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For the first time since 1995, LSU will play its first two games of the year away from Tiger Stadium as the Tigers travel to face Vanderbilt in Nashville on Saturday night. The last time LSU played its first two games away from home, Gerry DiNardo was in his first year with the Tigers in 1995. LSU lost at Texas A&M, 33-17, in the season-opener in 1995, but followed that with a 34-16 win over Mississippi State in Starkville. LSU also played its first two games in the Curley Hallman era on the road in 1991 – losing at Georgia and at Texas A&M. Prior to that , you have to go all the way back to 1958 to find another time that LSU played its first two games of the season away from Tiger Stadium. LSU beat Rice and Alabama on the road to start its run to the national title in 1958.

  VS 

Date/Time: Saturday, September 4 at 7 p.m. CDT
Location: Atlanta, Ga. – Georgia Dome (71,500)
Television: ABC – cable ch. 5 or HD ch. 705 in Baton Rouge
Internet: ESPN3.com
Radio: LSU Sports Radio Network – 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge, Sirius ch. 216, XM ch. 197

The Series: LSU leads 5-1

LSU and North Carolina meet for the first time in football since 1986 when the teams square off on Saturday in Atlanta … LSU is 5-1 all-time against the Tar Heels. LSU won the last meeting between the teams, 30-3, in Tiger Stadium on Oct. 25, 1986 … LSU and North Carolina opened the 1985 season against each other in Chapel Hill with the Tigers posting a 23-13 win … North Carolina’s only win in the series came in the first meeting between the teams, 34-7, in Chapel Hill in 1948.

For the first time in modern day school history, LSU will open a football season at a neutral site as the Tigers travel to Atlanta to face North Carolina at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game will be played in the Georgia Dome and televised to a national audience on ABC. The LSU-North Carolina contest marks the first time LSU will face a ranked opponent to open a season since 2005 when the Tigers beat #15 Arizona State, 35-31, in Tempe. It’s also the first time that the Tigers will open a season against a team ranked higher in the polls since 1995 when unranked LSU dropped a 33-17 decision to No. 3 Texas A&M in College Station in the first game of the Gerry DiNardo era at the school.

The Les Miles Show presented by Capital One Bank, a one-hour radio call-in show with the football head coach, is aired live from TJ Ribs on Acadian Thruway from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesday evenings.

Listen to all shows live on one of the LSU Sports Radio Network (affiliates), or around the world in the Geaux Zone on LSUsports.net.

Can’t listen live? Listen to the free archive on-demand in the Geaux Zone after the show.

Fans are encouraged to call-in and be a part of the show. In the Baton Rouge area, call (225) 578-4827 or toll free nationwide at (800) 315-8255.

Show #1: Aug. 25, 2010
Show #2: Sept. 1, 2010
Show #3: Sept. 8, 2010
Show #4: Sept. 15, 2010
Show #5: Sept. 22, 2010
Show #6: Sept. 20, 2010
Show #7: Oct. 6, 2010
Show #8: Oct. 13, 2010
Show #9: Oct. 20, 2010
Show #10: Oct. 27, 2010
Show #11: Nov. 3, 2010
Show #12: Nov. 10, 2010
Show #13: Nov. 17, 2010
Show #14: Nov. 24, 2010
Bowl Edition: TBD

via LSUSports.net

With Football Fan Day just a few weeks away and the season beginning shortly thereafter, LSU Football wants to see how excited you are for the 2010-11 season. The Athletic Department will be rewarding fans who show their Tiger spirit in the Countdown to Kickoff Photo Contest.

Fans will be asked to submit photos to lsu@crowdcameo.com in three different categories over a three week period. If your photo is the top vote-getter for a particular week, you will be awarded an LSU Athletics prize pack featuring a private tour of LSU’s athletic facilities.

Week 1 – July 19th through July 26th

LSU Room – Fans will be asked to submit their best picture of a room in their home that shows off their LSU spirit.

Prize – LSU Prize pack featuring a tour for four (4) of LSU’s athletic facilities and the privilege of skipping the line at LSU Football Fan Day

Week 2 – July 26th through August 2nd

LSU Pet – Fans will be asked to submit their best picture of them with their pet or pets dressed in LSU attire and showing off their LSU spirit.

Prize – LSU Prize pack featuring a tour for four (4) of LSU’s athletic facilities and the privilege of skipping the line at LSU Football Fan Day

Week 3 – August 2nd through August 9th

LSU Kid – Fans will be asked to submit their best picture of their children or grandchildren showing off their LSU spirit.

Prize – LSU Prize pack featuring a tour for four (4) of LSU’s athletic facilities and two complimentary memberships to Mike’s Kids Club

Crowd Cameo is an interactive fan experience platform that allows fans to send in their favorite photos to be displayed on the video boards. Be on the lookout this fall as Crowd Cameo will be used in Tiger Stadium and give fans chances to win more great prizes.

