Some LSU fans never will forgive Nick Saban for returning to college football as Alabama's coach.
But there's no denying Saban's imprint at LSU.
Taking over a program that had consistently underachieved, Saban came from Michigan State to lead LSU to a 48-16 record from 2000-04, including two SEC titles and the 2003 national championship. He also recruited the bulk of the LSU team that won the 2007 national title under Les Miles, his successor.
Saban's fantastic five-year run at LSU has earned him a spot in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. He'll be inducted as part of the 2020 class on June 27 at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches, La.
"It's a fantastic honor for me," Saban said Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference. "It's a very humbling thing ... because so many people contributed to any success we've ever had anywhere we've ever been.
"Certainly we had a great team of people at LSU and a great coaching staff. A lot of players that did a wonderful job. I feel that when you get an honor like this, you're really just accepting it on behalf of all those folks."
Saban is 10-3 against LSU as Alabama's coach, including an eight-game winning streak that started when the Tide beat the Tigers 21-0 to win the 2011 national championship.
The current domination makes it somewhat surprising the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame would announce Saban's induction now.
"I don't know," Saban said. "I can't really answer that. I guess you'd have to ask them."
Doug Ireland, chairman of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, said it's an honor Saban deserves.
"We understand that LSU fans are conditioned to cheer against Alabama and Nick Saban, and Nick understands that as well as anyone," Ireland told the Shreveport Times. "But any LSU fan who looks at it objectively has to realize where LSU was when Nick arrived, where he brought LSU, and where it still is now.
"He brought in players, coaches, facilities and a philosophy. He brought in the golden era of LSU football. If Nick doesn't come to Baton Rouge, one has to wonder where LSU would be right now."
The Tigers are 3-0 and ranked No. 4 nationally under Coach Ed Orgeron. They were 6-16 in the two seasons before Saban's arrival.
Saban left LSU for the NFL's Miami Dolphins, where he had records of 9-7 and 6-10 before taking the Alabama job.
Saban, who has a 144-21 record with the Tide and won five national championships at the school, has said he regrets leaving LSU for Miami.
"To those who do not like Saban getting in, I would say take away everything Nick did after LSU, and would you be advocating he be selected to the Hall of Fame? Without question," Ireland said. "They'd be clamoring for it. He is tremendously deserving and may be the greatest college coach ever."
Saban was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
Bequette vs. Rebels
Luc Bequette, a senior defensive end for California from Little Rock Catholic, will be back in SEC country Saturday when the No. 23 Bears play at Ole Miss.
Bequette's grandfather George, father Chris, uncle Jay and cousin Jake all played for the Razorbacks, but Luc wasn't offered a scholarship by Arkansas.
In three games this season, Bequette has 13 tackles with 2 1/2 sacks for losses of 11 yards.
Bequette, 6-2 and 290 pounds, has 91 tackles -- including 9 1/2 sacks for losses of 50 yards -- in 32 career games at Cal.
Sound like someone the Razorbacks could have used?
'Joey' Burrow
LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow has put himself into the Heisman Trophy race with a sizzling start for the Tigers.
Leading LSU's revamped offense, Burrow has completed 75 of 90 passes (83.3%) for 1,122 yards and 11 touchdowns with 2 interceptions going into the Tigers' game against Vanderbilt on Saturday.
But when Commodores Coach Derek Mason was asked about Burrow on the SEC teleconference, he couldn't help but call the LSU quarterback "Joey." That's because Mason has known Burrow since he was a kid running around at Ohio University practices.
Mason was the receivers coach at Ohio in 2005-06 on the same staff as Jim Burrow, Joe Burrow's father who was the Bobcats' defensive coordinator from 2005-18 before retiring.
"What I remember about Joey being a youngster is that even then he was competitive, and he was a good athlete," Mason said. "He'd come out to practice and he had a good arm then. He loved to play the game.
"He was a winner, even as a young guy. He had that same edge and demeanor and same charisma as a young guy that he has now. You knew Joey was going to be a good player. I'm happy for him."
Mason said he recruited Burrow, who originally stayed home to play for Ohio State, then went to LSU as a graduate transfer and is in his second season as the Tigers' starter.
