MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / September 17, 2000

LAPLACE – School may have just gotten underway but both LSU and Tulane will receive progress reports today.

The Tigers travel to Auburn to face the Tigers (or Plainsmen or War Eagles) in their Southeastern Conference opener. Auburn is ranked 25thafter a victory over Ole Miss in the Tommy Tuberville Bowl last week. LSUis coming off victories over Western Carolina and Houston at home.

Tailback Rudi Johnson and quarterback Ben Leard will give LSU a real test.

Tulane will also face a test in Greenville, N.C., going up against EastCarolina in the Conference USA opener. The Pirates are coming off a 45-28loss to Virginia Tech last Thursday, a game that would have been a lot closer if not for two blocked punts and a punt return by the Hokies. Tulaneis coming off a bye week after losing to Ole Miss in the season opener.

East Carolina is a perennial bowl contender and one of the favorites in the conference race.

Both LSU and Tulane were trounced last year by this week’s opponents. LSUlost at home to Auburn, 41-7. Tulane was defeated at East Carolina, 52-7.In games in the Top 25, No. 3 Michigan travels to No. 14 UCLA in a matchupof backup quarterbacks, John Navarre for the Wolverines and Ryan McCann for the Bruins.

Speaking of backup quarterbacks, Notre Dame’s Gary Godsey steps into the second most pressured-fill job in college football (after being the Notre Dame coach) in filling in for the injured Arnaz Battle at quarterback. TheIrish, coming off hard-fought loss to Nebraska, will be looking to contain No. 13 Purdue’s anything-but-a-backup quarterback, Drew Brees. In what is becoming one of the top rivalries in all of college sports, No. 6Florida heads to Knoxville to play No. 11 Tennessee. With Georgiastruggling early, this game should again decide the SEC East title.

In two revenge games, No. 4 Wisconsin hosts Cincinnati and Stanford playshost to No. 5 Texas. Wisconsin should get payback for what may have beenthe biggest upset of 1999. Texas probably will not defeat Stanford 69-17again but look for the Longhorns to again come out on top.

Last week, it was Tommy Tuberville returning to Ole Miss. This week findsRick Neuheisel returning to Colorado with his No. 9 Washington Huskies.Tuberville was successful in his return. Neuheisel should be too.No. 15 Alabama, coming off a loss to UCLA and a less than impressiveeffort against Vanderbilt, now has the task of hosting No. 25 SouthernMiss. The Eagles have had a history of defeating ranked teams, especiallyranked SEC teams (although they failed to do it against Tennessee in the season opener.)In a game that is not getting much publicity, No. 20 TCU hostsNorthwestern. TCU could be one of the nation’s surprises this season butfirst it must get by a scrappy Northwestern squad.

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