2007 LSU Tigers football team
Encyclopedia
The 2007 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University
during the college football
season of 2007–2008, winning the Southeastern Conference
championship and the national championship. The team's Head Coach was Les Miles
who entered his third year at the helm of LSU Football. They were led on the field by senior quarterback
Matt Flynn and senior defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey
, a two-time All-American
and winner of the multiple national trophies or awards. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium
in Baton Rouge
, Louisiana
.
The team overcame two triple-overtime
losses and four other close games to become the first two-time Bowl Championship Series
(BCS) champion ever. On their way to the BCS championship, the Tigers won their tenth Southeastern Conference
championship by defeating Tennessee
in the 2007 SEC Championship Game
.
The Tigers finished the season having earned the Southeastern Conference championship trophy, the Grantland Rice Award
, the MacArthur Trophy
, the Associated Press Trophy and the AFCA National Championship Trophy
.
In a salute to the championship team during his January 14, 2008 inauguration speech, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal
stated in part "...They revere our athletes. Go Tigers...."
with a record of 11–2 (6–2 SEC) and were invited to the 2007 Allstate Sugar Bowl
to play Notre Dame
. The Tigers went on defeat Notre Dame 41–14 to cap a 7 game win streak to end the season. The Tigers headed into the off-season with higher hopes for the 2007 Season.
and the preseason AP Poll
.
In the pre-season, returning quarterback Matt Flynn was named one of the top-10 impact seniors for 2007. Senior tailback Alley Broussard left the team on July 24 to concentrate on academics. Broussard had started eight games, but was not expected to start in 2007.
and the LSU Football program. The class is headlined by safety Chad Jones, wide receivers Demetrius Byrd and Terrance Tolliver, quarterback Jarrett Lee
, and defensive tackle Joseph Barksdale. LSU did miss out Joe McKnight
, the top recruit out of Louisiana who decided to commit to USC
instead. Overall the 2007 LSU recruiting class was ranked No. 4 by rivals.com and No. 5 by scout.com.
Schedule Source: 2007 LSU Football Schedule @ LSUSports.net
in a Thursday night SEC
contest broadcast live on ESPN
. Through much of the first half it appeared as though Mississippi State was up to the daunting task of challenging the Tigers, then the #2-ranked
team in the country behind only USC
, as MSU clung to a 3–0 deficit until the end of the second quarter, when LSU scored 14 points in the last six minutes of the first half, opening the door for the Tigers to cruise to the final 45–0 margin.
LSU K
Colt David warmed up the scoreboard for the Tigers' offense with a 27-yard field goal with 6:28 remaining in the first quarter. Tigers' RB
Keiland Williams
would score twice in the second quarter on one-yard runs with 5:52, then 0:00 on the clock to push LSU's lead to 17–0 at the half. In the third quarter, the Tigers' distanced themselves with two eleven-yard touchdown passes from QB
Matt Flynn to WR
Early Doucet
(12:53) and RB
Charles Scott (2:09), bringing the score to 31–0 to start the fourth quarter. LSU backup QB
Ryan Perriloux sealed the Tigers' victory in the fourth quarter with a three-yard touchdown scramble (8:20), followed by a 15-yard touchdown pass to WR
Brandon LaFell
(5:45).
LSU's dominance included earning 22 first downs to MSU's 9 and yielding MSU just ten rushing yards on 26 carries. LSU FB
Jacob Hester
led the Tigers with 14 carries for 72 yards (4.9 yards per carry), while Early Doucet
paced LSU's passing attack with 9 catches for 78 yards, including the 11-yard touchdown strike he caught in the third quarter; he was the only LSU receiver to catch more than one pass. For MSU, RB
Anthony Dixon led the Bulldogs on the ground with just 29 yards on 13 carries (2.2 average). RB
Arnil Stallworth led MSU with only 3 pass receptions for 33 yards.
LSU starting QB
Matt Flynn paced his team's offense by completing 12 of 19 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns and rushing 11 times for 42 yards. Ryan Perriloux ran the Tigers' offense well in relief duty, completing 2 of 3 passes for 21 yards and a touchdown and running 3 times for 12 yards and another score. For MSU, QB
Michael Henig
completed just 11 of 28 passes on his way to a school record-tying six interception-performance. He was sacked
three times for a cumulative loss of 30 yards.
Defensively, LSU LB
Ali Highsmith led the Tigers with eight total tackles. Tigers' S Craig Steltz
returned three of MSU's six interceptions a total of 100 yards. MSU LB
Dominic Douglas led all tacklers with nine total, in his first career game with the Bulldogs.
Second ranked LSU played Middle Tennessee State in front of a sold out crowd in Tiger Stadium
. Head coach Les Miles didn't play starting QB Matt Flynn
because of an ankle injury he suffered during the week, and to rest him for next weeks game at home against the South Carolina Gamecocks
. Instead he started Sophomore Ryan Perrilloux
who threw 20–26 passing for 298 passing yards to help lead LSU to a 44–0 win against MTSU. Senior WR Early Doucet
didn't play to rest for next weeks game as well. LSU held Middle Tennessee to a total of 90 yards on offense. LSU only allowed 9 yards rushing in the game against the same MTSU team that put up 264 yards of total rushing against Louisville
the week before. LSU won the game 44–0.
# 14 South Carolina, coached by Steve Spurrier
, came into Tiger Stadium on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The game, broadcast nationally by CBS
, was messy due to the wet conditions, and South Carolina took an early 7–0 lead. LSU responded by scoring two unanswered touchdowns to make it 14–7. LSU again drove down into South Carolina territory but the drive stalled and the Tigers lined up to kick a field goal. The kick was a fake, perfectly executed by QB Matt Flynn
and K Colt David, which saw David take an over-the-head no look toss from Flynn into the end zone for a touchdown. The play would go on to be selected as the ESPN/Pontiac Game Changing Performance for week 4 of the 2007 season. South Carolina would score again late in the fourth quarter but it wasn't enough and the Tigers won the game 28–16.
