Les Miles: LSU-Alabama Biggest Game Ever?
(WSCR) Most coaches will tell you the big games are no different than the rest of them.
Not Les Miles.
As his No. 1-ranked LSU Tigers get ready to face No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Saturday, Miles isn't shying away from the hype. In fact, he's doing the opposite.
"You are supposed to enjoy these games," the LSU head coach said on The Gerry DiNardo College Football Show on 670 The Score Tuesday. "These are big games. These are games with significance. A victory here certainly puts you in the driver's seat, so for our guys to pretend that it's not a big game or certainly one that is significant would be a mistake."
LISTEN: Les Miles on The Gerry DiNardo College Football Show
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Many have hyped Saturday's SEC showdown as the biggest college football game ever and Miles didn't necessarily disagree with that claim.
"I don't know if I have been around a regular season game as hyped as this, but the reality of it is, this is an important game and we have to play and finish," he said. "There are going to be other games. The idea that this is the last game or this is the game that really counts, that may or may not be true."
Adding to the hype is the fact that both teams have had two weeks to prepare. Miles said his coaching staff spent the bye week looking at film of the Crimson Tide, but he didn't shift the focus of practices to Alabama until this week. While LSU is the higher ranked team, many consider the Tide to be the favorite because they are playing at home.
"I don't think being on the road will be an issue," Miles said. "I think our football team has confidence that they can come and play their game in any environment."
Miles said previous road trips to West Virginia and Mississippi State will help, but he realizes Tuscaloosa is a different animal.
"It's a different team and a different environment," he said. "I think we will be confident and able to do the things that we've come to do. It will be kind of a new and unique experience in Alabama."
While both teams go into this game undefeated, Miles might have the edge in that department. He told DiNardo that the entire Miles' household is undefeated this season.
"That's a heck of a deal. The eight-year-old soccer player is undefeated, the 12-year-old youth football (player) is undefeated, the 15-year-old high schooler (on the) UI Cubs are undefeated," Miles said. "The key is, remaining so."
Clearly Miles' approach to this game is stay loose. He has no problem embracing the hype. And would you expect anything less of the Mad Hatter?
"If you're not excited to play in this game, there's something wrong," Miles said.
Yes, yes there is.
