When No. 2 South Florida lost to Rutgers last night, it bolstered the fifth-ranked Tigers' chances.

LSU (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) controls its destiny in the SEC, but so does No. 18 Auburn (5-2, 3-1), now on an impressive three-game winning streak that includes victories at Florida and Arkansas.

Auburn also has a history of giving LSU all it can handle.

"Every game in the SEC is physical ... but the Auburn game always seems like it's a little more physical, a little more tough football than any other game," LSU running back Jacob Hester said this week. "We're definitely going to have to be on. ... Guys who are banged up are going to have to get healthy quick."

This year's matchup also has an interesting subplot.

Unlike last season, when LSU was more of a passing team with JaMarcus Russell at quarterback, running backs are the stars in Baton Rouge this season. And it seems like a different one stands out each week, be it Charles Scott last week, Hester the week before or Keiland Williams and small but speedy Trindon Holliday earlier this season.

Auburn's calling card is its run defense. Just ask Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFadden, who couldn't muster better than a 43-yard performance in Arkansas' 9-7 loss to Auburn last week.

That might prompt LSU coach Les Miles to give Matt Flynn or often-used backup Ryan Perrilloux more chances to throw, especially with the anticipated return of LSU's best receiver, Early Doucet.

Doucet's recovery from a groin injury that kept him out for most of the last five games is akin to "making a trade in midseason and getting an all-star," Hester said.

But LSU isn't about to abandon the run.

"We have to run the ball. It doesn't matter" that Auburn is a renowned run-stuffer, Hester said. "We still have to try to establish the run game because that's our offense. They're a good run stopper and we're a good run team, so somebody's got to win."

LSU averages 232 yards rushing per game. Auburn allows 109 yards per game on the ground. All the more reason this will be as bruising an affair as either team has experienced all season.

"This is always a great game, one of the better ones in the conference," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said this week. "Even nationally, it's picked up a lot of interest. We always expect a tough, hard-fought game against LSU, especially when you go on the road. Their fans really get into it. Our players enjoy going down and playing in Baton Rouge. It's always an interesting game."

Interesting, but predictable in a way that seems to have little to do with lineup changes from year to year.

The home team has won this matchup in each of the last seven years. Also working against Auburn: LSU has won 17 straight in 92,400-seat Tiger Stadium.

Auburn will have to do something special to break that cycle in Death Valley, and it may have to come from an offense that hasn't exactly been prolific this season, even if it's done just enough to win in recent weeks.

"Again, we are kind of like the 'Cardiac Kids.' We play just good enough. We've got to get out of that mode," Tuberville said. "We need to play well on offense, and we can't lean on our defense as much as we have been."

Senior quarterback Brandon Cox has played better, and arguably smarter, football since Auburn's surprising losses to Mississippi State and South Florida last month. He's been helped by the return of running back Brad Lester, who's gained 166 yards in two games backing up Ben Tate.

But Cox is a pocket passer, meaning he'll have to get rid of the ball quickly and intelligently in the face of an LSU rush led by defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and bolstered by an array of blitzes.

"He's not a scrambler, so we'll just have to get after him, put a little pressure on him and put a little pain on him every now and then," LSU defensive end Kirston Pittman said.

This could be a particularly tough game for quarterbacks all around. Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, a form Nick Saban assistant at LSU, likes to blitz.