LSU played Tulane in a recently renewed rivalry that stretches all the way back to LSU's first football game in 1893. Even though the game was played at the Louisiana Superdome
, Tulane's home stadium, it was a virtual home game for LSU considering it is only approximately 80 miles (128.7 km) away from Baton Rouge. The Tigers started out slow and Tulane took a 9–7 lead late in the first half. LSU would score a field goal to go into halftime with a 10–9 lead. The second half saw the Tigers pull away from the Green Wave
and LSU won the game 34–9.
LSU and Tulane both wore special uniforms designed by Nike
to honor Hurricane Katrina
victims. The new designs will be sold at stores throughout the city and proceeds will benefit Nike’s Let Me Play New Orleans fund to help rebuild New Orleans through Sport. LSU's uniforms consisted of white pants and a purple jersey and a white helmet. This is only the second time in history that LSU has worn a white helmet. The other time came in the 1997 Independence Bowl
against Notre Dame
.
The LSU victory, along with Southern California
's close game with Washington
, pushed LSU to the No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll
, with 1,593 points and 33 first-place votes just over Southern California's 1,591 points and 32 first-place votes; however the Trojans remained No. 1 in the Coaches Poll
, keeping a more substantial lead: 1,483 points and 45 first-place votes to LSU's 1,454 points and 14 first-place votes.
.
In preparation for the matchup, CBS
staged The Early Show
from the LSU campus on the Friday morning before the game. ESPN
also chose LSU as the site for College GameDay. It was the second time in the 2007 season that ESPN College GameDay was broadcast from LSU.
The Gators took an early lead by kicking a field goal on their first drive. Two drives later, the Gators mounted a 12-play drive that culminated in a Tim Tebow
two-yard pass to Kestahn Moore to put the Gators up by ten. LSU immediately countered with a long drive of their own, going 80 yards in 16 plays, scoring on a Ryan Perrilloux
option play to cut the Gator lead to 10–7. The Gators marched down the field again and scored on a Tebow run to put their lead back at 10 with 2:23 to play in the first half. LSU moved the ball right before the half, but kicker Colt David missed a 43-yard field goal.
In the second half, LSU took the ensuing drive but were stopped by the Gator defense. Appearing to kick another long field goal, LSU instead ran a brilliant fake with the holder—quarterback Matt Flynn—who scooted eight yards for the first down. The Tigers scored on a Keiland Williams
run shortly thereafter.
The Gators answered the LSU drive with a quick 3-play drive to score on a 37-yard Tebow pass to Cornelius Ingram
. Craig Steltz missed an assignment on the play which left Ingram wide open on the post pattern. Florida started the fourth quarter with a 24–14 lead.
However, the Tigers were not to be denied. After missing another relatively short field goal, LSU took advantage of an errant pass by Tim Tebow which hit Ingram in the helmet. The Tigers drove down the field, and Flynn hit Demetrius Byrd
for a 3 yard touchdown to cut the Gator lead to 3.
On the final LSU drive, the Tigers converted several fourth down plays, including one by Jacob Hester
where he made a great second effort to surge ahead to just get the first down. Hester scored a short touchdown with 1:06 to play in the game, giving the Tigers a 28–24 lead.
On the final drive, Florida gained 30 yards, but a Hail Mary pass
as time expired was batted down by Chad Jones, sealing the LSU victory.
Much of the hype during game week concerned the fate of starting safety and captain, Tony Joiner, who was arrested earlier in the week for what was later termed a "misunderstanding." The owner of the towing company where Joiner was arrested was quoted as having received over 200 calls from Florida fans, several of them death threats to him and his family. Joiner played but did not start the game.
found Montez Billings. A 46 yard screen pass to Keiland Williams
for a TD tied it, but Auburn took a 17–7 lead into halftime when LSU backup quarterback Ryan Perrilloux
fumbled, and Carl Stewart ran for a one yard touchdown after LSU's Trindon Holliday
had saved a touchdown. Wes Bynum's field goal capped the first half scoring. Two Colt David field goals pulled LSU within four before Matt Flynn
hit Jacob Hester
on a five yard screen and David kicked another field goal to put LSU on top 23–17. But, Auburn wasn't done, as they drove down the field and scored a touchdown. LSU had 3:13 left, and they put themselves in good position to kick a game winning field goal on Auburn's 22 yard line. However, with a chance to make the kick and a timeout, LSU coach Les Miles
chose to gamble (as he has so often during the year) and go for a touchdown. It turned out as he planned however, as LSU won on Matt Flinn's 22 yard pass to Demetrius Byrd
. Miles later said he thought he had plenty of time, and reviews of the play verified that the pass was caught with 4 seconds remaining, but the clock ran until the referee signaled TD with 1 second remaining. Under NCAA rules, the clock keeper allows the clock to run when a reception is made in the endzone until a signal is given by the endzone referee. Had the ball been incomplete, the clock keeper would have stopped the clock immediately upon the ball hitting the ground. This likely would have left LSU with 3–4 seconds on the clock and a chance to run another play. Ignorance of this rule is often a factor in criticisms of this play call.
's new Alabama team faced an LSU team that feature several players Saban himself had recruited during his tenure in Baton Rouge
, the Tide found itself in an SEC shootout. Alabama struck first with an early Leigh Tiffin
field goal. However, the Tigers then scored 17 unanswered points, and it appeared that the game could have been a blowout. Unfortunately for LSU though, Bama wasn't finished yet. They scored 17 points in the second quarter, and the Crimson Tide led 20–17 at halftime. The third quarter saw no scoring until the last two minutes. With 1:19 left, Keith Brown caught a 14-yard touchdown pass to make the score 27–17. The Tigers quickly responded on their next drive when Matt Flynn threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Byrd
to bring the Tiger back to within 3 points of Bama. Then, with 11:21 left in the game, Colt David kicked a 49-yard field goal to tie it up 27–27. The Tide took the lead again when Javier Arenas returned a punt for a 61-yard touchdown. With 2:49 left, LSU was able to tie the game again. It appeared the game might go into overtime until John Parker Wilson
was hit in the backfield by Safety Chad Jones and fumbled the ball and LSU recovered on the Tide's 4-yard line. They then ran it in for a touchdown and won when Alabama was unable to respond. The Tigers had 475 total yards compared to Alabama's 254. Alabama was able to stay in the game thanks to 3 interceptions the defense was able to force and 130 yards in penalties that LSU accumulated. John Parker Wilson was 14 for 40 with 234 yards, 3 touchdowns, and an interception.
