"That little vignette seems apropos this week as Oregon State
prepares for Saturday afternoon's extravaganza against LSU
in Baton Rouge, maybe the most-anticipated regular-season
non-conference game in school history.
Yes, the Tigers have great talent, tremendous tradition, a
boisterous, vociferous fan base and the home-field
advantage. They're the two-time defending champions of the
Southeastern Conference, which many down there believe is
the best league in the land, without question.
Coach Nick Saban has made LSU one of the country's premier
programs. OSU coach Mike Riley characterizes the Tigers as
fast, relentless and explosive and no one who watched them
go 12-1 in 2003 en route to a co-national championship would
dispute Riley's evaluation.
They're 17- or 18-point favorites. Their fans envision the
Beavers as sacrificial cannon fodder, a white, black and
orange rodent to be squashed like I-10 roadkill.
That might happen. And if LSU does, I'll gladly accept the
slings, arrows, barbs and pointed e-mails from my brethren on
the bayou, and admit the error of my ways.
But something tells me that the Beavers will do more than just
show up, stink it up, and then slink back home under cover of
darkness with a $750,000 paycheck. This trip might be one
big party for the hordes of Beaver Believers heading south,
but it's a tremendous opportunity for OSU to prove it can play
a little bingo with the BCS big boys.
"We expect between 7,000 and 8,000 (Beaver) fans there,
and we're bringing a pep band,'' OSU athletic director Bob De
Carolis said Monday. "We're looking forward to the challenge.
"And make no mistake about it: We're going down to win the
game.''
Now, the last thing the Beavers need is their AD providing
bulletin-board material to arouse the Tigers and their
passionate boosters. But he said what needed to be said,
that the perceived softies from the Left Coast can play a
little country hardball, that the Pac-10 can stand toe-to-toe
with the SEC and not be expected to blink first.
The Beavers aren't underestimating the Tigers. The 20/20
focus this game gave to the Beavers' spring, summer and fall-
camp workouts is testament to how much they respect LSU.
And they know it will be hotter than Fresno and louder than
Eugene or Washington. The atmosphere will be different than
anywhere in the Pac-10; Riley, who played there twice as an
Alabama defensive back, calls it "electric."
"I've never been in a situation where a non-league game has
been so talked about, with alums, with boosters, fans, our
team ... I think it's pretty neat," he said. "I think it's time OSU
steps out and plays a game like that every now and again."
But he's cautioned his team not to get overwhelmed, that
once the game starts Mike the Tiger and all that other
sideshow stuff is immaterial.
"We've got to go into that place, stand strong and play
football,'' he said. "I told our team the other day, I think they
still have white lines and goalposts, so that's all we really
need.
"We have to be smart, tough and efficient, handle the other
stuff that goes on there and just play football.''
Do I think the Beavers will win? No.
It might not make my ugly mug too popular around Prothro
Field and the Valley Football Center, but the feeling here is
that LSU has too much talent and too many home-field
intangibles to overcome. The Beavers will stay close and may
even lead for a half or three quarters before the Tigers rise up
and pull out a 10-point victory.
But can the Beavers win on Saturday? Of course they can.
LSU is unproven at quarterback and has other question marks
as well. The SEC is an excellent football conference, but the
Pac-10 has more than held its own in intersectional games
over the past decade.
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