"Joey's been efficient with the ball," Mason said. "He looks really comfortable in that new offense. As you can see, he's a talented quarterback with his decision-making and his athletic ability to extend plays."
Dabo takes shot
The Citadel handed Atlantic Coast Conference member Georgia Tech a 27-24 overtime loss last week, but Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney found a way to turn that result into a shot at Alabama and the SEC.
His Clemson teams are 2-2 against Alabama in playoff matchups the previous four seasons, including victories in the national championship game in 2016 and 2018.
"I mean, heck, The Citadel was probably Alabama's toughest game last year until Georgia," Swinney said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. "I mean, I'm just telling the truth.
"The Citadel beat South Carolina somewhere here in the not-too-long-ago. That's not a shocker."
The Citadel beat South Carolina 23-22 in 2015.
Last season, Alabama beat The Citadel 50-17, but the game was tied 10-10 at halftime.
The Tide won their eight SEC regular-season games by an average of 32.6 points -- including 65-31 at Arkansas -- and rallied to beat Georgia 35-28 in the SEC Championship Game after trailing by 14 points.
At least Swinney didn't bring up The Citadel's 10-3 victory at Arkansas in 1992 in the Razorbacks' first game after joining the SEC.
Maybe Swinney also wanted to lessen the impact of Georgia Tech's loss to The Citadel because Clemson opened the season by beating the Yellow Jackets 52-14.
Shuffle for Gators?
Florida Coach Dan Mullen could play two quarterbacks -- new starter Kyle Trask and backup Emory Jones -- with the loss of Feleipe Franks to a season-ending ankle injury last week at Kentucky.
When Mullen was the Gators' offensive coordinator in 2006, Florida won SEC and national championships with Chris Leak starting at quaterback and Tim Tebow playing off the bench.
"Each guy brings a little bit something different of an issue to the defense," Mullen said of Trask and Jones, according to the Orlando Sentinel. "But it crosses over a lot, too. I think that will be kind of fun for us offensively to put it all together."
Trask, a redshirt junior, will make his first start when the No. 9 Gators play Tennessee on Saturday. Jones is a redshirt freshman.
"We're here to do what's best for the team," Trask told the Sentinel. "Whatever we need to do, we'll do whatever the coaches ask. When our number's called, I'm sure we'll produce."
800 club
LSU became the 12th Football Bowl Subdivision program to win 800 games when the Tigers beat Northwestern State 65-14 last week.
Michigan is the all-time leader with 953 victories. Other SEC teams with 800 or more victories are Alabama (908), Tennessee (839) and Georgia (821).
Earlier this season, LSU won 45-38 at Texas, which has 910 victories to rank third on the list behind Michigan and Ohio State (914).
Georgia plays Notre Dame (899) on Saturday night.
Scoring variety
Missouri scored four touchdowns in the first quarter of its 50-0 victory over Southeast Missouri State on a run, reception, interception return and punt return.
Larry Rountree scored on a 3-yard run, linebacker Cale Garrett returned an interception 27 yards, tight end Albert Okwuegbunam caught a 3-yard reception, and Richaud Floyd returned a punt 71 yards.
Monday, Monday
Auburn sophomore safety Smoke Monday will miss the first half of the Tigers' SEC opener at Texas A&M after being ejected for targeting in the fourth quarter of a 55-16 victory over Kent State last week.
"Smoke, he's a good football player, not just in the secondary, but he's one of our special teams guys, too," Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn told reporters this week. "Any time you lose a guy like that for a half, that's a big blow for us. But it's an opportunity for other guys."
Monday is listed as a second-team free safety, but he also plays in some packages with extra defensive backs.
"We've got other guys ready to step up," Malzahn said. "And the good thing is he'll be fresh when he shows up in that third quarter."
Two-minute drill
• Auburn receiver Will Hastings (Pulaski Academy) has 7 catches for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns this season.
• The Kentucky-Mississippi State series is tied at 23-23.
• Missouri and South Carolina, with both campuses located in cities named "Columbia," are playing for the Mayor's Cup. South Carolina has kept the trophy in its possession since 2016.