. They last met in the SECCG in 2001. LSU won that game over the favored Volunteers, eliminating them from a trip to the Rose Bowl for the National Championship. LSU last played in the SECCG in 2005, losing to Georgia. Tennessee last played in the SECCG in 2004, losing to Auburn. Matt Flynn was sidelined by injury, and the Tennessee defense delivered its best performance of the year, holding the Ryan Perrilloux-led Tigers to a season low 21 points. However, the LSU defense intercepted two passes from Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge
, including one late in the fourth quarter to secure the win. In the wake of this victory, LSU jumped from 7th to 2nd in the BCS standings and became the first two-loss team to play in the BCS National Championship Game
.
After coming out of a two loss season with a win in the SEC championship game, the LSU Tigers
took on the top ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and defeated them 38–24. This win made the LSU Tigers the first team to win two BCS National Championships.
On April 7, 2008, the 2007 LSU Tigers football team traveled to the White House
in Washington, D.C.
to meet U.S. President George W. Bush
.
Roster Source: http://www.lsusports.net/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=27812&SPID=2164&DB_OEM_ID=5200&SORT_ORDER=6&Q_SEASON=2007
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/2008.htm
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
during the college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season of 2007–2008, winning the Southeastern Conference
2007 SEC Championship Game
The 2007 SEC Championship Game was played on December 1, 2007 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game determined the 2007 football champion of the Southeastern Conference. The LSU Tigers, winners of the Western division of the SEC, defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, who won the Eastern...
championship and the national championship. The team's Head Coach was Les Miles
Les Miles
Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State...
who entered his third year at the helm of LSU Football. They were led on the field by senior quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Matt Flynn and senior defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey
Glenn Dorsey
-Kansas City Chiefs:Dorsey was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs fifth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. On July 26, 2008, he signed a five-year, $51 million contract with $23 million guaranteed....
, a two-time All-American
2007 College Football All-America Team
The 2007 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
and winner of the multiple national trophies or awards. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium
Tiger Stadium (LSU)
Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is best known as the home stadium of the Louisiana State University football team.Tiger Stadium opened with a capacity of 12,000 in 1924...
in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
The team overcame two triple-overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
losses and four other close games to become the first two-time Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
(BCS) champion ever. On their way to the BCS championship, the Tigers won their tenth Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
championship by defeating Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
in the 2007 SEC Championship Game
2007 SEC Championship Game
The 2007 SEC Championship Game was played on December 1, 2007 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game determined the 2007 football champion of the Southeastern Conference. The LSU Tigers, winners of the Western division of the SEC, defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, who won the Eastern...
.
The Tigers finished the season having earned the Southeastern Conference championship trophy, the Grantland Rice Award
Grantland Rice Award
The Grantland Rice Trophy is an annual award presented in the United States since 1954 to the college football team adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America to be "national champion". Named for the legendary sportswriter, Grantland Rice, the trophy was the first national...
, the MacArthur Trophy
MacArthur Trophy
The MacArthur Trophy is a trophy awarded annually by the National Football Foundation to the NCAA Division I-FBS college football team or teams determined to be the national champion. There is only one trophy itself, much like the Stanley Cup, and it is kept by the winning institution for one year...
, the Associated Press Trophy and the AFCA National Championship Trophy
AFCA National Championship Trophy
The AFCA National Championship Trophy is the trophy awarded by the American Football Coaches Association to the winner of college football's BCS National Championship Game, which determines the national champion for purposes of the Coaches Poll...
.
In a salute to the championship team during his January 14, 2008 inauguration speech, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal
Bobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
stated in part "...They revere our athletes. Go Tigers...."
Previous season
In his second season as head coach, Les Miles had another terrific year leading the Tigers to back-to-back 11 win seasons. The Tigers finished 20062006 LSU Tigers football team
The 2006 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2006–2007. The team's coach was former Oklahoma State coach Les Miles. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
with a record of 11–2 (6–2 SEC) and were invited to the 2007 Allstate Sugar Bowl
2007 Sugar Bowl
The 2007 Allstate Sugar Bowl Game was a college football bowl game, which formed part of the 2006–2007 Bowl Championship Series of the 2006 NCAA Division I-BS football season. Played on January 3, 2007, in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, it was the 73rd Sugar Bowl...
to play Notre Dame
2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was a college football team which represented the University of Notre Dame during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis in his second year as head coach and played their home football games at Notre Dame...
. The Tigers went on defeat Notre Dame 41–14 to cap a 7 game win streak to end the season. The Tigers headed into the off-season with higher hopes for the 2007 Season.
Pre-season
LSU was ranked No. 2 in the preseason USA Today Coaches PollCoaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
and the preseason AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
.
In the pre-season, returning quarterback Matt Flynn was named one of the top-10 impact seniors for 2007. Senior tailback Alley Broussard left the team on July 24 to concentrate on academics. Broussard had started eight games, but was not expected to start in 2007.
Coaching changes
- Jimbo FisherJimbo FisherJohn James "Jimbo" Fisher is an American college football coach and former player. He is currently head coach at Florida State University....
decided to leave LSU after seven years as the offensive coordinator to take the same position at FSUFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, where he was designated as the eventual successor to head coach Bobby BowdenBobby BowdenRobert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
. He was replaced by Gary CrowtonGary Crowton-External links:* *...
who was the offensive coordinator for OregonOregon Ducks footballThe Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
in 2005 & 2006. - Todd Monken, who came to LSU with Les Miles in 2005, decided to leave after just two years as the passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach. It is rumored that Monken was unhappy that he was not chosen as the OC. He was replaced by D.J. McCarthy.
