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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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Isaiah Washington
November 3, 2012; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers mascot Mike VI before a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

#2 2004 Sugar Bowl (BCS National Championship)

As biased as I can be sometimes for LSU Football, I can be a little more so for the 2003 season. It was my last as a manager for the football team, but it was my first for a national champion.

We started out the season as the #14 team in the nation when the preseason polls came out; and opened up at #12 for the first BCS Rankings of the season. The Tigers weren’t on anyone’s radar for the best team in the nation until, I assume, the final week or two of the season.

We started the season on a roll, going 6-0 to start; including a signature comeback win vs Georgia at home. After a devastating 19-7 home loss to Floirda, LSU was able to regroup and refocus on the possibility of what lied ahead.

Another blow to program happened just a few weeks later when my boss, and long time Head Football Equipment Manager (24 years) Jeff Boss passed away on October 27th, 2003. But the team continued to fight; dedicating the rest of the season to “Coach” Boss. If you are a die hard, you may recall the field having a black “JB” painted in some of the corners, as well as black “JB” decals on the back of our helmets.

After finishing the season 11-1, then 12-1 after blowing out Georgia in the SEC Championship, LSU would earn a bid to play Oklahoma in a controversial National Title Tilt. Not controversial because of anything that LSU did, but controversial in the fact that Oklahoma lost their Conference Championship, and still earned the right to play in the title game ahead of the team many thought was more deserving in USC.

Once the game finally kicked off, I was surprised to see just how human the Sooners really were. We were able to score first on a Skylar Green run to take a 7-0 lead in the 1st quarter. Oklahoma’s Kejuan Jones and LSU’s Justin Vincent traded rushing touchdowns to end the half at 14-7 LSU.

Marcus Spears scored the only points of the 3rd quarter when he returned a Jason White interception for a touchdown. The second highlight of my night came when Kirk Herbstreit tapped me on my shoulder to ask about the classification of both he and Marquis Hill. Then the 4th quarter came.

Jones was able to get the score close with his touchdown run, which brought the score to 21-14 early in the 4th. The rest of the quarter saw a slug fest between each team, as well as a ton of punts. But as the game was winding down, and defeat seemed inevitable for the Sooners, Coach Stoops would punt the ball one last time as I watched the time run off the clock.

Triple 0’s! LSU had once again become National Champions for the first time in 45 years! It was a great feeling and even better memory. This, for me, will always be a top 2 or 3 Bowl Game for LSU.

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