SEC TOP TO BOTTOM
Rank;(prev);record;comment
1;(1);Alabama;3-0;Tide will try and cope with 11 a.m. kickoff
2;(2);Georgia;3-0;Notre Dame plays at Athens for first time
3;(3);LSU;3-0;Tigers play at Vandy for first time since 2010
4;(4);Auburn;3-0;SEC opener at Aggieland
5;(5)Florida;3-0;QB Franks suffers season-ending ankle injury
6;(6);Texas A&M;2-1;Has 0-3 home record vs. Auburn
7;(7);Mississippi State;2-1;Looking to bounce back from loss to K-State
8;(8);Kentucky;2-1;First road game of season at Mississippi State
9;(9);Missouri;2-1;Defense has looked good since Wyoming loss
10;(10);South Carolina;1-2;Trip to Missouri is pivotal
11;(11);Ole Miss;2-1;California is visiting Oxford
12;(12);Vanderbilt;0-2;Tough schedule continues with LSU
13;(13);Arkansas;2-1;Big fourth quarter against Colorado State
14;(14);Tennessee;1-2;Gets first victory over UT-Chattanooga
Player to watch
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix, a true freshman, will play his first road game when the No. 8 Tigers play No. 17 Texas A&M at Kyle Field on Saturday. Nix has completed 44 of 84 passes (52.4%) for 545 yards and 4 touchdowns with 2 interceptions.
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 3 Georgia
7 p.m. Central, CBS
Georgia (3-0) will play Notre Dame (2-0) for the third time — but first time between the hedges — when the Fighting Irish visit Sanford Stadium on Saturday night in a game that will affect both teams’ playoff hopes. The two previous meetings also had huge implications when the Bulldogs beat the Fighting Irish 17-10 in New Orleans in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1981, to win the national championship, and in 2017 when Georgia won 20-19 at Notre Dame and wound up making the playoff. Georgia is a 14 1/2-point favorite.
Other games
Southern Miss at No. 2 Alabama
WHEN 11 a.m.
RECORDS Southern Miss 2-1; Alabama 3-0
TV ESPN2
LINE Alabama by 38 1/2
Tennessee at No. 9 Florida
WHEN 11 a.m.
RECORDS Tennessee 1-2, 0-0 SEC; Florida 3-0, 1-0
TV ESPN
LINE Florida by 14
No. 23 California at Ole Miss
WHEN 11 a.m.
RECORDS California 3-0; Ole Miss 2-1
TV ESPNU
LINE Ole Miss by 2 1/2
No. 4 LSU at Vanderbilt
WHEN 11 a.m.
RECORDS LSU 3-0, 0-0 SEC; Vanderbilt 0-2, 0-1
TV SEC Network
LINE LSU by 23 1/2
No. 8 Auburn at No. 17 Texas A&M
WHEN 2:30 p.m.
RECORDS Auburn 3-0, 0-0 SEC; Texas A&M 2-1, 0-0
TV CBS
LINE Texas A&M by 3 1/2
Kentucky at Mississippi State
WHEN 3 p.m.
RECORDS Kentucky 2-1, 0-1 SEC; Mississippi State 2-1, 0-0
TV SEC Network
LINE Mississippi State by 6
South Carolina at Missouri
WHEN 3 p.m.
RECORDS South Carolina 1-2, 0-1 SEC; Missouri 2-1, 0-0
TV SEC Network Alternate
LINE Missouri by 9 1/2
San Jose State at Arkansas
WHEN 6:30 p.m.
RECORDS San Jose State 1-1; Arkansas 2-1
TV SEC Network
LINE Arkansas by 21
BY THE NUMBERS
1 -- Tennessee victories over Florida since 2005. The Gators are 13-1 in their past 14 games against the Vols, whose only victory in that span was 38-28 in 2016.
55.0 -- Points LSU is averaging through three games.
OVERHEARD
"There's a world of difference. He was a young, nervous, composed freshman, and now he's a confident, experienced junior, and he continues to get better, he makes good decisions."
-- Georgia Coach Kirby Smart on QB Jake Fromm facing Notre Dame on Saturday as opposed to as a freshman in 2017.
"I like most all country music."
-- LSU Coach Ed Orgeron on the Tigers playing in Nashville against Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Sports on 09/19/2019