Baton Rouge road trip offers new break for Wave

After appearing to gain some momentum in weeks four and five with consecutive wins against McNeese State and Army, the Green Wave find themselves going into the most difficult game of the season, a Halloween showdown with No. 9 Louisiana State in Baton Rouge, having lost three consecutive in-conference matchups by a combined score of 118-32. These blowouts — at the hands of Marshall, Houston and Southern Mississippi — do not bode well for a Tulane squad trying to win against LSU in Death Valley for the first time since 1982. At a disappointing 2-5, the Green Wave will be at a distinct disadvantage to one of the most talented teams not only in the powerful Southeastern Conference, but also in the country. Coach Bob Toledo didn’t mince words at his weekly press conference.

“It’s a tough time to be playing these guys,” Toledo said. “They’re outstanding. They are an outstanding football team. They have some great athletes. They’re well coached. I think John Chavis has come over and coached their defense and has really been a great addition to their program. He’s done a nice job. Their defense is playing really well; they’re playing hard; they don’t give up yards; they don’t give up points. They’re really doing a great job. Offensively, they obviously have some great weapons. They have some really good football players and they do a lot of different things with them. So, they’re really good.”

With only one loss — against the No. 1 team in the country, Florida — LSU is certainly deserving of Toledo’s high praise. The LSU defense, led by their aforementioned defensive coordinator John Chavis, struggled somewhat at the beginning of the season, but has only allowed an average of 12.8 points per game during their last five contests. In their loss to Florida — a team averaging 35.3 points per game — the Bayou Bengals held Tim Tebow and company to only 13 points. This, of course, is discouraging news for a freshman-led Tulane offense that has statistically been among the worst in college football this season.

LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson shows off his athleticism, hurdling a Georgia Tech defender

If Tulane is to have any hope of knocking off the Tigers, they will need to pressure LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson. Jefferson is extremely talented, but has been plagued by inconsistency, and because of this, LSU’s passing offense is statistically among the worst in the SEC. If Jefferson has time in the pocket, however, he is more than capable of getting the ball to Terence Tolliver, one of the best receivers in the country. LSU has also had problems running the football. Despite having all-world athletes like Charles Scott, Keiland Williams and Trindon Holliday in their backfield, the Tigers are last in the SEC with only 3.5 yards per carry.

Though the odds are clearly stacked heavily in LSU’s favor, Tulane has played well against the SEC in the past few years. Many upperclassmen will remember their brilliant first-half performance against LSU in the Superdome two years ago, and last years squad played solidly against SEC runners-up Alabama. LSU may also be overlooking the Wave in preparation for next weekend’s matchup with the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. Am I picking the Wave to win? No. But, don’t be surprised if they show some pride and play better than expected.