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LSU Football: ranking the top 5 bowl games of all-time

By Schondell Thomas

Sep 10, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers fan Zach Bourgeois of Denham Springs (left) yells as the LSU Tigers make their way to Tiger Stadium prior to kickoff against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers fan Zach Bourgeois of Denham Springs (left) yells as the LSU Tigers make their way to Tiger Stadium prior to kickoff against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports /
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#3 2008 Sugar Bowl (BCS National Championship)

2007 was quite the oddball season for the Tigers, and really college football as a whole. The worst ranking a team could receive that year was the #2 in the nation.  7 times that year a team took the field  ranked 2nd in the nation, and all 7 times, they would end up losing the game.  It started with USC losing to Stanford on October 6th, and culminated with West Virginia losing to Pittsburgh on December 1st.

LSU was able to avoid that curse, but was hit by something even harder. LSU hit the turf as the #1 team in the nation that season and walked off ranked lower on two occasions. The first time was to Kentucky in 3OT 43-37, and the second time was to Arkansas 50-48. Along with those losses, they would lose starting QB Matt Flynn for a couple of games –  including the SEC Title Game.

Moments leading up to the SEC Championship, LSU almost their head coach as well. Rumors began to swirl that it was all but certain that Coach Miles was heading back to his Alma Mater to revitalize Michigan’s struggling program. But a 13th hour contract was done to extend Coach Miles as LSU’s Head Coach, as they went on to beat Tennessee in Atlanta to earn Coach Miles his 2nd SEC Title in as many years.

Although LSU finished the season with 2 losses on its schedule, Pittsburgh’s victory over #2 West Virginia helped catapult LSU into a top 5 position. After winning the SEC Title, the coaches and computers smiled in the Tigers’ favor. LSU would also go on to end the curse of the #2 ranking, as they took on the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes in the BCS Sugar Bowl Title Game.

Things started off all Scarlet and Grey, as the Buckeyes took a 10-0 lead, aided by a Beanie Wells 65 yard gallop. By quarter’s end, LSU trailed Ohio State 10-3 going into the next quarter. The 2nd quarter began with a pair of Matt Flynn TD’s. The first of these went to TE Richard Dixon to tie the game, and then another to Brandon LaFell to give the Tigers a 7-point lead.

The half would come to an end after an interception by Chevis Jackson gave LSU the ball back, and Jacob Hester punched it in to give the Tigers a 24-10 lead. Continuing into the 3rd quarter, both teams would score a touchdown in the air.  Flynn would hit WR Early Doucet for one, and Ohio State’s Todd Boeckman would hook up with WR Brian Robiskie for the other. Flynn and Boeckman would trade touchdowns again in the 4th quarter, as the Tigers would go on to beat Ohio State 38-24.

This game legitimized the hiring of Coach Les Miles to LSU, and gave Tigers fans hope that he would be able to lead them to great things in the future.

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