LSU remains focused on Saturday's opener as storm strikes

Published Aug 29, 2012 at 9:00 am (Updated Aug 29, 2012)

Although the LSU campus was shuttered in anticipation of Hurricane Isaac on Tuesday—and remains so today—LSU football went on. USA Today reports the Tigers met for a scheduled practice around noon Tuesday, simultaneously preparing for the approaching storm and Saturday's season opener in Tiger Stadium against North Texas. LSU enters the season ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Sports preseason coaches poll and No. 3 in The Associated Press poll. Saturday's kickoff is set for 6 p.m., weather and its wake permitting. As of this morning, LSU has issued no statement indicating the game date or time will be changed. LSU has had to change scheduled football games five times since Category 3 Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and the Mississippi coast on Aug. 29, 2005. Les Miles was the coach at LSU then and in all the years since. His LSU debut, on Sept. 3, 2005—also against North Texas—was postponed by Hurricane Katrina. "Coincidentally, it was North Texas in the exact same setup," Miles says. "We know how to do this. We'll figure it out. We'll be prepared to play." Miles is 4-1 in games changed by hurricanes, with the loss to Tennessee, 30-27 in overtime. Most of LSU's players have lettered in hurricanes. Approximately 40 of them are from the New Orleans or Baton Rouge areas. They all have Katrina and/or Gustav memories. Read the complete USA Today story here. To read an Associated Press preview of Saturday's game, click here.