- Stacey Searles, the offensive line coach, was replaced by Greg Studrawa who had been the offensive coordinator at Bowling Green the previous four years. Searles left LSU to take the same position at GeorgiaUniversity of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
.
2007 recruiting class
LSU signed a total of 26 players for the 2007 recruiting class. The 2007 class is another solid recruiting class for Les MilesLes Miles
Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State...
and the LSU Football program. The class is headlined by safety Chad Jones, wide receivers Demetrius Byrd and Terrance Tolliver, quarterback Jarrett Lee
Jarrett Lee
Calen Jarrett Lee is an American football quarterback. He currently attends Louisiana State University where he is the starting quarterback...
, and defensive tackle Joseph Barksdale. LSU did miss out Joe McKnight
Joe McKnight
Joe McKnight is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Jets...
, the top recruit out of Louisiana who decided to commit to USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
instead. Overall the 2007 LSU recruiting class was ranked No. 4 by rivals.com and No. 5 by scout.com.
Key losses
- Dwayne BoweDwayne Bowe-2007:On August 5, 2007, Bowe signed a five-year contract with the Chiefs, after holding out the first week of practice at training camp.Bowe scored his first NFL touchdown on a pass from Damon Huard in the first half of the Chiefs' game against the Chicago Bears on September 16, 2007.In his rookie...
, WR, First round Draft Pick - Craig Davis, WR, First round Draft Pick
- LaRon LandryLaRon LandryLaRon Louis Landry is an American football strong safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Redskins sixth overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State...
, S, First round Draft Pick - JaMarcus RussellJaMarcus RussellJaMarcus Trenell Russell is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. Russell played college football for the LSU Tigers where he finished 21–4 as a starter and was named MVP of the 2007 Sugar Bowl. The Oakland Raiders selected Russell with the first overall pick of the 2007...
, QB, First Overall Draft Pick - Justin VincentJustin VincentJustin Vincent is a former American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, RB, 2003 SEC Championship & Sugar Bowl MVP
Schedule
The schedule was ranked as the No. 3 toughest home schedule.Rankings
| Poll | Pre | 9/4 | 9/9 | 9/16 | 9/23 | 9/30 | 10/7 | 10/14 | 10/21 | 10/28 | 11/4 | 11/11 | 11/18 | 11/25 | 12/2 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP AP Poll The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation... |
No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 1 | No. 1 | No. 5 | No. 3 | No. 3 | No. 2 | No. 1 | No. 1 | No. 5 | No. 2 | No. 1 |
| Coaches Coaches Poll The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams.... |
No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 1 | No. 5 | No. 3 | No. 3 | No. 2 | No. 1 | No. 1 | No. 7 | No. 2 | No. 1 |
| Harris Harris Interactive College Football Poll The Harris Interactive College Football Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football teams. The rankings are compiled by Harris Interactive, a market research company that specializes in Internet research.... |
Not released | No. 2 | No. 2 | No. 1 | No. 5 | No. 3 | No. 3 | No. 2 | No. 1 | No. 1 | No. 5 | No. 2 | N/A | |||
| BCS Bowl Championship Series The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of... |
Not released | No. 4 | No. 3 | No. 3 | No. 2 | No. 1 | No. 1 | No. 7 | No. 2 | N/A | ||||||
Mississippi State
LSU and Mississippi State kicked off the 2007 college football season2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
in a Thursday night SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
contest broadcast live on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. Through much of the first half it appeared as though Mississippi State was up to the daunting task of challenging the Tigers, then the #2-ranked
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
Three polls and one formulaic ranking make up the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a National Championship title. That title is bestowed by one or more...
team in the country behind only USC
2007 USC Trojans football team
The 2007 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2007–2008, winning a share of the Pacific-10 Conference Championship and winning the 2008 Rose Bowl...
, as MSU clung to a 3–0 deficit until the end of the second quarter, when LSU scored 14 points in the last six minutes of the first half, opening the door for the Tigers to cruise to the final 45–0 margin.
LSU K
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Colt David warmed up the scoreboard for the Tigers' offense with a 27-yard field goal with 6:28 remaining in the first quarter. Tigers' RB
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Keiland Williams
Keiland Williams
Keiland Terrell Williams is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
would score twice in the second quarter on one-yard runs with 5:52, then 0:00 on the clock to push LSU's lead to 17–0 at the half. In the third quarter, the Tigers' distanced themselves with two eleven-yard touchdown passes from QB
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Matt Flynn to WR
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Early Doucet
Early Doucet
Early Joseph Doucet, III is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State.-Early years:Early Doucet prepped at St. Martinville...
(12:53) and RB
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Charles Scott (2:09), bringing the score to 31–0 to start the fourth quarter. LSU backup QB
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Ryan Perriloux sealed the Tigers' victory in the fourth quarter with a three-yard touchdown scramble (8:20), followed by a 15-yard touchdown pass to WR
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Brandon LaFell
Brandon LaFell
Brandon LaFell is a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was selected with the 78th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
(5:45).
LSU's dominance included earning 22 first downs to MSU's 9 and yielding MSU just ten rushing yards on 26 carries. LSU FB
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Jacob Hester
Jacob Hester
Jacob Troy Hester is a fullback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
led the Tigers with 14 carries for 72 yards (4.9 yards per carry), while Early Doucet
Early Doucet
Early Joseph Doucet, III is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State.-Early years:Early Doucet prepped at St. Martinville...
paced LSU's passing attack with 9 catches for 78 yards, including the 11-yard touchdown strike he caught in the third quarter; he was the only LSU receiver to catch more than one pass. For MSU, RB
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Anthony Dixon led the Bulldogs on the ground with just 29 yards on 13 carries (2.2 average). RB
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Arnil Stallworth led MSU with only 3 pass receptions for 33 yards.
