• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

LSU hopes to get defense back on track vs. Tulane

Nov 1, 2008 - 10:48 AM Tulane (2-5) at (15) LSU (5-2), 8:00 pm EDT

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (Ticker) -- Coach Les Miles and No. 15 Louisiana State hope a visit from cross-state foe Tulane this Saturday can help alleviate their defensive woes.

LSU's defense seemed non-existent last Saturday when it opened a five-game homestand with a 52-38 loss to rival Georgia.

The defending champion Tigers allowed the Bulldogs to march up and down the field at will, surrendering 443 yards from scrimmage - including 194 yards on the ground.

Charles Scott rushed for 150 yards and two scores and Jarrett Lee passed for 267 yards and three TDs but was intercepted three times for LSU, which has lost two of its last three contests.

"The story is the mistakes," Tigers coach Les Miles said. "When you play a quality opponent, you cannot give them turnovers. You can't uncover people in coverage. You can't let runs that should be tackled go untackled. Our football team has to learn that."

It was the second defensive breakdown in three weeks for LSU, which allowed 475 total yards in a 51-21 loss to Florida on October 11.

The defensive struggles have been an unwelcome change for the Tigers, who had not allowed 50 points in a regulation game since 1996 before their most recent setbacks.

LSU, which posted a 34-9 victory at Tulane last year, has to avoid getting caught looking ahead with second-ranked Alabama coming to "Death Valley" next week.

The Green Wave, who played the Crimson Tide tough in their season opener, have lost their last three contests.

Freshman Joe Kemp came off the bench last week and passed for 201 yards and two touchdowns in Tulane's 42-17 loss to Rice.