PRESS PICKS: Can the plot get any thicker for Ole Miss-LSU? Let's hope not
STAFF REPORT
There are times when drama-driven events can’t live up to the final outcome.
Allow an example from a famous TV show.
For you NCIS fans, remember the ongoing “La Grenouille” story that lasted almost two seasons where the NCIS director (Jenny Shepard) was determined to have a world-famous arms dealer killed at any cost? The plot thickened every time the name was mentioned. The story was intertwined with other crimes and episodes.
It went on forever.
In the final couple of shows , the reason was finally given why Shepard was hellbent on getting this guy, but in the meantime, a key component to the story was a romantic relationship between a main character (Tony Dinozzo) and the daughter of the dealer, Jeanne (pronounced Jhaun).
When it was all said and done, most viewers were more interested in the romance than the actual crimes committed by the suspect.
To the point of bringing it up, the ending didn’t match the long-term absorption given the plot, especially due to the way the story ended (no spoilers here - watch the show).
Soap operas are like that - keep ‘em coming back for more and then pivot.
That’s a long-winded way of saying, the LSU-Ole Miss contest on Saturday can never live up to the hype while the story keeps adding sub-plots.
To review, we had the Lane Kiffin departure from Oxford that went anything but smoothly; the Rebels’ run in the College Football Playoff while the former coach was supposedly poaching players from his former team.
Both sides pointed the finger at the other for recruiting infringements, which led to lawsuits.
There was other stuff in the last few weeks that included the hint of removal of the LSU program from the SEC. That was based on Kiffin wanting to bring former NFL players onto the roster, which completely ignored the league’s rules on amateurism (that was written in jest).
Now add this week’s updates. Ole Miss subpoenaed a former player who happens to play for LSU… four days before the game… in the LSU football facility parking lot.
Add an announcement that extra security would be on hand to keep the masses in line. That’s hysteria at its finest.
And, in what might be the final act prior to the game, LSU placed its starting quarterback on the injured list as “doubtful.”
Theatre, intrigue, angst, anger… only thing missing is a great French word to describe it. “La Grenouille” was already used and wouldn’t made sense due to its meaning - “the Frog.”
The kickoff can’t get here soon enough. TV will play it to the hilt but at this point, it can’t do any more to build a crescendo. We passed that weeks ago.
This game will end with a victor and the two teams will continue into the season and no one will have much memory of it all unless somebody gets pelted with eggs or a red high-heel shoe (see Bama-Ole Miss, 2007).
We’ve had our share of “greatest games” that had the buildup of a “piece de resistance.” You recall the “Game of the Century when Nebraska played Oklahoma on Thanksgiving Day in 1971? Great game, but few people other than Nebraska and Oklahoma fans remember it.
Or the incredible 1973 Sugar Bowl featuring Alabama and Notre Dame - the first time the two college football powerhouses had ever met. Most have moved on.
Both games were great. But the lasting power wasn’t there.
Why? Because we went on to other events like Ali-Frazier or the Evil Knievel stunts that kept our attention about every six months (of course the final stunt was a rocket jump over the Snake River Canyon that never really materialized thus ending the run).
The new generation had its share of these moments, too. But only a handful of times did it come with a “can’t wait to see that again.”
Only if an ear gets bitten off (See Tyson-Holyfield) does it have staying power.
And only if Kiffin does get hit with something will there be a meme. It’s why we remember his return with Ole Miss to Tennessee, right?
2026 Standings (Last week)
1. Rosie Langello 47-8 (12-3) .854
2. Michael Butler 43-12 (11-4) .781
5. Lindsey Bonner 41-14 (10-5) .745
Mike Peacock 41-14 (12-3) .745
Wesley Lyle 41-14 (12-3) .745
Graham Dunn 41-14 (11-4) .745
Tim Gayle 41-14 (12-3) .745
Doug Amos 41-14 (12-3) .745
9. Barry McKnight 37-18 (11-4) .673
10. Mike Tankersley 36-19 (12-3) .655
11. Rick Hendrick 33-22 (11-4) .600
Rosie Langello (WSFA Ch. 12 New and Sports)
47-8 (12-3) .854
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Prattville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - PCA
Greenville at Tallassee - Greenville
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Florida
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
NC State at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
North Carolina at Clemson - North Carolina
SMU at Louisville - SMU
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
43-12 (11-4) .781
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Prattville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - ACA
Greenville at Tallassee - Greenville
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Florida
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
NC State at Vanderbilt - NC State
North Carolina at Clemson - Clemson
SMU at Louisville - Louisville
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
41-14 (10-5) .745
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Prattville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - PCA
Greenville at Tallassee - Greenville
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Florida
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - Miss St
NC State at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
North Carolina at Clemson - North Carolina
SMU at Louisville - Louisville
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
41-14 (11-4) .745
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Hewitt-Trussville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - PCA
Greenville at Tallassee - Greenville
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Auburn
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - Miss St
NC State at Vanderbilt - NC State
North Carolina at Clemson - Clemson
SMU at Louisville - Louisville
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Houston
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
41-14 (12-3) .745
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Prattville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - ACA
Greenville at Tallassee - Tallassee
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Auburn
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
NC State at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
North Carolina at Clemson - North Carolina
SMU at Louisville - Louisville
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
41-14 (12-3) .745
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Hewitt-Trussville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - ACA
Greenville at Tallassee - Greenville
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Auburn
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
NC State at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
North Carolina at Clemson - Clemson
SMU at Louisville - Louisville
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports)
41-14 (12-3) .745
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Prattville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - ACA
Greenville at Tallassee - Greenville
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Florida
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - Miss St
NC State at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
North Carolina at Clemson - Clemson
SMU at Louisville - Louisville
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio analyst )
41-14 (12-3) .745
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Hewitt-Trussville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Glenwood
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - PCA
Greenville at Tallassee - Greenville
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Auburn
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
NC State at Vanderbilt - NC State
North Carolina at Clemson - North Carolina
SMU at Louisville - SMU
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
37-18 (11-4) .673
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Prattville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - ACA
Greenville at Tallassee - Greenville
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Florida
Troy at Missouri - Troy
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
NC State at Vanderbilt - NC State
North Carolina at Clemson - North Carolina
SMU at Louisville - SMU
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Houston
Mike Tankersley (River Region Sports/WTLS contributor)
36-19 (12-3) .655
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Hewitt-Trussville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - PCA
Greenville at Tallassee - Tallassee
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Suburn
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - Miss St
NC State at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
North Carolina at Clemson - North Carolina
SMU at Louisville - Louisville
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
33-22 (11-4) .600
Prattville at Hewitt-Trussville - Prattville
St. James at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Glenwood at Catholic - Catholic
Prattville Christian at Alabama Christian - ACA
Greenville at Tallassee - Tallassee
Florida St at Alabama - Alabama
Florida at Auburn - Florida
Troy at Missouri - Missouri
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
Miss St at South Carolina - South Carolina
NC State at Vanderbilt - Vanderbilt
North Carolina at Clemson - Clemson
SMU at Louisville - Louisville
Houston at Texas Tech (Fri) - Texas Tech