LSU starting QB
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Matt Flynn paced his team's offense by completing 12 of 19 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns and rushing 11 times for 42 yards. Ryan Perriloux ran the Tigers' offense well in relief duty, completing 2 of 3 passes for 21 yards and a touchdown and running 3 times for 12 yards and another score. For MSU, QB
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Michael Henig
Michael Henig
Michael David Henig, Jr. was an American football quarterback. Henig served as backup to Omarr Conner earlier in his career before assuming the starting role late in 2005. His 2006 season was marked by injuries, but he was the MSU starting quarterback for 2007...
completed just 11 of 28 passes on his way to a school record-tying six interception-performance. He was sacked
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
three times for a cumulative loss of 30 yards.
Defensively, LSU LB
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Ali Highsmith led the Tigers with eight total tackles. Tigers' S Craig Steltz
Craig Steltz
Craig Joseph Steltz is an American football safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University....
returned three of MSU's six interceptions a total of 100 yards. MSU LB
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Dominic Douglas led all tacklers with nine total, in his first career game with the Bulldogs.
Virginia Tech
The ESPN College GameDay crew was in Baton Rouge, LA for this important non-conference matchup between two top-10 teams. LSU entered the game ranked No. 2 while Virginia Tech was ranked #9. With both teams having excellent defenses the game was expected to be a low scoring affair. LSU, however, on their first possession drove the ball 80+ yards for a touchdown. The next time they got the ball they did the same thing. LSU continued to shock the Virginia Tech defense all night as it racked up 48 points to eventually win the game 48–7.Middle Tennessee State
Tiger Stadium (LSU)
Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is best known as the home stadium of the Louisiana State University football team.Tiger Stadium opened with a capacity of 12,000 in 1924...
. Head coach Les Miles didn't play starting QB Matt Flynn
Matt Flynn
Matthew Clayton Flynn is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.-Early years:...
because of an ankle injury he suffered during the week, and to rest him for next weeks game at home against the South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks
The University of South Carolina's 19 varsity sports teams are known as the "Gamecocks". The unique moniker is held in honor of Thomas Sumter, a South Carolina war hero who was given the name "The Carolina Gamecock" during the American Revolution for his fierce fighting tactics, regardless of his...
. Instead he started Sophomore Ryan Perrilloux
Ryan Perrilloux
Ryan Anthony Perrilloux is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a street free agent in 2010. He played college football at Jacksonville State.He previously played college football for the LSU Tigers...
who threw 20–26 passing for 298 passing yards to help lead LSU to a 44–0 win against MTSU. Senior WR Early Doucet
Early Doucet
Early Joseph Doucet, III is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State.-Early years:Early Doucet prepped at St. Martinville...
didn't play to rest for next weeks game as well. LSU held Middle Tennessee to a total of 90 yards on offense. LSU only allowed 9 yards rushing in the game against the same MTSU team that put up 264 yards of total rushing against Louisville
2007 Louisville Cardinals football team
The 2007 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2007 college football season. The team, led by Steve Kragthorpe in his first year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and were in their third year in the Big East...
the week before. LSU won the game 44–0.
South Carolina
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
, came into Tiger Stadium on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The game, broadcast nationally by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, was messy due to the wet conditions, and South Carolina took an early 7–0 lead. LSU responded by scoring two unanswered touchdowns to make it 14–7. LSU again drove down into South Carolina territory but the drive stalled and the Tigers lined up to kick a field goal. The kick was a fake, perfectly executed by QB Matt Flynn
Matt Flynn
Matthew Clayton Flynn is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.-Early years:...
and K Colt David, which saw David take an over-the-head no look toss from Flynn into the end zone for a touchdown. The play would go on to be selected as the ESPN/Pontiac Game Changing Performance for week 4 of the 2007 season. South Carolina would score again late in the fourth quarter but it wasn't enough and the Tigers won the game 28–16.
Tulane
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
, Tulane's home stadium, it was a virtual home game for LSU considering it is only approximately 80 miles (128.7 km) away from Baton Rouge. The Tigers started out slow and Tulane took a 9–7 lead late in the first half. LSU would score a field goal to go into halftime with a 10–9 lead. The second half saw the Tigers pull away from the Green Wave
Tulane Green Wave
Green Wave, the nickname of the sports teams of Tulane University, was adopted during the 1920 season, after a song titled The Rolling Green Wave was published in Tulane's student newspaper in 1920. From 1893 to 1919, the athletic teams of Tulane were known as the Olive and Blue for the official...
and LSU won the game 34–9.
LSU and Tulane both wore special uniforms designed by Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
to honor Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
victims. The new designs will be sold at stores throughout the city and proceeds will benefit Nike’s Let Me Play New Orleans fund to help rebuild New Orleans through Sport. LSU's uniforms consisted of white pants and a purple jersey and a white helmet. This is only the second time in history that LSU has worn a white helmet. The other time came in the 1997 Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
against Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
.
The LSU victory, along with Southern California
2007 USC Trojans football team
The 2007 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2007–2008, winning a share of the Pacific-10 Conference Championship and winning the 2008 Rose Bowl...
's close game with Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
, pushed LSU to the No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, with 1,593 points and 33 first-place votes just over Southern California's 1,591 points and 32 first-place votes; however the Trojans remained No. 1 in the Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
, keeping a more substantial lead: 1,483 points and 45 first-place votes to LSU's 1,454 points and 14 first-place votes.
Florida
In the pre-season, this game was named as one of candidates for the 10 most important games of 2007, with the 2006 contest having made a significant impact on determining the national championship (Florida finished #1, LSU #3); it would also serve as the first true road test for Gator's starting quarterback Tim TebowTim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
.
In preparation for the matchup, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
staged The Early Show
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
from the LSU campus on the Friday morning before the game. ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
also chose LSU as the site for College GameDay. It was the second time in the 2007 season that ESPN College GameDay was broadcast from LSU.
