Ed Orgeron denies LSU was intentionally dodging playing Alabama

Don’t tell LSU football coach Ed Orgeron the Tigers were glad to avoid playing Alabama.

LSU-Alabama was canceled due to a virus outbreak among the Tigers that led some to speculate they were glad to avoid playing the Crimson Tide. Ed Orgeron doesn’t want to hear it and looks forward to the game getting rescheduled if possible.

“We look forward to rescheduling Alabama,” Orgeron said. “Whenever they tell us to play, we want to play,” said Orgeron. “We wanted to play last week. We weren’t able to play because of the safety of our players. We have to put the safety of our players first. People will say things here and there that’s not true.”

“We look forward to playing Alabama. I love the rivalry. I grew up watching that rivalry. They’re a great football team, great challenge. Whenever they tell us to play we’ll be ready to go.”

“I’m hearing rescheduling may be made. But nobody’s told us for sure. This is very fluid. But I do believe that Alabama and LSU ought to play this year, and I do believe we’re going to play somehow some way.”

It is amazing what a difference a year makes. In 2019, Orgeron’s LSU Tigers went into Bryant-Denny Stadium and came out with a win over the Alabama Crimson Tide. While LSU went on to win the national title, Alabama did not even get to play in a New Year’s Six bowl game because of two regular-season losses on their resume. Their roles have been reversed in 2020.

With Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide on the verge of reaching the College Football Playoff for the sixth time in seven years, the Bayou Bengals are 2-3 and are among the worst teams in the SEC. They have had two games postponed due to the coronavirus, including a home date vs. the rival Crimson Tide.

How sure are we that Orgeron’s players want to play the Crimson Tide this year?

We had a feeling this might happen to a program that finds itself out of it well before completion. LSU has no chance of winning the SEC West or getting to a meaningful bowl game for that matter. The Bayou Bengals are hoping to not finish in last place in the SEC West. They have five more games left to be played, including two that have been previously postponed.

Interestingly enough, the two games LSU had postponed are against the perceived two best teams in the SEC: Alabama and the cross-divisional rival Florida Gators. They are on track to meet in the 2020 SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on Dec. 19.

The problem with Orgeron wanting the Alabama game rescheduled is it would need to push back the SEC Championship Game, which is unlikely to happen if Alabama and Florida have already locked up division titles. While both parties may want a certain win over LSU to be on their resume for when the College Football Playoff Selection Committee decides their fate, LSU football players and coaches should just focus on avoiding the basement in the West.

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