SAUL LOEB/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona's Copeland Bryan tries to take down a UTEP ball carrier during the Wildcats' 42-7 win last Saturday over the Miners at Arizona Stadium. The Wildcats take on LSU tomorrow at 7 p.m.

LSU comes to Tucson tomorrow to battle Arizona

After annihilating the first team on the schedule ÷ and potentially earning respect and integrity ÷ the Wildcats face an opponent this weekend that doesn't look to have many chinks in its armor.

No. 13 Louisiana State, which beat Louisiana-Monroe 49-7 last Saturday, will face the Wildcats for the first time since 1985 ÷ a game Arizona lost 26-27.

"They are a good team," head coach John Mackovic said. "It's always fun when you play people from another conference and you always want to find out how you will do against them."

Arizona will have its hands full with an LSU receiving core that looks to be as good as any in the Pacific 10 Conference, but Mackovic thinks his cornerbacks will have a chance if they don't give the receivers too much room in the flat.

"(LSU's receivers) will be as good as any group (in our conference)," Mackovic said. "The (UA cornerbacks) are going to have a lot of work to do. (The LSU coaches) let them run if you get right up on them, and they will go deep."

CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona tailback Clarence Farmer celebrates after scoring a touchdown during last weekend's 42-7 win over UTEP at Arizona Stadium.

The consensus among the Wildcat squad is that this game is important to the rest of the season, and an upset here could show doubters that Mackovic's young crew isn't as bad as their projected finish of last in the Pac-10.

"I am going to guarantee that whatever happens in this game, people will take notice," sophomore quarterback Nic Costa said. "(Critics) will realize that ÎHey, maybe these Wildcats can play a little bit and they are not going to be a pushover.'"

With sophomore running back Mike Bell coming off arguably the best game of his career last week in rushing for 119 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown, the offense has nothing but positive thoughts going into the nationally televised game this Saturday ÷ and the running game is being praised from everyone on the team.

"The four touchdown runs we had the other night are half of our total from last year," Mackovic said. "To be a good team, you have to be able to run the ball down in close. We did that against Texas-El Paso, and we will continue to do that."

CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona tailback Clarence Farmer celebrates after scoring a touchdown during last weekend's 42-7 win over UTEP at Arizona Stadium.

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With Clarence Farmer still questionable for Saturday, Costa hopes the running game does what it did last week: continuing to pound for short-yardage gains in order to open up the passing game for him and redshirt freshman Ryan O'Hara

"All of our running backs are good and whoever steps on the field will do a good job," Costa said, "We're not looking for 60- or 70-yard (gains). Just as long as they are efficient and get positive yardage, it takes the pressure off."

The Tigers' defense is another concern for Arizona coaches, but LSU's true 4-3 defensive spread should open up one-on-one coverage, giving the Wildcats a chance to break for big plays if the receivers can get free from the LSU corners.

"They are a true 4-3 defense, and their coverage matches those of a 4-3 defense," Mackovic said. "We will see a lot more single coverage this weekend and one-on-one cover on the outside."

" They will get up in the faces of the receivers."

Free safety Darrel Brooks said the defense will be ready and that this game is a make-or-break start to the year.

"It's a big game," he said. "This will show where we rate among some of the better teams in the nation."

The Wildcats and Tigers tee it up 7:00 on Saturday night at Arizona Stadium.