The Gators took an early lead by kicking a field goal on their first drive. Two drives later, the Gators mounted a 12-play drive that culminated in a Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
two-yard pass to Kestahn Moore to put the Gators up by ten. LSU immediately countered with a long drive of their own, going 80 yards in 16 plays, scoring on a Ryan Perrilloux
Ryan Perrilloux
Ryan Anthony Perrilloux is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a street free agent in 2010. He played college football at Jacksonville State.He previously played college football for the LSU Tigers...
option play to cut the Gator lead to 10–7. The Gators marched down the field again and scored on a Tebow run to put their lead back at 10 with 2:23 to play in the first half. LSU moved the ball right before the half, but kicker Colt David missed a 43-yard field goal.
In the second half, LSU took the ensuing drive but were stopped by the Gator defense. Appearing to kick another long field goal, LSU instead ran a brilliant fake with the holder—quarterback Matt Flynn—who scooted eight yards for the first down. The Tigers scored on a Keiland Williams
Keiland Williams
Keiland Terrell Williams is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
run shortly thereafter.
The Gators answered the LSU drive with a quick 3-play drive to score on a 37-yard Tebow pass to Cornelius Ingram
Cornelius Ingram
Cornelius Ingram is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He played college football and college basketball at Florida. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft and spent three seasons with the team, appearing in no regular season...
. Craig Steltz missed an assignment on the play which left Ingram wide open on the post pattern. Florida started the fourth quarter with a 24–14 lead.
However, the Tigers were not to be denied. After missing another relatively short field goal, LSU took advantage of an errant pass by Tim Tebow which hit Ingram in the helmet. The Tigers drove down the field, and Flynn hit Demetrius Byrd
Demetrius Byrd
Demetrius Byrd is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
for a 3 yard touchdown to cut the Gator lead to 3.
On the final LSU drive, the Tigers converted several fourth down plays, including one by Jacob Hester
Jacob Hester
Jacob Troy Hester is a fullback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
where he made a great second effort to surge ahead to just get the first down. Hester scored a short touchdown with 1:06 to play in the game, giving the Tigers a 28–24 lead.
On the final drive, Florida gained 30 yards, but a Hail Mary pass
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
as time expired was batted down by Chad Jones, sealing the LSU victory.
Much of the hype during game week concerned the fate of starting safety and captain, Tony Joiner, who was arrested earlier in the week for what was later termed a "misunderstanding." The owner of the towing company where Joiner was arrested was quoted as having received over 200 calls from Florida fans, several of them death threats to him and his family. Joiner played but did not start the game.
Kentucky
After suffering their first loss of the season to No. 17 Kentucky, LSU fell to No. 5 in the polls. LSU blew a 13 point lead in the 3rd quarter.Auburn
One week after their brutal triple overtime loss to Kentucky, LSU returned home for another tough matchup: number 17 Auburn. Auburn jumped out to an early 7–0 lead when Brandon CoxBrandon Cox
Brandon Cox , is a former American football quarterback, who played collegiately for Auburn University...
found Montez Billings. A 46 yard screen pass to Keiland Williams
Keiland Williams
Keiland Terrell Williams is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
for a TD tied it, but Auburn took a 17–7 lead into halftime when LSU backup quarterback Ryan Perrilloux
Ryan Perrilloux
Ryan Anthony Perrilloux is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a street free agent in 2010. He played college football at Jacksonville State.He previously played college football for the LSU Tigers...
fumbled, and Carl Stewart ran for a one yard touchdown after LSU's Trindon Holliday
Trindon Holliday
Trindon Holliday is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
had saved a touchdown. Wes Bynum's field goal capped the first half scoring. Two Colt David field goals pulled LSU within four before Matt Flynn
Matt Flynn
Matthew Clayton Flynn is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.-Early years:...
hit Jacob Hester
Jacob Hester
Jacob Troy Hester is a fullback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
on a five yard screen and David kicked another field goal to put LSU on top 23–17. But, Auburn wasn't done, as they drove down the field and scored a touchdown. LSU had 3:13 left, and they put themselves in good position to kick a game winning field goal on Auburn's 22 yard line. However, with a chance to make the kick and a timeout, LSU coach Les Miles
Les Miles
Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State...
chose to gamble (as he has so often during the year) and go for a touchdown. It turned out as he planned however, as LSU won on Matt Flinn's 22 yard pass to Demetrius Byrd
Demetrius Byrd
Demetrius Byrd is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
. Miles later said he thought he had plenty of time, and reviews of the play verified that the pass was caught with 4 seconds remaining, but the clock ran until the referee signaled TD with 1 second remaining. Under NCAA rules, the clock keeper allows the clock to run when a reception is made in the endzone until a signal is given by the endzone referee. Had the ball been incomplete, the clock keeper would have stopped the clock immediately upon the ball hitting the ground. This likely would have left LSU with 3–4 seconds on the clock and a chance to run another play. Ignorance of this rule is often a factor in criticisms of this play call.
Alabama
In the game dubbed "Saban Bowl I," in which Nick SabanNick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
's new Alabama team faced an LSU team that feature several players Saban himself had recruited during his tenure in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, the Tide found itself in an SEC shootout. Alabama struck first with an early Leigh Tiffin
Leigh Tiffin
Van Leigh Tiffin is an American football kicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
field goal. However, the Tigers then scored 17 unanswered points, and it appeared that the game could have been a blowout. Unfortunately for LSU though, Bama wasn't finished yet. They scored 17 points in the second quarter, and the Crimson Tide led 20–17 at halftime. The third quarter saw no scoring until the last two minutes. With 1:19 left, Keith Brown caught a 14-yard touchdown pass to make the score 27–17. The Tigers quickly responded on their next drive when Matt Flynn threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Byrd
Demetrius Byrd
Demetrius Byrd is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
to bring the Tiger back to within 3 points of Bama. Then, with 11:21 left in the game, Colt David kicked a 49-yard field goal to tie it up 27–27. The Tide took the lead again when Javier Arenas returned a punt for a 61-yard touchdown. With 2:49 left, LSU was able to tie the game again. It appeared the game might go into overtime until John Parker Wilson
John Parker Wilson
John Parker Wilson is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. college football at the University of Alabama, he went undrafted during the 2009 NFL Draft, before signing with the Falcons as a free agent.-Freshman:After leading Hoover High School to...
was hit in the backfield by Safety Chad Jones and fumbled the ball and LSU recovered on the Tide's 4-yard line. They then ran it in for a touchdown and won when Alabama was unable to respond. The Tigers had 475 total yards compared to Alabama's 254. Alabama was able to stay in the game thanks to 3 interceptions the defense was able to force and 130 yards in penalties that LSU accumulated. John Parker Wilson was 14 for 40 with 234 yards, 3 touchdowns, and an interception.
