_limited_cheap team will be without two starters because of injuries.


The question is, who wins this battle of underachievers?


LSU's twoquarterback system continues to rile up fans, who bombarded Miles with questions on the subject on his radio show Wednesday. Statistically, the fans have a point: Lee has had the major hand in the past eight LSU touchdown drives and clearly is the better passer. But Miles insists the system is working best as is.


Lee and Jordan Jefferson are working hard to keep saying all the right things.


"I'm comfortable Kevin Burnett Authentic Jersey with what's going on right now," Jefferson said. "Jarrett does a great job whenever he's in the game. He does what he has to do to put points on the board. A lot of teams don't know what to expect from us, so we're going to keep it going."


Jefferson and Lee will have to perform at a higher level for LSU to win. LSU has the conference's fourthbest rushing attack at 188 yards per game. LSU running back Stevan Ridley trails only Newton in yards per game rushing (98.0).


But Auburn's run defense has been stout, anchored by defensive tackle Nick Fairley, allowing 101 yards per game and 3.0 per carry.


LSU's offense has www.raidersofficialonline.com/94_kevin_burnett_jersey_authentic_black_limited_cheap.html been a hindrance to the defense with it's inconsistency, and this game is a crossroads for that unit.


"There are holes in that defense," Ridley said. "We've just got to find them and make the best out of them. We'll play our style of football and go for their weaknesses, and that seems to be through the air.


"As an offense, we still have not shown our best football, and it's Week 7. We know that if our offense can get in there and hit on all cylinders, we can be pretty special. We know our defense is solid. Our special teams are solid. We have the athletes everywhere, but we have to put it together. Maybe this is the game we put it together."


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