| It's the start of the second half of LSU's football season and the end of an era Saturday against Auburn (6 p.m., ESPN). This is almost certainly the last time LSU and Auburn will play each other on an annual basis. The teams won't play in 2024, their first season apart since 1991. After that it's unlikely they will be permanent opponents no matter what the new schedule format brings with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma (maybe I should start saying OU and Texas since the Sooners beat the Longhorns last week). We'll still have the memories. The Earthquake Game. The Bring Back the Magic Game. The Interception Game. The Cigar Game. The Night the Barn Burned. Who knows, maybe there will be something memorable that makes us add this game to the list. The Plague of Locusts Game? Let's hope not. It has a chance to be the Logan Diggs Game. The emergence of LSU's starting running back, who played for Brian Kelly at Notre Dame, was the last piece to an impressive offensive puzzle for the Tigers. His story of how he got to LSU is a facinating one, a story that our master storyteller Wilson Alexander brings to life. My game day column is about the much-criticized LSU defense. Did it show something in the second half at Missouri that will propel the Tigers to better things in the back half of the season? Could hardly be worse, right? The headlines and scenes from Israel and Gaza have been grim and terrible. Former LSU women's basketball player LaDazhia Williams was there, playing in the Israeli women's professional league. She's back in the U.S. now and Reed Darcey has her story. Speaking of ending eras, LSU men's golf coach Chuck Winstead is stepping down in the midst of his 19th season leading the Tigers. Winstead will remain with the school in an adminstrative role while assistant Andrew Nelson takes over as interim coach. We had our LSU-Auburn predictions in yesterday's newsletter, but what the heck. Let's reheat the leftovers. What's the No. 1 thing LSU must do to beat Auburn? Yours truly, Wilson and our fearless leader Perryn Keys give our takes in this transcript from our Thursday podcast. Finally, Sheldon Mickles anchors the lineup with his top five SEC storylines for this weekend. Thanks for reading and subscribing, everyone. Enjoy the game day, and if you need, find a desingated driver. Scott Rabalais | 