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Well, welcome to the month of November, the big, big weekend here in November.

And welcome to Game Notes here on LP.

I'm Victor Howell.

It's great to have you with us as we are kicking off week ten.

And be honest, you are looking forward to college football season, but this is the time of year you're really looking forward to it, because we are in the home stretch for the college football season, and we have a ton to talk about coming up in the next 30 minutes.

The raging Cajuns from Louisiana back off a bye week looking to get back in the win column.

Can the Southern Jaguars keep their momentum from the big win out in Tallahassee one week ago, and Louisiana Tech inching that much closer to trying to close in on a divisional title in the Sun Belt?

We'll talk about it all, but let's focus on the monster game kicking off in Baton Rouge in just a couple of hours.

When the calendar flipped to November, we officially entered the stretch run portion of the college football season, and for LSU, that means starting the month with a showdown against Alabama.

This year, with both teams sitting on two losses, the loser of the game could very well say goodbye to a College Football Playoff invite.

This game is that important for both of these teams.

Coming off the by week, Tiger head coach Lane Kiffin has no problem with the importance and pressure surrounding this game, and with it being an early kick.

He's also offered some suggestions for Tiger fans.

I think November meaningful games, that's I don't mean arrogantly.

That's what we've been used to for a lot of years now.

Really, really every year.

So, I'm glad that, you know, that's where we are right now.

We should be even in better position.

And you guys know the game that haunts that of the position we're in.

So it is what it is.

And less margin for error than we would have.

So we've got to be on everything and got to make sure that we perform really well against a really good team that's coached really well, that has really good players and you see them and they look like old Alabama teams from as far as their size and length and explosiveness to the skilled positions on offense in the quarterback.

So, we're going to have to play play really well because I do think this is the most talented.

When you take the 22, you know, not the quarterback, just the quarterback.

This is the most talented team that that we've played so far.

You know I know there was stuff made of the game time you know last week from fans and stuff.

But hey LSU has been great at this kickoff time 16 and one last 17 games.

So you know Tennessee supposedly set the noise record against Alabama, which you could see in that game and affecting Alabama's offense.

And that was 230 central kick.

So let's break the record.

So you know we want our players to play well.

We want our coaches to play well.

How about whatever that is.

So if you're used to 634 hours earlier start your day or have breakfast earlier, start drinking earlier.

Whatever it is, just move it up, go to bed early or Friday night.

Message for our fans.

Game staff is way ahead of your coach, Mary and Sally.

We started hours ago.

This will be the sixth ranked opponent for LSU this season and there are two more on deck.

It's always physical, always loud, and you shouldn't expect anything less this afternoon when they kick it off just after 230, Bam is also coming to Baton Rouge off a bye week, having lost to Tennessee last time out.

Here's the Crimson Tide's head coach heading into this afternoon's grudge match in Baton Rouge.

Got a very good LSU team as you know, and Coach Kiffin has done a great job bringing a lot of new faces together in a short amount of time.

You can see them continue to improve.

Top ten offense, top ten defense.

Very explosive in all ways.

And so obviously going on the road, that'll be a challenge as well.

Guys have been really intentional.

They need to get away.

And Saturday was kind of that day where they didn't have really anything on their plate.

But, you know, these guys came back ready and you can tell that their bodies are refreshed and they were excited, had good energy.

Now, when you look at these teams, statistically not a lot of crooked numbers for the purple and gold.

The Tigers remain the only FBS team to rank in the top ten in both total offense and total defense, and they're number one in the SEC in both categories as well.

We're just inside a four hours till kick off in a sold out Tiger Stadium, and it should live up to all of the hype now.

Also, when the calendar flips to November, we get our first look at the College Football Playoff rankings.

So a whole new round of debates can begin.

We'll show you the rankings in just a moment, but only this week before the list was released.

Knowing the Tigers already have two losses, Kiffin was asked if he focuses on or talks about any of the playoff scenarios with his team.

Yeah, we don't even talk about that.

