Written by Lenny Vangilder
| Thursday, 26 November 2009 22:41
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LSU News
I learned many years ago that to get an accurate analysis of a situation, one should not focus on detail, but rather to view it “from 30,000 feet” – in other words, look at the big picture.
That said, I’ve had to chuckle a little bit at the outrage of LSU fans since Saturday’s 25-23 loss to Ole Miss. (Amazingly, in New Orleans, the topic of choice even after Sunday at 3 p.m. remained LSU’s loss and not the Saints’ dominating win to reach 10-0.)
Let’s start with the now. Yes, LSU botched its clock management and play calling in the final minute. And yes, Miles handled the situation poorly in both his postgame news conference and at his weekly presser on Monday. (But that’s nothing new – I’ve criticized his use of the English language in this space previously.)
In the grand scheme of things, last Saturday’s loss probably only cost LSU a final top 10 ranking. To those I’ve heard mention that it cost LSU a BCS bowl berth and millions of dollars, you’re wrong. Only two teams can go from any conference, and no matter what happens between now and a week from Sunday, Florida and Alabama are both going to BCS bowls.
The only thing the loss to Ole Miss might have done is steered LSU to the Cotton Bowl instead of the Capital One Bowl. And in terms of the money, Southeastern Conference schools all share the proceeds equally, except for expenses they receive for their bowl trip.
Now, let’s get in our metaphorical airplane and take a look down at things. Let’s focus in two areas – Miles’ five-year career at LSU and the decade of the 2000s.
Start with Miles. He’s won 50 games in five years, an average of 10 wins per year. No other LSU coach has as many wins in any five-year span. He has a national title to his credit. He’s undefeated in bowl games. Three of his teams have finished the year ranked in the Top 5.
With Miles and Nick Saban at the helm throughout the decade, LSU has 98 wins against only 25 losses. A win Saturday night over Arkansas and a bowl win would make for a nice round number of 100 for the 2000s. The Tigers have three SEC titles and two other Western Division crowns. By the way, in the first 66 years of the SEC, LSU won the title seven times, or barely an average of once per decade.
Oh, and did we mention the two national titles won in the decade, which is two-thirds of the Tigers’ total in the 116-year history of the program?
When LSU was wrapping up the 1990s some 10 years ago this weekend at home against Arkansas, it was doing so with an interim coach in Hal Hunter. LSU’s win totals last decade looked like this: 5, 5, 2, 5, 4, 7, 10, 9, 4, 3. If you’re not doing the math, that’s seven losing seasons and a 49-58 record.
This decade’s win totals: 8, 10, 8, 13, 9, 11, 11, 12, 8, and 8 so far. As of today, the list of teams with eight or more wins in every season of the 2000s – Texas, Boise State and LSU. (Three other teams – Georgia, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma – can get there by season’s end.)
Ten years ago today, with that interim coach on the sidelines and several weeks before Mark Emmert and Joe Dean pulled off the Saban hiring, if you would have told LSU fans their beloved Tigers would win at least eight games each of the next 10 years … and three SEC titles … and two national championships … what would their reaction have been? Probably to pinch themselves to make sure they weren’t dreaming.
Did LSU let one get away last Saturday? Absolutely. But Tiger fans, don’t lose sight of the big picture.
***
Our first perfect week in at least a month – 4-0 – improves our season mark to 44-13 into what will be the final week of Lenny’s Top V. Since we’ll be working the LSU-Arkansas game Saturday, we’ll pass the first assignment off to NewOrleans.Com colleague Jude Young:
I. Just to be clear. I'm pinching hitting for Lenny in the LSU-Arkansas game - not Les Miles. The embattled head coach needs a win against Arkansas, but I don't think he gets it. Down to their 4th string tailback in a running game that hasn't been good enough all year, the Tigers are staring down a 3rd straight loss to Arkansas, fueled by Ryan Mallett and the potent Hogs air attack. Razorbacks by 2.
Now, for the rest of the picks:
II. Tulane laid its biggest egg of the season a week ago at Central Florida, losing 49-0, its second shutout in the last four weeks. The Wave closes its season at SMU, a team it beat a year ago in the Superdome but one that has improved by leaps and bounds since then. Can’t say the same for our local club. Mustangs by 13.
III. The first big game in the Superdome this weekend comes Saturday in the form of the Bayou Classic between Southern and Grambling. Most years, a spot in the SWAC title game is on the line in this one; this year, neither team will go, so it’s only pride that’s on the line. Jags by 4.
IV. Louisiana-Lafayette is 6-5, but as it learned a year ago, if it wants to ensure a bowl berth, it needs to get to seven wins. The task won’t be easy as Troy heads to Cajun Field looking to wrap up the outright Sun Belt title. A Cajun win, and we might see some bowl-swapping to have a Louisiana team in the New Orleans Bowl. Troy by 6.
V. Lastly, Southern Miss travels to East Carolina with the winner earning a berth in the Conference USA championship game next Saturday. USM hasn’t lost in Greenville in more than a decade, but right now, ECU is the better team. Pirates by 7.
Until next week …
