Tamed Tigers

LSU is showing signs of slowing down

By Jasmine Watkins

(AP Photo)

This is not last year’s LSU team. I repeat, this is not last year’s LSU team.

LSU used to be feared and revered by everyone except Alabama. They aren’t anymore. The main reason is because they are inconsistent and basically don’t have the drive as they once did.

Some would blame the different roster as the core of the problem. No Honey Badger, no Morris Claiborne, and so on. The interesting thing is that the offense is the inconsistent factor.

LSU is streaky. Sometimes their offense is red hot, other times they couldn’t find the end zone if the directions were taped to the football.

The Tigers are still good at home, before Saturday’s 21-17 loss to Alabama, the team had not lost a game in Death Valley since 2010. Take that as a minor victory, but beware because once they leave that sweet southern oasis of Tiger Stadium they aren’t the same team anymore.

Don’t let the record this season fool you because they are not a BCS Championship team. As of right now they are 7-2, with the two losses coming from fellow SEC members, Florida and Alabama.

The first three games of the season, they blew their opponents out of the Baton Rouge swamps, but upon further review, take a look at the teams they were playing against … North Texas, Washington, Idaho. All three of said games took place at home and they appeared like a dominant team early in the season. But as any BCS computer knows, looks can be deceiving.

After that they took their show on the road to Auburn and won by two. That would be impressive if it still 2010. Auburn is nowhere near elite so that leaves people to believe that as soon as LSU leaves their humble abode, they almost lose their minds. And with all due respect, they should have lost that game, but in classic Auburn fashion, they were being Auburn and lost it for themselves.

Who knew that a trip of 590 miles would expose the Tigers? A game against Florida is all it took for LSU to show their true colors, one of those colors was definitely yellow.

The Auburn games showed a little, but the Gators revealed the weakness in the Tigers. They can’t stop the run, or at least the run of Florida, which has propelled itself this year.

The game against Alabama would’ve turned everyone into believers. Now they are continuously scratching their heads because they have no clue what to make of this team.

Saturday LSU had the game won, Alabama was backed into a corner. In the last minute of the game the LSU defense allowed AJ McCarron to lead the Crimson Tide down the field for a go-ahead touchdown. Yes you read that right, AJ McCarron. His leadership is like a solar eclipse, it’s rarely seen but when it does happen it’s special.

What’s not so special is LSU.

These Tigers have lost their stripes.