So it has nothing to do with this game.

This is just one game that we've got to be ready to play, to get to want to know and not worry about who we're playing next or where we are and playoff rankings or anything that guys don't watch that and don't watch it when it comes out, because it's going to move so much between now and the end of the year, and you control a lot of it and so play really well.

And when you want anything to worry about.

So here is version one starting to change a lot over the next few weeks.

The top four seeds would get a buy.

Right now that's Miami, Georgia, Utah and Indiana.

Look at the laundry list of SEC teams.

Bama comes in at five and a lot of people have an issue with that since they have two losses that got blown out by Tennessee.

The volunteers.

Yeah.

They'd like to talk to someone online to please their.

13th on the outside looking in.

So is LSU currently sitting at 14 but by no means or they out of consideration or the conversation.

But it could get interesting if they get a third loss.

Is it either playoffs or else?

A busted year for LSU?

That's one of the questions I asked Mike Scarborough from Tiger Bait.

Com when he stopped by for a visit.

We're almost one calendar year in for the Lane Kiffin project at LSU.

Your thoughts and evaluation of where the program is now.

And I say that by thinking, I don't think Tiger fans expected two losses by the middle of October, but they're still very much in it.

What are you seeing is gone?

I think it's personally I think it's where it was supposed to be.

I know I thought a lot of fans were being unrealistic, but expecting to go ten and two in a definite playoffs or bus.

And of course, everybody's looking at the reported $50 million price tag for that roster and thinking that anything less than playoffs is unacceptable.

But look at what's going on in the SEC right now.

How would you like to be in Austin in Steve Sarkisian and then look at the rest of his schedule and they've already got two losses.

So and his programs fully funded.

And what year is he in Austin.

Right.

So I don't think there's some fans that want to hear that, but the SEC is beating up on them.

A lot of people are, you know, pointing the finger at Lane Kiffin right now and saying, boy, you sure are making a lot of excuses.

Well, the fact is he's had an unbelievable run of injuries that we've seen.

So there's still in it.

But I think you're also seeing why everybody wants to go to the 2014 playoff.

Particularly coaches and and athletic administrators.

Because if you're going to play a nine game SEC slate, I mean, really let's see at the end of the year how many what the SEC looks like from top to bottom.

Initially we're thinking there's a lot of ten and two teams and we're adjusting saying there's going to be a slew of nine and three teams.

I think it's going to be more eight and four teams when it's all said and done, and some, probably some eight and four teams that are pretty darn good.

We're looking ahead a little bit, fellas.

You fall short of a 12 team playoff.

Massive disappointment or first.

Oh yeah yeah massive.

Yeah because I think I warned about it all all season.

But if you looked at the schedule everybody just went right past October.

Everybody thought October was going to be where all the winds were at.

And you get catch a breath and then November would get brutal.

Well, all of a sudden October became tough with the way Kentucky's playing, and you got to have it and dodged a bullet with Mississippi State missing their two best players.

But then November is going to be brutal.

Well, here's the schedule.

And again, like Mike said and Coach Kiffin emphasized, you have your hands on the wheel in the next three weeks.

You play Bama, Texas and Tennessee, all of them ahead of you in the rankings.

So win.

It'll all take care of itself.

And the Tigers will try to do just that in a few hours.

Against Alabama on ABC, the Lions from southeastern are back home in Hammond for an evening matchup with Incarnate Word, who has been hot as of late in South in conference play.

The Lions not so much.

They have an incredible weapon in Dickey Joseph, but the offense as a whole has been in neutral.

They'll try to turn it around against you.

I w tonight a team they've beaten in him in just one time since 2017.

Kick off a six pack tonight and you can see it on ESPN plus.

Well two weeks ago the Southern Jaguars traveled west and lost a heartbreaker on the last play of the game.

Last week, they traveled east to Tallahassee and blew the doors off of Florida A&M.

