Cochon de lait

My bad. You probably thought you were going to get a picture of the special edition Nike Combat uniform that LSU will sport for the game against Arkansas.

In recognition of LSU fans' affinity for consuming the flesh of its opponents' mascots, Nike has given Oregon a sabbatical from it's role as experimental palate and has developed a new uniform for the Saturday afternoon game against the Hogs - amusingly named "Cochon de lait". Translated, it literally means "suckling pig" or "pig in milk." Much as in North Carolina and Alabama, however, where "barbecue" can be a verb or noun, "cochon de lait" is often used to describe the entire suckling pig-cooking and -eating process.

Regardless of how you feel about the uniform, if you're a Tiger fan, you have to appreciate the diversion from a couple of concerning similarities to the end of the 2008 season. All conspiracy theories regarding Coach Miles' instructions to or not to "clock" the ball with 0:01 left in regulation aside, watching the offense's heroic comeback effort last week fail only because of the team's incredulity at having actually converted on 4th-and-26 is enough to shake any fan's confidence. And that's just the aside on another troubling trend: LSU is 0-2 the last two seasons while heavily favored against Arkansas. They only have Houston Nutt, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to blame for one of those losses. This time, the best passing quarterback in the SEC has a real chance to make it three-straight (only this time, the line isn't so large).

Earlier this season, I thought it was a matter of time before LSU's running game dominated a game. Surely, then, they would start looking like themselves (ball control, pressure from the defensive line, the occasional razzle dazzle). Now, after Charles Scott and Keiland Williams have played their last downs as Tigers, even I am convinced that Jordan Jefferson is going to have to win the next two games. In a shootout with Arkansas, I don't know if I like those odds.

See you in Atlanta???