Contest submission and voting will begin at 9 a.m. of the first day of each respective week and end at 9 a.m. of the last day. Photos can be submitted to lsu@crowdcameo.com by either a computer or mobile phone. To vote on pictures, visit http://lsu.crowdcameo.com. Any questions can be directed to promotions@lsu.edu.

The price for games against non-BCS conference opponents will decrease from $45 to $40, and Alleva announced the policy of a SEC “Premium Game” during the regular season. In 2010, that game will be LSU’s home game against Alabama on Nov. 6, and the price for season ticket holders will be $70.

Date: Friday, January 1, 2010
Time: 12:00pm CST
Place: Florida Citrus Bowl - 70,000 (Orlando, FL)

THE COACHES

Les Miles is in his fifth season at LSU with a record of 52-14 (.788) and ninth overall with a record of 79-35 (.693). The Tigers’ offensive coordinator is Gary Crowton and the defensive coordinator is John Chavis.

Joe Paterno is in his 44th season at Penn State and overall with a record of 393- 129-3 (.751). The Nittany Lions’ offensive coordinator is Galen Hall and the defensive coordinator is Tom Bradley.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN LSU HAS THE BALL

Ciron Black has started 52 straight games at left tackle, which has tied the school record of consecutive starts set by Andrew Whitworth. With one more start in the Capital One Bowl, Black will become the school’s record holder in that category. Brandon LaFell has caught 52 passes for 705 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 10 touchdown receptions are tied for fourth in the LSU single-season record books. QB Jordan Jefferson is 169-272 for 1,964 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. The 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year, Jared Odrick is the 80th Penn State football student-athlete to earn first team All-America recognition. He is ranked No. 8 in the conference with 6.0 sacks for minus-45 yards. Odrick is fifth on the team with 41 tackles, has 10.0 tackles for loss (minus-56 yards), with one blocked field goal, one pass break-up and three quarterback hurries. Navorro Bowman leads the team with 15.5 TFL (minus-55) despite missing 2 ¾ games with an early season injury. Bowman is No. 2 nationally among all linebackers in TFL with a 1.55 average and No. 10 nationally overall in minus-yardage hits. Sean Lee made seven tackles in the season finale to move into fourth place in school career tackles with 319, passing Brian Gelzheiser (315).

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN PENN STATE HAS THE BALL

Patrick Peterson, one of the nation’s elite cornerbacks, ranked third in the SEC in passes defended with 14. The sophomore registered 47 tackles and two interceptions while returning a blocked field goal 53 yards for a touchdown at Ole Miss. Chad Jones, a two-sport standout from Baton Rouge, led all LSU defensive backs in tackles with 66, including 1.5 tackles for loss. He racked up three interceptions, five pass breakups and returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown at Mississippi State. Kelvin Sheppard leads the team with 103 tackles, including 8.5 for loss. Daryll Clark has a 21-4 record as the starting quarterback and owns multiple Penn State season and career passing and total offense records. He leads the Big Ten in pass efficiency (145.7) and touchdown passes (23). This season, he is 214 of 346 (61.8) for a school record 2,787 yards, with a Penn State record 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Evan Royster‘s 5.9 average on 188 carries is best in the Big Ten among rushers with at least 90 carries. Royster is No. 2 in the Big Ten in rushing (92.0 ypg) and No. 3 in all-purpose yards (108.2 ypg).

SPECIAL TEAMS

Trindon Holliday, a native of Zachary, has returned 18 punts for 319 yards and one score this season. His 87-yard punt return for a touchdown against Arkansas was the second of his career. Holliday has added 474 yards on 20 kick returns. His 1,743 yards in kick returns ranks third in LSU history. Jeremy Boone headlines the special teams unit, averaging 43.5 yards per punt. He had 13 punts this season over 50 yards and placed 20 kicks inside the 20 yard line. Collin Wagner was 11-18 on field goals this season, with a long of 47 yards. Five of his misses came from over 40 yards. Chaz Powell is a threat on kickoff returns, claiming over 24 yards per return.

SERIES/GAME NOTES

Record: PSU, 1-0. Last: Penn State, 16-9 (1973 Orange Bowl)

LSU will face Penn State for only the second time in school history… Penn State, behind Heisman Trophy winner John Cappelletti, beat the Tigers, 16-9, in the Orange Bowl following the 1973 season in the only meeting between the teams…The appearance will be LSU’s third in the Capital One Bowl and the first since dropping a last-second 30-25 decision to Iowa in the 2005 game…LSU also took part in the 1979 Capital One Bowl (then called the Tangerine Bowl), beating Wake Forest, 34-10…LSU will be making its 41st appearance in a bowl game, including its 10th straight. The 41 bowl appearances rank ninth all-time, while the current 10-game bowl streak is the nation’s ninth-longest streak.

The LSU baseball team has been tabbed as the second-best team in the nation heading into the 2010 season, the LSU Athletic Department announced Monday in a news release.

