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TOP-RANKED LSU FOCUSED ON GEORGIA AS SEC TITLE TO BE DECIDED ON SATURDAY
BATON
ROUGE – If there was any doubt about what LSU’s mindset is going into
Saturday’s Southeastern Conference Championship Game against Georgia in
Atlanta, head coach Les Miles put that to rest on Wednesday saying his
top-ranked Tigers are focused on one thing and that’s winning the
conference title.
“There is no view of another game in my
mind’s eye and I’m looking to play for victory in this one,” Miles said
following Wednesday’s workout. “Again, year in and year out you play in
this league, the opportunity for you is to win your division, certainly
win the (SEC) West, and then you can get to the championship game.
“The
opportunity to be an SEC Championship team is what we’re after. I
promise you that I have no view of what’s coming after that. What’s
coming after that will certainly take care of itself if we play well.”
LSU,
ranked No. 1in the nation in all major polls, brings a 12-0 overall
mark into the Georgia game. The Bulldogs, who have won 10 straight
since starting 0-2, are 10-2 overall. They captured the SEC Eastern
Division title with a 7-1 mark.
This will mark the third
time that LSU and Georgia square off in the SEC Championship Game. LSU
won the 2003 meeting between the teams, while the Bulldogs followed
with a victory of their own over the Tigers in 2005. LSU is 3-1
all-time in SEC Championship Games.
LSU continued to
prepare for the SEC title game with another workout indoors on
Wednesday at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility. Kickoff between
the Tigers and the Bulldogs is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT from a sold out
Georgia Dome.
“We’ve had a good week up to this point,”
Miles said. “I like the speed with which our football team is operating
right now. I like our preparation. The hard work is done. We’re looking
forward to playing.”
Miles said that he expects both
safety Eric Reid and running back Alfred Blue to be ready for action on
Saturday. Reid and Blue both sat out the Arkansas game with leg
injuries. Reid ranks third on the team with 58 tackles, while Blue is
third in rushing with 445 yards and six touchdowns.
Miles
said that despite being the 13th game of the season, the Tigers appear
to be in good shape health-wise and go into the Georgia game with a
great deal or energy.
“I think there’s a little extra
energy in their step,” Miles said of his team. “At the end of every
season, there are guys that have bumps and bruises, but you have to
play through. I think this team has a really special energy about them.”
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