by Christopher Rinaldi

LSU gears up to take on Towson at Tiger Stadium on Saturday. LSU is the heavy favorite against their FCS opponent.  While there's not much of a story line for Saturday's game, intrigue is never lacking for LSU football.

Keep Calm and Geaux On

Last week saw the Tigers slide in the polls, from second to third, as they were leapfrogged by the Oregon Ducks.  LSU's 12-10 victory over Auburn wasn't pretty, but it was a win and the panic throughout Tiger Nation, and College Football Nation, seems unwarranted.

LSU will likely need to win them all if they are to end up back in the BCS Title Game, and if they do win them all, they're unlikely not to end up there. The reality is that they will play four top ten teams (Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and if necessary, the SEC East Champs) leaving them with a more difficult schedule than Florida State and one that will likely be better than or equal to Oregon. Additionally, the drubbing of Washington three weeks ago looks more consequential after last night. The huskies defeated number 8 Stanford in an upset and the huskies stand at 3-1.

It won't matter how they win, as long as they do win.

Fixes, Focus, and Fumbles

With that said, last week's game showed that LSU has work to do, and that work needs to be done on the offensive side of the ball.  Quarterback Zach Mettenberger needs to limit his mistakes, the receivers need to hold on to more of his passes, and a capable offensive line needs to fight through injuries to play to its potential. However, last week's scare may be just what LSU needed to ensure those three things happen.

Les Miles noted that, "We got to clean up some stuff. Fix it. And our team is looking forward to taking part in that event."

Miles praised Mettenberger's play, but also acknowledged his need to avoid fumbles while under pressure, saying "He cannot turn it over in the pocket. Whether he's pressured, certainly we need to protect him better, but our quarterback must have the proper view of that ball. And that is that it's ours and we're going to keep it."

Overall, though, Miles doesn't seemed too concerned.

"If I had to have a characteristic of a team that was most important I would want to make sure I get to the back end of the game, and with the game on the line they will play competitively and rise to the level of play."

He went on to praise the defensive performance and the offense's ability to convert key plays when necessary.

Meanwhile, Sam Montgomery thinks the team needs to show more focus in practice. 

Wounded Tigers

The injuries continue to pile up for the Tigers. Running back Alfred Blue may be lost for the entire season, and certainly for an extended period of time, according to Les Miles. While Blue has emerged as the Tigers' most well-rounded rusher, LSU can still lean on Kenny Hilliard, Michael Ford, and Spencer Ware to carry the load.

Miles Loves Him Some Homegrown

LSU, as a program, may have something to play for on Saturday, beyond this season's fortunes. Top Louisiana recruit, Kendell Beckwith, may be on the sidelines this weekend, judging whether the Tigers are the right fit for him. If Beckwith signs elsewhere, it would be a big loss for the Tigers, especially if he decides on Alabama, as was the case with Landon Collins last year

The Tigers continue to build a strong foundation for the 2014 recruiting class, as usual, centered around homegrown talent, but not without out-of-state prospects. 

Mett-Stache Update

If Zach Mettenberger can protect the ball and develop in proportion to the Mett-Stache, LSU will continue to improve. Mettenberger is safely out of the Sucio Sanchez phase and has somewhat of a Seth Bullock sans soul patch look going on. Here at the Defender, we'll give him a 5 out of 10 on the mustache rater, knowing that the Mett-Stache is just a flower beginning to bloom. It will be important to add that extra thickness before heading on the road to play the Gators next Saturday.