Today, the Jags are happy to be back home on the bluff set to host Bethune-Cookman, one of the top teams in the Eastern Division this week, head coach Marshall Faulk talked about the toughness identity his team is starting to develop thanks to some ground and pound football.

A lot of hard nosed football.

And, you know, I it's crazy that I'm going to say this it you know, when you lose a game like we did that to you and then you win that Tsu game with a stinger.

But we learned so much, it felt like a win what we got from it.

And you guys got a chance to see the kids.

Us travel to fam and play the type of game that we played.

It just it's it's tough.

We've we've been here offensively.

I just think that right now the identity of how we want to run the football.

It's it's like the kids believe in it.

And it doesn't matter if we come out and it doesn't work for a drive or two.

We're not we're not getting away from it.

And that's that's the part of the game that we're going to continue to hang out hat on after every win.

You know, you're riding high and after every loss you're kind of low.

And when I try to, when I try to make sure that they do is don't get too high and don't get too low because you're only as good as your next game.

And that's it.

And we got a game coming up on Saturday.

As good as this game felt Saturday to win.

We have a game coming up on Saturday and we have to show people again who we are, how we play, what our identity is, and go out there and, and impose our will and try to win the football game.

That's that's what you have to do.

One of the standout players making his mark on the field is running back Trey Holly.

Holly leads the Jaguars in rushing this season, and of the team's 12 rushing touchdowns on the year, he's responsible for six of them by himself.

He's become quite the offensive weapon.

Cameras even caught Falk last week on the sideline, saying we got to keep him fresh.

So how does the Hall of Fame running back head coach evaluate the performance of a young man playing that same position?

He's just been diligent in making sure with the offensive line that he's getting the right looks, getting the right reads, maximizing his opportunities on every carry that he gets.

And what I love about him now, and I'm always talk about this because even I had to go through this learning the better in shape you are late in games, you realize how out of shape the opponent is and and you're watching late in games.

That third quarter, fourth quarter, he's ripping long runs and and that's that's because he's in the best shape of his life.

And that's that's what you want to be.

You have to be willing to take whatever they're going to give you in the first and second quarter, because they're going to tackle hard.

They're going to play hard.

When we get to the third and fourth, you got to buckle up, and that's where you make your money in this business as a running back.

All the all the fancy stuff you're dressing and all of that, you do that in the beginning of the game.

At the end of games, you close it out with hard nosed, tough football.

And and Trey has been he's he's responded and, you know, and he's taking care of his body and doing the things that's necessary so he can continue to be effective.

Well, Holly and company will shoot for two wins in a row when they host Bethune-Cookman on the bluff in a series that has been dominated by southern until last year.

It's an afternoon kick inside of Mumford Stadium.

2:00 is when they'll t it up.

If you can't be there, you can see it all on Swac TV.

Well, last weekend for Halloween, the Bulldogs from Louisiana Tech gave themselves the treat of becoming bowl eligible with the win at South Alabama.

That win also kept them undefeated in conference play and in first place in the Western Division of the Sun Belt.

Now, with Thanksgiving approaching, the dogs would be thankful for another win to get one step closer to clinching that division and locking up a championship game appearance after a perfect October.

They'll try to start November the same way this afternoon in Troy, Alabama against the Trojans.

Here's head coach Sonny Cumbie on keeping the same focus with four games remaining.

You know, I just our football team as we started the month of October, you know, we talked about it being an October of opportunity because we had five games in the month, which is nearly half your season of the 12 games that you're given.

And and was really proud of how our players attacked it and approached it, you know, one week at a time and to get through the month of October at five zero was, was was a, you know, testament to their willingness to, to believe and to buy in, believe in one another, believe in the path that we had set forward, the process.

Yeah, I think we've always had the belief that would be undefeated in the conference.

You know, that's our whole goal to coming here and having a two game lead necessarily.

I mean, we obviously don't know how that would have happened, but, you know, just keeping your head down and, grinding in the moment day to day.

