No "true" rival I think Auburn is #1 right now due to recent history and Tubby amplifies things a bit. Ole Miss and Bama are a close 2nd IMO. I think we underestimated Ole Miss in the late 90s a few times (don't know why) and they gave us a couple of devastating defeats. I just remember thinking during the end of the Dinardo era that even if we played poorly, we should still beat Ole Miss. The loss after the Florida game was tough. Bama will always be a big rival and I would've probably lost my mind if we lose that game in 2000 at home. When we had to use the replay to help the refs out, I almost soiled myself. At least the curse is dead. Arkansas certainly has the makings of a big rival but isn't there yet. Maybe the game last year and the b-ball feuding will get it there. We just don't have the history yet. It seems like last year was the first one when BOTH of us had a lot at stake. In the past, it was always one or the other. For some reason, I continue to underestimate those guys and their annoying Pig-souie chant. The West should come down to us and Auburn the next few years and Bama when they get things together again. There is no reason that Ole Miss, MSU, & Arkansas should compete with us (now that we have a solid coaching staff). We should get better recruits every year.
What about a rivalry with Texas. They beat us in the Cotton Bowl. They eliminated our lady's bball team in NCAA tourney. Maybe something may develop, but for now.....I think Auburn is our biggest rivalry, then its Arkansas. We need to get the boot back from those razor pigs.
Funny you should mention Texas. I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility that we could get paired up in the baseball super-regionals. Last year it was Rice and I don't think they would duplicate that again. One or the other (LSU/Tx) will be a Top 8 seed......if both turn out to be then scratch this whole thought.
Hardly anyone considers Arkansas a rival. The schools, SEC, and CBS would love for people to think that so they created a 2 ton golden boot. I'd say any of the 10 SEC members before 1992 besides Vandy are bigger than Arkansas. Tulane and A&M are also much bigger rivals.
From my Aggie viewpoint, I would like to see the A&M/LSU series back. Not just because I have an A&M degree and will have an LSU one. For a non conference series, it was one of the longer running. It has been played 49 times throughout the years. LSU holds a 26-20-3 edge. I remember from the 80's and early 90's that was always a good one. I really doubt we will see it resumed anytime soon. With schedules dropping down to 11 games after next year, non conference space is short. A&M already has Clemson, Florida State, Miami, and Michigan State on the schedule for the next few years. Our AD, Bill Byrne, has indicated he only wants one marquee OOC matchup, so he can get more home games on the schedule. I feel sorry that you guys have Arky as your game during "rival" week. I remember from SWC days that pig call to be annoying as hell. They were always the red-headed step child in the SWC, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were in the SEC West as well.
Is there any trophy in sports that is worse than the Boot given to the winner of the LSU-Ark game? One of these days the players carrying the trophy will drop it due to its excessive weight and break it. No other trophy that I can think of requires several players to be able to lift it up.
The Boot is big, but not the biggest rivalry trophy. A little useless sports trivia; the biggest rivalry trophy in all of college football is Chief Caddo, a 13-foot tall, 3-ton wooden Indian statue. Northwestern State (that's right, the one in Natchitoches) and Stephen F. Austin play for it in their season finale every year. I only know this because both my parents went to Northwestern St. and my dad played football there. I actually saw it once, it's pretty cool. But the Boot is made out of gold. That makes it better. GEAUX TIGERS!!! FORK 'EM DEMONS!!!
I know the anti-Tubby bandwagon still flows pretty strong in BR, but I wonder if it stops. In Since the end of the 2001 season: 1) Pre 2002 - Tubby declares LeBrandon Toefield the top RB in the SEC 2) Pre LSU vs. Auburn game - Saban declares that he and Tubby are close friends 3) closing minutes of Auburn vs. LSU game. Auburn gets a first down on a short passing play of 5 yards, however, there is also a defensive PI call on the play. B/C Tubby in concerned with possesion rather than advancement, and doesn't want to score unnecesarily, CTT declines the PI penalty that would have advanced the ball an additional 10 yards 4) closing seconds of Auburn vs. LSU game - Auburn on LSU 1 yard line . . .kneels on the ball. Now - if you want to call Auburn LSU's biggest rival because we will be the top two teams in teh West - and maybe the SEC for a while - I accept that. If you want to say its because the intrigeing events of the last 10 or so years (earthquake, fire, band, cigars, LSU fants chanting Auburn sucks while Auburn fans singing in memory of 1st Ameriance soldier killed in War on Terrorism - an Auburn grad) . . fine. But at some point, you'll have to give the CTT stuff a rest. Nice to not be at work this week . .I can visit my LSU friends . .