LSU ranked No. 2 in Collegiate Baseball’s preseason poll behind No. 1 Texas. The Tigers beat the Longhorns in the College World Series finals this past June to win the 2009 national championship.

Virginia, Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State, all 2009 CWS participants, round out the top five.

Six other Southeastern Conference teams join LSU in the preseason poll — No. 9 Florida, No. 22 Ole Miss, No. 23 Arkansas, No. 28 South Carolina, No. 31 Georgia and No. 32 Vanderbilt. LSU won the SEC regular-season and tournament titles last season in addition to the national title.

LSU junior pitcher Anthony Ranaudo was also named Collegiate Baseball’s preseason National Player of the Year as well as a first-team All-American. Ranaudo posted a 12-3 mark and a 3.04 ERA as the Tigers’ Friday night starter and finished No. 3 in the nation with 159 strikeouts.

Joining Ranaudo on the All-American squad are senior first baseman/outfielder Blake Dean, sophomore pitcher Matty Ott and junior catcher Micah Gibbs. All three of those players were named to the Second Team.

LSU opens the season Feb. 19 when it hosts Centenary in Alex Box Stadium.

The LSU football team is ditching the usual purple and gold threads Saturday night for a modern uniform with a traditional twist.

The University and Nike officially unveiled an LSU version of the Nike Pro Combat uniform Monday afternoon in front of the PMAC.

The Tigers will wear the uniforms when LSU battles Arkansas for the Golden Boot on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Tiger Stadium.

The uniforms were given the slogan “Cochon de Lait,” commonly known as a pig roast.
The state-of-the-art jerseys are paired with  throwback helmets from the 1940s.

The uniforms feature a white jersey with purple numbers trimmed in gold with a stripe on the sleeve, while the pants are white with a purple “L” on the hip and a purple and gold stripe along the sides.

The gold helmet matches the color of LSU’s helmets from the 1940s and includes the typical LSU helmet logo and tiger.

LSU’s gloves are personalized to form the “Eye of the Tiger” logo.

Lauren Hoppis, marketing executive for Nike, said the Nike Pro Combat uniforms were designed to be lighter and cooler than traditional jerseys.  “These are the lightest uniforms in the history of football,” Hoppis said. “It’s all about speed.”

The Tigers will also wear new Nike Zoom Vapor Fly cleats. The cleats are white and gold with a purple Nike swoosh. They weigh only 10 ounces.

Hoppis said Nike chose LSU because of the company’s relationship with the athletic program, LSU’s success on the field and the Tigers’ style of play.

LSU senior running back Charles Scott and junior running back Richard Murphy modeled the new uniforms for the crowd. “They have a lot of swag to them,” Scott said. “They make you feel good.”

LSU is one of 10 colleges to wear the new Nike uniforms. Florida is the only other Southeastern Conference school to wear them.

Two former Tigers, wide receiver Eddie Kennison and defensive lineman Anthony McFarland, were also at the pep rally.

Kennison said he wished he could have worn the Pro Combat uniforms in 1995. “I can run all day in pants like that,” Kennison said to the crowd. “Make sure y’all are roasting pig this week.”

Students had different opinions about the new uniforms at the unveiling.

“It’s good that it’s only for one game,” said Colin O’Rourke, business freshman. “It’s cool that they are doing a throwback with the helmet. The gloves are my favorite part.”

Maggie Placer, animal science senior, said she understood why LSU was wearing the new uniforms this week. “They did it at a good time,” Placer said. “It’s a holiday game, so it makes sense. It gives fans something to get excited about for an important game.”

Saturday will mark the first time LSU has worn an alternative jersey since the Tulane game in 2007. The Tigers wore purple jerseys and white helmets to help raise money and awareness for Hurricane Katrina relief.

The LSU-Ole Miss rivalry, more recently renamed the Magnolia Bowl, is a college football rivalry between Louisiana State University and the University of Mississippi. The teams first met in 1894, and have been regular opponents in SEC, meeting annually since 1945. The rivalry was at its height during the 1950′s and 60′s, when both schools were highly ranked and during which time both teams claimed a consensus national championship. The rivalry died down from the seventies to the nineties, due to Ole Miss not returning to conference or national prominence since the 1970′s and because LSU has seen new rivalries emerge with the SEC split in 1992, most notably Auburn, Alabama, and Florida. Recently the rivalry has again been gaining steam and publicity, due to mostly the 2003 Season when Ole Miss could have been a top ten team and go to the SEC Championship while LSU would have gone to the national championship depending on who won the game. Even when the rivalry had died down from the seventies, it still stirred up great passion in both Oxford and Baton Rouge. The recent reemergence of both programs, starting with LSU, has returned the national meaning to a rivalry already rich in tradition.

In 2008, the student bodies of both schools elected to christen the yearly contest the “Magnolia Bowl”, the magnolia flower being the state flower of both Louisiana and Mississippi, and award a trophy to the winner. Ole Miss defeated LSU 31-13 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to become the first winner of the new trophy.