Louisiana Tech
Ole Miss
Arkansas
After coming off of a win against Ole' Miss, the once again No. 1 ranked LSU Tigers lost again in a triple overtime battle against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The loss dropped them back to No. 7 and the loss also jeopardized their chances of getting into the BCS National Championship.SEC Championship Game: Tennessee
Tennessee and LSU faced off in the SEC Championship GameSEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
. They last met in the SECCG in 2001. LSU won that game over the favored Volunteers, eliminating them from a trip to the Rose Bowl for the National Championship. LSU last played in the SECCG in 2005, losing to Georgia. Tennessee last played in the SECCG in 2004, losing to Auburn. Matt Flynn was sidelined by injury, and the Tennessee defense delivered its best performance of the year, holding the Ryan Perrilloux-led Tigers to a season low 21 points. However, the LSU defense intercepted two passes from Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge
Erik Ainge
Erik Douglas Ainge is a retired American football quarterback formerly of the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, including one late in the fourth quarter to secure the win. In the wake of this victory, LSU jumped from 7th to 2nd in the BCS standings and became the first two-loss team to play in the BCS National Championship Game
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
.
2008 Allstate BCS National Championship Game
LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers are the athletic teams of Louisiana State University. They participate in the NCAA's Division I, in the Southeastern Conference. It fields teams in 14 varsity sports . Its official team nickname is the Fighting Tigers and the school mascot is Mike the Tiger...
took on the top ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and defeated them 38–24. This win made the LSU Tigers the first team to win two BCS National Championships.
2007 Football honors
| Player | Honors |
|---|---|
| Darry Beckwith Darry Beckwith Darry Douglas Beckwith, Jr. is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2009... |
First Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) |
| Ciron Black Ciron Black -Early years:A native of Tyler, Texas, Black attended Robert E. Lee High School, where he was a teammate of Matt Flynn. As a senior, Black averaged four pancake blocks per game and was named first-team 5A all-state in Texas.... |
Second Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) |
| Colt David | First Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) |
| Glenn Dorsey Glenn Dorsey -Kansas City Chiefs:Dorsey was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs fifth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. On July 26, 2008, he signed a five-year, $51 million contract with $23 million guaranteed.... |
Outland Trophy Outland Trophy The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in... Winner Lombardi Award Lombardi Award The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which... Winner Lott Trophy Lott Trophy The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT is an acronym for: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as... Winner Nagurski Trophy Bronko Nagurski Trophy The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte... Winner Bednarik Award Finalist First-Team All-American (AP, AFCA, FWAA, Walter Camp Foundation, ESPN, CBSSports.com, CNNSI.com, Rivals.com, Sporting News) SEC Defensive Player of the Year (SEC Coaches) First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week (Sept. 22 vs. South Carolina) SEC Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 3 vs. Alabama) SEC Community Service Team Player of the Week (Nov. 3 vs. Alabama) |
| Patrick Fisher | First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) |
| Matt Flynn | SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 20 vs. Auburn) 2008 BCS National Championship Game 2008 BCS National Championship Game The 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship Game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 7, 2008, and featured the #1 and #2 college football teams in the United States as determined by the BCS Poll to decide the BCS National Championship for the 2007... Offensive MVP |
| Jacob Hester Jacob Hester Jacob Troy Hester is a fullback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft... |
Second-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 6 vs. Florida) Sporting News Player of the Week (Oct. 6 vs. Florida) |
| Ali Highsmith Ali Highsmith Arlington Louis "Ali" Highsmith is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2008... |
First-Team All-American (CBSSports.com) Second-Team All-American (AP) Honorable Mention All-American (CNNSI.com) First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) Senior Bowl Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium... South Team Defensive MVP |
| Trindon Holliday Trindon Holliday Trindon Holliday is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft... |
SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (Nov. 17 vs. Ole Miss) |
| Chevis Jackson Chevis Jackson Chevis Dauro Jackson is an American football cornerback he is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft... |
Honorable Mention All-American (CNNSI.com) First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) |
| Ricky Jean-Francois Ricky Jean-Francois Ricky Barkley Jean-Francois is a professional American football nose tackle for the San Francisco 49ers. He played collegiately at Louisiana State.-College career:... |
2008 BCS National Championship Game 2008 BCS National Championship Game The 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship Game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 7, 2008, and featured the #1 and #2 college football teams in the United States as determined by the BCS Poll to decide the BCS National Championship for the 2007... Defensive MVP |
| Herman Johnson Herman Johnson Herman Johnson is an American football guard who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) |
| Chad Jones Chad Jones (American football) Chad D'Orsey Jones is an American football safety for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football and college baseball at Louisiana State.-Early years:Jones attended St... |
First-Team Freshman All-American (Sporting News) Honorable Mention Freshman All-American (CollegeFootballNews.com) Freshman All-SEC (Coaches, Rivals.com) |
| Ryan Perrilloux Ryan Perrilloux Ryan Anthony Perrilloux is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was signed by the Hartford Colonials as a street free agent in 2010. He played college football at Jacksonville State.He previously played college football for the LSU Tigers... |
SEC Championship Game 2007 SEC Championship Game The 2007 SEC Championship Game was played on December 1, 2007 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game determined the 2007 football champion of the Southeastern Conference. The LSU Tigers, winners of the Western division of the SEC, defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, who won the Eastern... MVP |
| Kirston Pittman Kirston Pittman Kirston Jarre Pittman is an American football defensive end who is currently a member of the New Orleans VooDoo. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Louisiana State.-Early years:A a senior at East St... |
SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week (Sept. 8 vs. Virginia Tech) |
