LSU 41 Notre Dame 14, Sugar Bowl, January 3, 2007, New Orleans, Louisiana
This wasn’t the Rose Bowl, but it was usually the best thing for Tiger fans, which is the Sugar Bowl. Most of the time it meant winning the SEC Title, but this was a different year. On the first Saturday in December, USC, which appeared headed for a National Championship match up with Ohio State, was shocked by their crosstown rivals, the UCLA Bruins, 13-9. It denied the Trojans a shot at their 2nd outright National Title in 4 years. If you listen to many pundits it would have been a 3rd National Title in 4 years. Some refuse to give credit to LSU’s BCS National Title in 2003. USC was great that year, but so was LSU and both were deserving. We will never know who would have won between the two, but LSU would have enjoyed a huge advantage in the Superdome as would the Trojans if the game would’ve been played in Pasedena.
When Florida defeated Arkansas for the SEC Title, it opened the door for the Gators to vault past the Michigan Wolverines into the BCS Title Game in Glendale, Arizona. Many Big 10 land cried foul, but later results proved their complaint meaningless. LSU appeared headed for a match with the Wolverines in the Rose Bowl. Fans placed orders for 42,000 tickets. This was before all of the events of Saturday, December 2, 2006. If Arkansas had prevailed that day, then LSU would still have played in Pasedena. It would just have been against USC instead. That would have been interesting. Things worked out for LSU to play tradtional media poster boy, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
There was much hoopla leading up to the game, but Nick “I will not be the Alabama coach” Saban agreed to the largest salary ever for a college football coach to run the Crimson Tide program on the day of the game. It conjured up memories of Paul Dietzel’s “I will never leave LSU “ pronouncements of the late 50’s and early 60’s. At least Dietzel left for the United States Military Academy, Saban left for the Dolphins and went to rival, Alabama. Dietzel would later regret his move and there are thoughts of what might have been at LSU had Dietzel coached for 15 more years in Baton Rouge. However, LSU was well served by Charlie McClendon during those years as they will be by Les Miles for many years to come. McClendon was a man of character and integrity throughout his life, Miles is the same. Saban may regret leaving LSU one day, especially on November 3rd of 2007.
I am dissappointed that Saban left the Dolphins to coach against the Tigers. I feel he may have a credibility problem for a while because of it, but things become a distant memory at time goes by, and if he wins big at the Capstone, this will fade except for Tiger fans. He went from being St. Nick to being the biggest pariah in the state of Louisiana, but let’s not forget, he did revive the program and put LSU football back on the map. For that we owe him a huge debt of gratitude. On the flip side, he was a solid coach when he came to LSU, and the situation in Baton Rouge and the talent level in Louisiana made it possible for him to succeed beyond his wildest dreams. LSU is the flagship university of Louisiana and the Bayou state produces some of the best talent nationwide. It was a great partnership for both. When we look back years from now, we will both appreciate each other more. I do believe, however, that Les Miles will enjoy great success also and will win a National Championship at LSU before he retires.
Well, they had a ball game to play, and LSU got on top early. The Tigers stopped an Irish fake punt deep in Notre Dame territory. LSU scored quickly and added another score to go up 14-0. The Irish fought back and tied the score at 14. It appeared that the Tigers had squandered a golden opportunity, but Jamarcuss Russell lead the Tigers on a scoring drive just before halftime to put them up 21-14 as Russell scored on a Quarterback draw. There was still an uneasy feeling at halftime, and it continued as the Tigers appeared to turn the ball over deep in their territory to begin the 2nd half, but a replay overturned that. It was in my opinion, the biggest play of the game. Russell drove them down the field for field goal to make it 24-14. The Bayou Bengals added another field goal to make it 27-14, but the Irish was still withing striking distance, but Russell uncorked around a 65 yard bomb to Brandon Laefell to put the Tigers up 41-21 and Keiland Williams added touchdown run to close out the scoring at 41-14. Believe me, the game was not as close as the score indicated. LSU was far superior.
LSU 48 Virginia Tech 7, Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La. Sept 8, 2007
A national television audience along with 92,000 plus fans awaited the kickoff of the much anticipated match between LSU and Virginia Tech. ESPN’s Game Day had been on campus all day. There were many storylines to this game. Fresh in the mind of many was the unspeakable tragedy of last April 16, 2007 as a crazed gunman shot and killed 32 students. Louisiana was still in the throes of the carnage of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita from two years before. Louisianians joined the rest of the nation in mourning Virginia Tech’s loss. On April 16, 2007, we were all Hokies.
LSU started the fireworks off with an 87 yard drive, which was punctuated by a 28 yard shovel pass from Matt Flynn to Jacob Hester. Hester would go in from 4 yards out on the game’s next play to go up 7-0.
LSU would go 85 yards on their next drive with the highlight of the drive being a 56 yard pass completion from Flynn to Brandon Lafell. Flynn would run it from 7 yards out to put the Tigers up 14-0. There were still about 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. The Tigers were showing the nation they were deserving of the pre-season #2 ranking.
A Craig Steltz interception lead to a 30 yard Colt David field goal on the as the 2nd quarter began. LSU now lead 17-0, but they were not finished for the half. Keiland Williams electrified the crowd with an acrobatic 67yard touchdown run. He took a pitch and headed right. He hurdled a Hokie defender and outraced everyone to the end zone to put the Tigers up 24-0.
At the beginning of the 3rd quarter LSU drove 45 yards, but had to settle for a 28 yard Colt David field goal to go up 27-0. Tyrod Taylor marched Virginina Tech 65 yards with the aid of a 37 yard scramble and would score on a one yard plunge to make in 27-7 LSU. LSU responded with drive of their own. Ryan Perrilloux would come into the game, and in a change of pace move, he would fake the run and find a wide open Early Doucet to make it 34-7 Tigers.
Keiland Williams added a 34 yard touchdown to cap off another 87 yard touchdown drive and Ryan Perrilloux would hit freshman phenom, Terrance Tolliver on a 28 yard late in the game to provide LSU with a resounding 48-7 triumph over the Hokies.
This victory would pay huge dividends for LSU on BCS selection Sunday as the Tigers would leapfrog the Hokies to make it to the Title Game. The Tigers earned much national respect with this victory.
Fans eagerly awaited the rest of 2007.
