But at the end of the day, LSU is undefeated, ranked No. 4 in the nation, and steaming toward a Southeastern Confeence showdown with top-ranked Florida.
That Oct. 10 matchup, however, will not be quite as compelling if the Tigers can't take care of their assingment this Saturday. And it's a very tough one indeed. In fact, it wouldn't be wrong to call it a showdown of its own.
LSU (4-0) takes on No. 18 Georgia (3-1) in an SEC game at Athens, Ga. Both teams will carry 2-0 conference records into the 3:30 p.m. EST contest, which will be telecast by CBS.
The Tigers and Bulldogs narrowly averted upsets last weekend. LSU needed a spectacular punt return and a late goal-line stand to win 30-26 at Mississippi State. Georgia squeaked past Arizona State 20-17 on a last-second field goal.
Wide receiver A.J. Green was the star of that non-conference triumph. Not only did he make eight catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, he blocked a field goal attempt to keep the game tied at 17. Green then made a 36-yard reception to set up Blair Walsh's game-winning 37-yard field goal.
LSU got a similar performance from junior safety Chad Jones, who returned a punt 93 yards for a 30-24 lead early in the fourth quarter. Then with the Tigers up 30-26, Jones batted down a pass on a third-and-goal play from inside the 1-yard line, and helped stack up Mississippi State quarterback Tyson Lee short of the end zone on fourth down with 1 minute, 8 seconds to play.
Tigers Defense Opportunistic
A major factor in the Tigers' success this season is that they've forced 10 turnovers, while committing only three. LSU has intercepted seven passes, with Jones and Brandon Taylor picking off two passes apiece, and Patrick Peterson and Jacob Cutrera each returning interceptions for touchdowns.
Linebackers Harry Coleman, Perry Riley and Kelvin Sheppard lead the Tigers with 29, 28 and 26 tackles, respectively. Cornerback Chris Hawkins has 22 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups, and Jones has added 20 tackles and three pass breakups.
Up front, the Tigers have been powered by end Rahim Allen and tackle Drake Nevis. Allen has 16 tackles, including 4.5 for losses and two sacks. He's also broken up two passes. Nevis has 15 tackles, three for losses.
Coach Les Miles' team is giving up 15.5 points and 333.5 yards per game, with 198.8 of the yards coming through the air. The Tigers opened the season with a 31-23 win at Washington, then defeated Vanderbilt 23-9 and Louisiana-Lafayette 31-3 before facing Mississippi State.
Sophomore QB Leads LSU Offense
LSU's offense is averaging just 310 yards per game. But thanks largely to defensive and special-teams scoring, the Tigers are putting up 28.8 points a contest.
Quarterback Jordan Jefferson has been efficient, completing 62 of 101 passes for 708 yards and seven TDs with one interception. The sophomore is also a running threat, rushing for 83 yards.
He's been helped greatly by a pair of a standout receivers. Brandon LaFell's made 20 catches for 230 yards and five touchdowns. Terrance Tolliver has 17 catches for 266 yards and two TDs.
The ground game is paced by Keiland Williams (36 carries, 192 yards, 2 TDs) and Charles Scott (43 carries, 180 yards). Scott ran for 1,172 yards last season, but has shifted to fullback.
LSU kicker Josh Japser is 6-for-7 on field goals, including a 52-yarder.
Georgia Defense Improved
Coach Mark Richt’s Bulldogs have battled injuries, turnovers and defensive problems. But since losing their opener 24-10 to Oklahoma State, they’ve reeled off three consecutive victories.
Vulnerable in SEC shootouts with South Carolina (41-37) and Arkansas (52-41), Georgia gave up just 204 yards to Arizona State. The Bulldogs had struggled against the pass, but Sun Devils quarterback Danny Sullivan completed just 10 of 32 passes for 116 yards.
Linebacker Rennie Curran continues to lead the way for Georgia. The junior averages just under 10 tackles per game, with 39 on the season. He also has five quarterback hurries.
The Bulldogs have received 22 tackles from linebacker Darryl Gamble, 21 tackles and four pass breakups from middle linebacker Marcus Dowtin and 17 tackles from defensive back Brandon Boykin. Defensive tackle Kade Weston leads Georgia with three tackles for losses and has 10 QB hurries.
Georgia has yielded 355.8 yards per game, including 245 passing. The Bulldogs are giving up 29.8 points per game.
Green Sparks Bulldogs Offense
Green’s been the main spark for an offense that’s averaging 30.8 points per game. He’s made 25 catches for 428 yards and a team-high four touchdowns. Georgia’s No. 2 receiver, Michael Moore, has 12 receptions for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Quarterback Joe Cox has passed for 980 yards and nine touchdowns, completing 67 of 110 passes. But he’s been intercepted five times – including twice last week.
Turnovers, in fact, have been the Bulldogs’ worst enemy. They’ve committed 12 – seven more than their opponents. And they’re still managing an unspectacular 357.2 yards per game. The running game’s mustering just 112.2, as sophomore Caleb King’s been hampred by a hamstring injury.
Another sophomore, Richard Samuel, is the team’s leading rusher with 62 carries for 281 yards and two TDs. King, who missed the first two games, has 22 attempts for 114 yards.
Georgia’s kicking game certainly couldn’t be much better. Sophomore Walsh is 8-for-8 on field goal attempt – including kicks of 53 and 50 yards – and he’s hit all 13 of his extra points. Punter Drew Butler, meanwhile, is averaging 50.1 yards per kick.
LSU Holds Slight Edge in Series
LSU, which holds a 14-12-1 edge in the series, will be trying to beat Georgia for the first time since 2003. The Tigers haven’t won in Athens since a 26-23 victory in 1987.
Georgia hasn’t lost to LSU since a 34-13 triumph in the 2003 SEC championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Tigers went on to win a national title.