You know, just a, just a little just keep our head level, you know, just know everybody from this point on going to give us our best shot with us being the top of the conference.

So just, you know, come out every day, every day for practice, keep putting in the same work and keep building from there.

You know, the attitude that we have towards one another.

I think is really one of the things that's underrated about our football team is, is typically they have a great attitude towards one another in this team room, you know, in the locker room, in the hallways, in the meeting rooms and on the field.

And I think that's been something that's been very beneficial for this football team to allow us to get off to the start that we have.

And so, you know, when you go through that and you look at it, you know, I think that this one week season is going to be a huge challenge.

You know, I think this is going to be the biggest challenge that we faced up to this point in our conference.

Who are the 60 people that are in this room Monday through Friday by their demonstrated performance, are going to give us the best opportunity to stand back to back and to go into someone else's stadium and to play like you've practiced Monday through Friday with winning football.

And so I think that's a part of it too, is you get guys that you're just together, you know, you you get to have a great bus trip there.

You have an opportunity to have a great bus trip home, you know, either way.

And so I think that that's the mindset that our guys have is, is the same winning football formula that we've had at home is going to be the same thing that you have to take on the road.

Okay.

So here are the four remaining opponents.

Three of them are in the west.

Get past Troy today, the reigning Western Division champs, by the way, and you'll have Southern Miss and Arkansas State coming to face you in Ruston with a chance to clinch at home.

The dogs will end the regular season at Georgia Southern, who currently sits atop the east.

But first things first it's a 3:00 kick this afternoon against the Trojans, and you can see it from start to finish on ESPN plus.

Well, if it feels like a month since the Grambling Tigers won a football game, well, your feelings are correct.

October 10th seems like a lifetime ago when the Tigers beat up on Jackson State.

But since then, a blowout loss in Alabama, a bye week and an overtime disappointment in Texas have been the headlines.

Last week against Texas State, the Tigers had a hard time getting things going, then finally started to hit on all cylinders, but in overtime, couldn't find any offense and wound up losing this afternoon for the first time since that Jay State win, the G-Men are back home ready to host Arkansas Pine Bluff, and Mickey Joseph is hoping being in the friendly surroundings can bring back the positive mojo his team lacks.

Went away from home.

Well, another another tough loss.

Another tough loss.

Overtime loss.

And to figure out, you know what's what's the we why we have such the woes on the on the road.

You know, why is it such a hard thing to leave Grambling and and play lights out football.

And I guess it's for me to figure out and I will figure it out.

Just hope we don't run out of time.

Well, we got to figure out.

We got to figure out how to go one and oh, this weekend and last weekend, you know coming off a bye week.

It's it's it's disappointing I mean it's just I mean it starts with me.

Y'all know me I'm not going to get up in and throw excuses I know some people say oh you just say that.

No, I'm just thinking I take it as it comes, you know, I understand that.

But it's still it's still wide open on defense.

They're really feisty.

They're going to they're going to send some some blitzes to you.

It's the most haven't seen a corner blitz.

They use a lot.

They send pressure on you and they take chances.

And it's a different player every week.

They play everybody differently.

So we got to go back and look at last year's games and hopefully he'll give us some of the stuff he gazed last year.

But he'll have a different plan for us.

Well, I'm not sure I'd go with Wide Open or all out in front of us, like coach said, maybe more like.

So you're saying there's a chance the Tigers need a lot of help, but nothing matters if they don't take care of their own business.

Southern will close out the year in the Bayou Classic, as always, but it's time to get back in the win column at home.

Kick off as 2:00 this afternoon.

You can see it all on Swac TV.

Speaking of being back home, that's where we find the kernels from Nichols down in Thibodaux last week.

They came up short in the Lake Charles monsoons, fumbling the ball seven times in a loss to the Cowboys this afternoon.

They're celebrating homecoming down off the bayou when they welcome East Texas A&M.

The Landry Stadium home field had been the safe place for Tommy right back, but the kernels have dropped the last two home games as well.

