| Fires. Interceptions. Missed field goals. Made field goals. Cigars. Earthquakes. Magic. If you have followed Southeastern Conference football for any amount of time, you already know that the LSU-Auburn series is among its most riveting. This latest chapter, at 8 p.m. Saturday in Tiger Stadium, has the chance to be another one for the ages — not because it's a meeting of championship contenders, but because these teams appear to be evenly matched. Also: There's this small thing about T.J. Finley, the Ponchatoula High School grad and former LSU quarterback, who might get a chance to play against his former team. But LSU has other things to worry about, too. LSU hasn’t lost to Auburn inside Tiger Stadium since 1999, a 10-game winning streak it will try to stretch in a game expected to draw the largest crowd since before the COVID-19 pandemic began. But LSU hasn’t struggled to run the ball this much since that 1999 season. It's averaging 2.9 yards per carry — and if you think LSU can continue to struggle on the ground and still win, think again. So as we get ready for a late, late night in Tiger Stadium, let's look at all the angles, shall we? COVER STORY: This is LSU-Auburn. The stakes are almost always high, the games almost always intense. This late-night matchup in Tiger Stadium should be no different — but if LSU isn’t better at running the football, it might be in for a long night. LSU also hasn’t struggled to run the ball this much since 1999, the year Auburn won in a 41-7 blowout (cigars, anyone?). At the moment, LSU is averaging 2.9 yards per carry, and the most difficult portion of the Southeastern Conference schedule still lies ahead. Wilson Alexander examines LSU’s struggling ground game. SCOTT RABALAIS: Over the past three decades, no series has produced more drama than LSU-Auburn. But with Texas and Oklahoma growing the Southeastern Conference to 16 teams in the near future, this series might be going away. Isn't that kind of a shame? PREDICTIONS: You want staff predictions on LSU-Auburn? Of course you do. Wilson Alexander, Scott Rabalais, Sheldon Mickles and Zach Ewing take their swings. INJURY NEWS, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Left tackle Cameron Wire remains on track to play this weekend, while cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. will likely miss his second straight game since re-aggravating a foot injury. INSIDE THE BETTING LINE: At Caesars Sportsbook, LSU opened as a 4-point road favorite, but that number dropped to 3 and has held there for much of the week. Zach Ewing explores this, plus the over/under and the role of home-field advantage. SEC RANKINGS, FROM Nos. 1-14: You can probably guess No. 1. And you can probably guess No. 14. What about the rest of ’em? LSU checked in at No. 9 last week but moved up (slightly). Our Sheldon Mickles sizes up a wild year in the nation’s toughest conference. FOUR KEYS TO VICTORY: How does LSU take down Auburn? Keys include tackling Tank Bigsby and playing well on the offensive line. Wilson Alexander has more. A LOOK AT AUBURN’S TOP PLAYERS: Some key roles have changed from last year’s game — starting, obviously, with T.J. Finley. Here’s more on the quarterback situation, plus tailback Tank Bigsby and linebacker Zakoby McClain. BEST TV GAMES OF THE WEEK: The bad news: You’re going to have a long, long wait until the LSU-Auburn kickoff. The good news: You’ve got a great, great lineup of games to watch beforehand. Here’s your guide. Sheldon Mickles walks you through the best matchups, including Ole Miss-Alabama and Arkansas-Georgia. ••• Enjoy the day, enjoy the games, and enjoy the late night. Happy Saturday. | 
