Defending Johnny Manziel can be a nightmare for defenders. (Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports)
When the 2013 season opened, you would’ve thought that this weekend’s game between Texas A&M and LSU in Baton Rouge would be at least for the SEC West championship and possibly the national championship.
But that was two-and-a-half months ago. In the present, neither will win the SEC West and any national championship hopes the two teams had have long since disappeared.
Texas A&M lost to Alabama and Auburn, the two teams that will play for the SEC West championship in the final week of the season. LSU lost to Georgia, Ole Miss and Alabama. The Aggies and Tigers are still ranked. Texas A&M is ninth in the AP poll and LSU is 18th.
“We’ll look forward to playing A&M and hosting them in Tiger Stadium,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “Again, this is the kind of game that you come to LSU to play in. You look forward to playing nationally-ranked teams and the opportunity to play best in front of your friends and family in Tiger Stadium.”
Miles knows that despite the losses, the Aggies will bring a potent offense and one of the game’s brightest stars into Tiger Stadium.
“I think that (Johnny) Manziel, a year ago he was a runner. I think this year he’s a much more capable quarterback,” Miles said. “I think he steps back in there, understands what to expect, and seems to be stronger in the ability to throw it and just – yeah, I think they’re better. I think conceptually they challenge you with spread, and they have a quality running back and a quarterback that can really throw it; receivers that can catch it. I think offensively certainly they’re better.”
The season has been a disappointment for LSU, especially when you consider the Tigers have struggled in the biggest games.
“Well, certainly it’s a great challenge. I mean, they’re a better football team offensively. Some of the things that we did a year ago we’ll be able to use some, some we will not. But it’ll be a great match-up,” he said.
“I think our defense is really looking forward to it. These Tigers look forward to a challenge, and this is really going to be one. I think our guys will play well. I think we have a nice scheme in a variety of ways to pressure him, disguise some coverage, get in the backfield, move him when we can.”
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin knows that this game is still very special to the players on the two teams who have ties to the two states.
“It’s interesting. They’ve got guys from Texas,” said Sumlin. “They understand the significance of this game. For our current roster, some of these kids were just born the last time we played at LSU. Our fans and everyone else remembers that this used to be a heck of a battle. These guys have never been over there unless they went on a visit. It’s a little bit different for our current players than it is for former students and fans.
He believes that the game might come down to turnovers.
“Whenever we play, we put a premium on not just turnovers, but turnover ratio. One thing our defense has done is create a lot of takeaways, more so than last year,” he said. “We have put an emphasis on that. We’re positive in the turnover margin, which is better than we were last year. We’re second in the league in interceptions. We have given up big plays, but we’ve been able to force turnovers. Turnover margin is a big deal.
“Offensively, your job is to score one more point than the opponent. There will be games that you don’t turn it over and there will be games that you have to force four or five turnovers. Our team understands that,” said Sumlin.
Despite not having any championship implications, this is still an interesting game and the Crystal Ball sees it Texas A&M 45, LSU 21.
Around the rest of the SEC, here’s what the Crystal Ball thinks might happen:
Alabama 38, Chattanooga 7
Vanderbilt 31, Tennessee 21
Georgia 42, Kentucky 10
Mississippi State 27, Arkansas 17
Florida 24, Georgia Southern 21
South Carolina 38, Coastal Carolina 7
Missouri 28, Ole Miss 24