So this is a big turnaround opportunity.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 and you can see it all on ESPN plus.

Well, it was a bit of a tough week for the demons from Northwestern State this week.

Not because they're coming off another loss.

Unfortunately that's been the story all season long.

No it was about not looking good at all one week ago.

Head coach Blaine McCorkle is one of the most positive people in the coaching business and certainly doesn't know anything about giving up or quitting.

But he does have a low tolerance for not showing signs of improvement.

And that was the case one week ago.

Yeah, they they got after us.

They're a good football team.

They beat us up every which way but loose.

And it was disappointing because I do feel like, you know, even though I haven't won games and again, that's always the standard.

That's the only acceptable outcome.

I do feel like for about eight weeks we got better every week.

We just did.

We showed constant improvement and the guys were showing up.

But this is the first week that I felt like we weren't able to generate enough energy to improve on the field, and that that was the most disappointing thing about it.

But the end of day, we just straight up got whipped and there's no excuse for that.

And we've got to play better.

You know, I've said it on here before.

The wise coach told me, once you lose or you learn, you know, and last week was a great learning opportunity for us.

And, hopefully, you know, we won't let that go to waste.

You know, you don't want to waste an opportunity to get better.

And, they're kind of a first class program.

And I got a lot of respect for Coach Bush and the team that he's put together.

I think they're really well coached.

They're really sound.

They know what they're doing.

They've got a good plan and they've got good players.

You know, they're sitting at four and five right now.

You know, I think that's probably a little disappointing to them.

Yeah, it really is a redo or repeat whatever if you will, of Nicholls back to back home games.

And and we talked about that a lot as a team and what that means and then having an opportunity to see what lessons we learned from that.

And you're right, it's 100% about us.

And you know right now it's no secret everybody's going through this right now.

But we've got a lot of injuries right now.

So we're going to have a lot of new people playing new positions and new spots.

You know, specifically in the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

So it's a great opportunity for some guys who maybe haven't got a lot of snaps to get some snaps because of some attrition.

So with that, you better make it about yourself and just getting yourself better and getting yourself ready and not get wrapped up in, you know, who you're playing, or what's next, or how many weeks are left.

Just just be the best version of you you can be one day at a time.

And I think that that'll that'll pay off well for us.

Well, if you're planning on heading to the game, you better get on your giddyup.

We're less than an hour away from kickoff at Turpin Stadium.

And the first ever meeting between NSU and Utrgv.

The demons defense will be tested when the game gets underway at the top of the hour, 11:00.

And you can see it all on ESPN plus.

Until two weeks ago with the win over Troy Ulm.

Last win was last year at home against Arkansas State.

That's where the Wall Hawks will travel this afternoon to try and make it two in a row against the Red Wolves.

Won't be easy.

They haven't won on the road in this series since 2001.

A real home field advantage for the Wolves.

They'll kick it off at 2:00 this afternoon, and you can check out all the action on ESPN plus.

Well, the Tulane Green Wave are ready for homecoming today and ready for an early kick that is less than an hour away from right now inside a stadium.

Coming off of that dramatic comeback win over Charlotte on the road last Friday night.

It's an early start against the Golden Hurricane from Tulsa to see if the wave can get back to their winning ways at home.

Credit to our young man for battling back and and making some plays.

Thought our young quarterback really grew up in that game.

Made a lot of place on our old line.

Played one of their best games of the year, and I thought our defense made plays when we had to late, you know, to give us the victory.

We made some explosive plays in the kicking game.

We also had a blunder where we had a turnover, which is disappointing.

But like I said, to win a road game with this young team in this league after losing the turnover battle 0 to 2.

I haven't researched it, but I bet that hadn't happened much this year, where I rode team one with a minus two turnover ratio.

So huge, huge comeback win.

Got two weeks to get ready for second week in a row.

We've played a team with two weeks to get ready for us, which is a tremendous challenge.

And man, we're at home and we've got to play well.

