Oregon vs. LSU: 7 Things You Must Know for the Big Game

The kickoff to the 2011 college football season is less than a week away and the anticipation is building for the game between the Oregon Ducks and the LSU Tigers.  The matchup features two top five teams and has been billed as the marquee game of college football's first Saturday.

There has been a lot of talk by fans from both teams leading up to the game, but soon the teams will settle it once and for all on the field.  If there wasn't enough at stake already, the winner of this game sets itself up nicely for a run at the national championship while the other will have to regroup for conference play.

Here are seven things every football fan must know about the game before Oregon and LSU take the field Sept. 3.

7. The Suspensions

Since last season's BCS National Championship there have been several teams that have had tumultuous offseasons.  It is safe to put both Oregon and LSU in that category.

This offseason the Ducks have been in the news for all of the wrong reasons, whether it be the NCAA investigation into their recruiting practices or Cliff Harris' need for speed.  Fortunately for Oregon fans the NCAA has yet to punish Oregon for anything related to the investigation, but Harris is not as lucky.

Harris was recently caught driving over 100 mph with a suspended license.  Head coach Chip Kelly has since suspended him, making him ineligible for the LSU game.

On the other side of the field, it was not until recently that a few LSU Tigers got in trouble.  Starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson and backup linebacker Josh Johns have been suspended indefinitely for their involvement in a bar fight last week.

To make matters worse for the Bayou Bengals, their most dangerous receiver Russell Shepard will have to sit out the game as well for his tampering with an NCAA investigation.

Both teams will definitely miss these talented players come Saturday, and it will be up to their backups to make up for their absence.

6. True Freshmen

Usually when two top five teams face off on college football's opening weekend true freshmen don't see the field enough to make an impact.  This should not be the case when Oregon and LSU take the field Saturday.

Both Oregon and LSU had recruiting classes that ranked in the top 10 nationally and some of the new talent is too good to keep off the field.

For the Ducks, expect De'Anthony Thomas and Colt Lyerla to get meaningful playing time on Saturday.  Thomas will be used as a speed back to take some pressure of LaMichael James while Lyerla will be tight end David Paulson's primary back up.

On the other hand, LSU's freshmen will likely make their biggest impact on the defensive side of the ball.  Freshman Anthony Johnson was born to play defensive tackle and should be a dominant force for the Tigers for years to come.  Alongside him could be Mickey Johnson, who has impressed coaches with his high motor and his ability to plug up running lanes.

These freshmen may not become stars overnight but they will have an impact on who wins this Saturday's game.

5. The Atmosphere

The Ducks and the Tigers have the privilege of participating in the 2011 Cowboy Classic in Dallas.  The two teams will get to play in one of the biggest and newest stadiums in the country in front of thousands of screaming fans.

Because the game is being played at a neutral site neither team should have a home-field advantage, right? Wrong.

Although Oregon will be wearing their home jerseys, LSU will have the crowd on their side.  Baton Rouge, La. is just a few hours’ drive away from Dallas while Eugene, Ore. is a long plane ride away.  To tip the scales in their favor even more, the Tigers were allotted almost twice as many tickets as the Ducks were.

Oregon has not had very good luck in recent years when playing outside of the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium and it will be up to the 2011 team to break the curse.

4. Defense

When Oregon and Auburn faced off in the national championship last season most fans anticipated a high-scoring game that would come down to the last possession.  While the game did come down to the last possession it was far from high scoring.

Despite the fact that the Ducks return most of their playmakers on offense I expect Saturday’s game to be a relatively low-scoring one.

LSU has a very strong defense and the Ducks D is vastly underrated.  Both teams’ defensive coordinators will want to prove their unit is the one to beat, which should mean plenty of aggressive play calls and lots of blitzing.

3. The Quarterbacks

A week ago this matchup looked very different.  When the Ducks and Tigers take the field this Saturday Jarrett Lee will be taking the snaps in place of Jordan Jefferson while Darron Thomas will start his second season for Oregon.

Thomas had a very good 2010 in his first year as a starter, and he hopes to build on that success in 2011. As he enters his second year as a starter, he has become more of a vocal leader for the Ducks, which head coach Chip Kelly loves.

DT has been working extremely hard all offseason, and his teammates have followed his lead.  Oregon is hoping that he can take the next step and become an even better quarterback for the Ducks in 2011.

On the other side of the field, Lee will be throwing the ball for the Tigers, and although he does have some experience he is definitely not LSU's best quarterback.  Head coach Les Miles will likely have Lee play a more conservative game because he lacks the big-play ability of Jefferson.

It will be up to the Ducks to take advantage of the less mobile Lee and force crucial turnovers.

2. Turnover Margin

Plain and simple, whichever team wins the turnover battle will win the game. 

Last season Oregon was one of the best teams in the country when it came to turnover margin.  For the Ducks to make it back to the national championship game they will need to be just as careful with the ball in 2011.

Since Les Miles arrived on campus, the Tigers have had one of the best defenses not only in the SEC but the entire country.  Although LSU did graduate several outstanding players from last year’s defense, the Tigers are not lacking in talent on that side of the ball.

Whichever quarterback can take better care of the ball will likely be the one to lead his team to victory.

1. The Coaches

Les Miles and Chip Kelly are two of the premier coaches in college football today and their programs reflect that.  Both have coached in big games and know how to prepare their teams for the intensity of a game like this.

With so much time to prepare for this game I think it is safe to say that neither coach has a distinct advantage.  Kelly is looking to get over the hump and win the big game away from home while Miles is trying to get his team back to the top of the SEC.

There are sure to be some questionable calls from both coaches on Saturday but one thing is certain: These guys sure know how to entertain the fans.

Conclusion

Regardless of whom you'll be cheering for, Saturday's game between the Oregon Ducks and LSU Tigers should be a great way to kickoff the 2011 college football season.

It is not often that two top five teams meet in the opening weekend and there is no reason the game won't live up to the hype.  Both teams are talented on both sides of the ball with some of the best athletes in college football. 

The game is not going to be a blowout and will likely come down to a few plays here and there that determine the final outcome.  I expect the team that plays the most complete and mistake-free game to win this matchup that has national title implications.