LSU won’t suffer Michigan’s fate against Appalachian State

By Lee Roberts  |   Thursday, August 28, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

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LSU opens its national title defense Saturday evening in Tiger Stadium against a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) team. It would appear to be a rather mundane start to the season, but this isn’t any FCS club. It’s three-time defending champion Appalachian State. Of course, you may remember the Mountaineers better from their Opening Day road upset of Michigan a year ago.

As soon as each school put its respective national championship trophies in the trophy case, their attention turned to 2008. LSU begins this season ranked sixth in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll and is attempting to be the first team to repeat as BCS champions. ASU is trying to win its fourth consecutive national championship. It’s the first time the champions from each subdivision have met the next season, so it should be a special night for both schools. But if you’re expecting ASU to rekindle the magic of its win in Ann Arbor, you’re going to be disappointed.

LSU is going to beat Appalachian State, and it’s not going to be very close. The biggest problem for ASU is that LSU is fully aware of how good the Mountaineers are. Ironically, the success last year against Michigan pretty much ruled out any chance of an upset over LSU this season. It would have been an incredibly long shot to begin with, but now that LSU knows not to overlook the Mountaineers, it’s going to be a long night along the Bayou for ASU.

ASU has also lost some talent from a year ago. Quarterback Armanti Edwards is still around, but his top two targets from a year ago -- Hans Batichon and Dexter Jackson -- are no longer intact. You may remember Jackson from the way he carved up Michigan’s secondary and ended up on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Running back Kevin Richardson, who ran for 1,348 yards, is also gone.

Of course, this game isn’t about what ASU doesn’t have; rather, it’s about what LSU does have. And that’s superior talent at every position. You can make an argument for Edwards over whoever will play QB for LSU because of experience. But the edge goes to LSU at the other 21 spots on the field. The Tigers are bigger, stronger, faster and just flat-out better.

There is also the small matter of homefield advantage. Sure, the Big House is, well, big, but it doesn’t come close to Tiger Stadium in terms of an advantage for the home team. The crowd is louder, crazier and will be well-lubricated by the 5 p.m. kickoff. Add in the fact it will be many fans' first chance to honor the BCS champions, and you have a recipe for disaster for ASU.

Of course, LSU won’t feel sorry for the Mountaineers because this is just the first step in the Tigers’ march toward history, and Les Miles isn’t going to let ASU be a stumbling block. The notion of a second straight Opening Day shocker for Appalachian State is a fun story, but one that will be over by halftime.
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About Lee Roberts

Born in Richmond, Va, I moved south to UNC-Chapel Hill for college and received a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. I currently live in Charlotte, NC and cover Auburn, LSU and the ACC.
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