And that's the challenge to our football team is to have the discipline and the toughness to take a victory and do the things that it takes to do it again.

Most games in this league are really close, you know?

So, if this is not a close game, I think everybody will probably be shocked.

They're a really good football team.

We are two, and we're both soldered and blowed, if you will.

I mean, we've we've played hard schedules.

We've been in those environments.

And it's a huge game for both teams going down the stretch right here.

And we certainly recognize and understand that.

And we'll have to play really well in all three phases.

It'd be great to get a lead early.

It would.

But but either way, we're going to have to play 60 minutes in this one.

If you want to find a standout Green Wave player this season, Johnny Daniels sure has been something special for the wave.

Seems whenever the team needs a big play, you remember like that fourth down conversion against Memphis late in the game that wound up going for a touchdown.

It's Daniels who is stepping up to make the play.

He leads the team in rushing yards as well as touchdowns.

But his success doesn't surprise his head coach one bit.

He sort of knew this was coming.

He had just a tough guy, man.

You know, Crystal Springs, Mississippi, overlooked out of high school.

Goes to junior college, leads the nation in rushing, goes to Mississippi State, has a really good year.

And then I chose to come back and play for us.

Coach Hayes did a phenomenal job recruiting.

He's not afraid of competition.

He knew Jamari was coming back.

He new Mo Turner was coming back.

And man, he just brings a toughness level to our football team.

He also is a helps us out in the kicking game and really hard to tackle in a one on one situation.

And, just a true Tulane guy, man.

He really is.

The wave have dominated this series as of late, winning 3 or 4, making 4 or 5.

And you'll make it a homecoming to remember again.

They kick it off at 11:00, top of the hour, and you can see it all on a nationwide broadcast on ESPN.

You.

Well, the Raging Cajuns limped into their bye week coming off of a tough loss at Southern Miss, but they're back in action this afternoon at home against South Alabama in what is essentially an elimination game for the loser of this one.

When it comes to conference honors, at least head coach Michael Decimal talked this week about his team's focus and what they need to bring back for success down the stretch.

All right.

You know, coming off a productive bye week, you know, get get to go back to the basics and refocus on the things that have, you know, refocus on the things that have allowed you to have success, you know, and try to do it a little bit more consistently.

And that's the big thing I think, with this team is, you know, we've done it really well most of the year and have gotten really good results coming out of a by late.

Like this.

You need the week one excitement, right?

You know when you get to week one man that Lamar game, you sit in the team room and I mean everybody is on the edge of their seat because they're so excited about finally getting the seat.

You need that excitement back.

But you got to have week nine execution and confidence and experience and all the things that you've done that you've gained confidence throughout the year doing so that's what you hope you get out of the by week.

And, you know, no one else determines how the season ends except for us.

And that's the thing.

You know, I go back to it, you know, everybody, you know, people want to tell you kind of what this team is, right?

When you're in the middle of it.

Well, eight games in I mean, that's two thirds of the way done.

Like we have a lot of good stuff in front of us.

And it's going to be about the finish.

It's going to dictate how good this season is.

And these guys have worked extremely hard to put themselves in this position.

They want to go get win number six really bad.

That's a huge milestone.

Well, both of these teams are looking up at Louisiana Tech in the standings.

And both already have a loss for the Bulldogs.

So it is a must win for both of these teams.

Plus they'll need some help if they want to contend for the title.

Kick off a set for 4:00 this afternoon at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium, and you can see it all on ESPN plus.

And after beating Mother Nature in the Nicholls Colonels one week ago, the McNeese Cowboys are back on the road, making the short drive to Houston to face Houston Christian.

Kick off for this one is also 4:00 this afternoon, and again, you can watch it all on ESPN plus.

And with that, we are set for week ten action with games starting at the top of the hour.

Enjoy this full day of football everybody, and we'll see you back here.

Money to recap it all on Postgame Notes.

Until then I'm Victor Howell.

Thanks for joining us for Game Notes right here on LPB.

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