| Craig Steltz Craig Steltz Craig Joseph Steltz is an American football safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University.... |
Thorpe Award Finalist First-Team All-American (AP, Walter Camp Foundation, ESPN, CBSSports.com, CNNSI.com, Rivals.com) First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) Louisiana Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 30 at Mississippi State) SEC Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 17 vs. Ole Miss) |
| Terrance Toliver Terrance Toliver Terrence Lee Toliver is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Houston Texans in 2011. He played college football for the LSU Tigers. He was LSU's leading receiver in 2010 and was selected as the... |
Honorable Mention Freshman All-American (Sporting News) Freshman All-SEC (Coaches, Rivals.com) |
| Keiland Williams Keiland Williams Keiland Terrell Williams is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010... |
Louisiana Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 8 vs. Virginia Tech) |
White House visit
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to meet U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Roster
Wide Receivers
Offensive Lineman
Center
Tight End
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Quarterback
Running Back
Fullback
Defensive Lineman
Defensive End
Defensive Backs
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Defensive Tackles
Cornerbacks
Linebackers
Safety
Long Snappers
Kickers/Punters
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Roster Source: http://www.lsusports.net/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=27812&SPID=2164&DB_OEM_ID=5200&SORT_ORDER=6&Q_SEASON=2007
Coaching staff
| Name | Title | First Year at LSU | Alma Mater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Les Miles Les Miles Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State... |
Head Coach | 2005 | Michigan University of Michigan The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan... (1976) |
| Gary Crowton Gary Crowton -External links:* *... |
Offensive Coordinator | 2007 | BYU Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... (1983) |
| Bo Pelini Bo Pelini Mark "Bo" Pelini is the head football coach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He had previously been defensive coordinator for the LSU Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers... |
Defensive Coordinator | 2005 | Ohio State (1990) |
| Josh Henson | Tight Ends Coach/Recruiting Coordinator | 2005 | Oklahoma State (1998) |
| Earl Lane | Defensive Line Coach | 2006 | Northwood Northwood University Northwood University is a private university with multiple locations. The school has four residential campuses: Midland, Michigan , Cedar Hill, Texas , West Palm Beach, Florida and a joint program with Hotel Institute Montreux in Montreux, Switzerland, began in 2001... |
| Doug Mallory | Defensive Backs Coach | 2005 | Michigan University of Michigan The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan... (1988) |
| D.J. McCarthy | Wide Receivers Coach | 2007 | Washington University of Washington University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University... (1994) |
| Bradley Dale Peveto | Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers Coach | 2005 | SMU Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church... (1987) |
| Larry Porter Larry Porter Larry Porter is the former head coach of the Memphis Tigers football team. Porter was named the new head football coach at the University of Memphis on November 29, 2009... |
Asst. Head Coach/Running Backs/Special Teams | 2005 | Memphis University of Memphis The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system.... (1996) |
| Greg Studrawa | Offensive Line Coach | 2007 | Bowling Green (1987) |
| Tommy Moffitt | Strength & Conditioning Coordinator | 2000 | Tennessee Tech (1986) |
LSU Tigers in the 2008 National Football League Draft
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | Overall | NFL Team |
| Glenn Dorsey Glenn Dorsey -Kansas City Chiefs:Dorsey was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs fifth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. On July 26, 2008, he signed a five-year, $51 million contract with $23 million guaranteed.... |
Defensive Tackle | 1 | 5 | 5 | Kansas City Chiefs 2008 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2008 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 49th season, and third with head coach Herman Edwards at the helm. The Chiefs failed to improve on their 4-12 record from 2007 with the youngest team in the NFL as part of their "youth movement." The season turned out to be the worst in the... |
| Chevis Jackson Chevis Jackson Chevis Dauro Jackson is an American football cornerback he is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft... |
Defensive Back | 3 | 5 | 68 | Atlanta Falcons 2008 Atlanta Falcons season The 2008 Atlanta Falcons season was the 43rd season for the team in the National Football League. Overcoming a disappointing 4-12 record, quarterback Michael Vick's dog fighting scandal and head coach Bobby Petrino's abrupt resignation in 2007, the Falcons, who were expected to be in a rebuilding... |
| Jacob Hester Jacob Hester Jacob Troy Hester is a fullback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft... |
Running Back | 3 | 6 | 69 | San Diego Chargers 2008 San Diego Chargers season The 2008 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 49th overall season and their 39th in the NFL. While they completed the regular season with only an 8–8 record, they nonetheless captured their third consecutive AFC West championship... |
| Early Doucet Early Doucet Early Joseph Doucet, III is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State.-Early years:Early Doucet prepped at St. Martinville... |
Wide Receiver | 3 | 16 | 81 | Arizona Cardinals 2008 Arizona Cardinals season The 2008 Arizona Cardinals season was the 89th season for the team in the National Football League and their 21st season in Arizona. The season marked the Cardinals' first-ever Super Bowl appearance, coming as a result of their victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship.The... |
| Craig Steltz Craig Steltz Craig Joseph Steltz is an American football safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University.... |
Safety | 4 | 21 | 120 | Chicago Bears 2008 Chicago Bears season The 2008 Chicago Bears season is the franchise's 89th regular season in the National Football League. They finished the 2008 season with a 9-7 record, improving upon their 7-9 record from the 2007 season... |
| Matt Flynn Matt Flynn Matthew Clayton Flynn is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers in the 7th round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.-Early years:... |
Quarterback | 7 | 2 | 209 | Green Bay Packers 2008 Green Bay Packers season The 2008 Green Bay Packers season was the 88th season in the National Football League for the Packers and their 90th overall. They looked to continue success after posting a 13-3 record in 2007, but finished the season with a losing 6-10 record and missed the playoffs.- 2008 NFL Draft :The Packers... |
| Keith Zinger Keith Zinger Keith Jackson Zinger is an American football tight end currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State... |
Tight End | 7 | 25 | 232 | Atlanta Falcons |
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/2008.htm