Classic Tulane-LSU matchup renewed, but rivalry may have to wait

9/28/2007 4:08 PM

By BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -Decades ago, Tulane enjoyed a legitimate rivalry with LSU.

The Green Wave hopes to have that again one day, but they know that probably won't be the case Saturday - not with the undefeated, No. 2 Tigers looking as dominant as they have lately.

``They could possibly be one of the new franchise teams in the NFL because that is how good they are,'' Tulane first-year coach Bob Toledo said of LSU this week. ``They are loaded. They are the best football team that I have seen in a long, long time.''

In 1981, early in his career, Toledo coached Pacific to a stunning 23-21 triumph over South Carolina, so he won't rule out Tulane (1-2) pulling off what would the upset of the year against LSU (4-0), which is favored by nearly six touchdowns.

Still, Toledo sees the game more as a chance for the Green Wave to learn and improve, saying he'll let the outcome ``take care of itself.''

``Basically, our goal this week is we want to play hard and we want to get better,'' Toledo said. ``All you can do is go out and compete.''

It's certainly a chance for Tulane to test itself against one of the best.

LSU's closest game so far this season was last weekend's 28-16 home victory over South Carolina, which entered the game undefeated and ranked 12th. The Tigers led that game 28-7 in the fourth quarter before allowing a couple of late and meaningless scores.

With a host of rushing threats including Jacob Hester, Keiland Williams and the blazing fast Trindon Holliday, the Tigers have been able to run the ball at will. LSU averages 452.5 total yards per game, with more than half of that (245.8 ypg) coming on the ground.

LSU coach Les Miles said he expects to play regular starting quarterback Matt Flynn, who is recovering from an ankle sprain that he said bothered him last week. Flynn said he feels close to 100 percent now, and Miles doesn't want make a move that might discourage his regular starter.

``It is really tough to tell a guy that has waited until his fifth year to be the starter'' that he's sitting out, Miles said. ``He feels really pretty good. He's ready to play, and he is going to get nothing but better as we go forward. I expect him to play a lot of football.''

Tulane will change starting quarterbacks, however.

Sophomore Anthony Scelfo, a former New Orleans high school standout and the nephew of Toledo's predecessor, Chris Scelfo, gets his first college start against the top-rated defense in the country.

An opposing starting quarterback has yet to finish a game against LSU, and the jokes have begun that this is Toledo's way of ridding the Green Wave of the last remnants of the Scelfo regime.

But there is in fact some logic to starting Scelfo. Regular starter Scott Elliot is a pocket passer. Such quarterbacks have taken beatings against LSU, which combines the already potent pass rush of its big, fast front four with a combination of linebacker and safety blitzes.

Scelfo is a good scrambler.

``That helps, let's put it that way,'' Toledo said. ``He has the ability to avoid maybe some sacks and be mobile in the pocket.''

Tulane has beaten LSU 22 times since the teams began playing each other back in 1893, but not once since a 31-28 upset in 1982. LSU has won the last 15 meetings.

Miles took his typical tack when discussing opponents who are heavy underdogs, calling Tulane a ``talented opponent.'' LSU's main challenge, Miles said, will be to slow Green Wave running back Matt Forte, who ran for a school-record 303 yards and five touchdowns in a victory last week against Southeastern Louisiana.

But Southeastern Louisiana, which plays in the Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) doesn't have a defensive lineman like Glenn Dorsey, who returned to college despite being widely projected as a first-round NFL draft choice last spring.

The matchup of the 6-foot-2, 303-pound Dorsey against Tulane's smaller, less-heralded offensive linemen is an example Toledo pointed to specifically in discussing the challenge his team faces his weekend. ``Glenn Dorsey is going to line up against (Michael) Parenton and (Andrew) Nierman, and they are both 6-1, 280 pounds,'' Toledo said. Dorsey ``is throwing guys around from Virginia Tech and South Carolina like they are rag dolls. People just have to realize that this is not going to be easy.''