NEW ORLEANS — When it comes to the College Football Championship Games, LSU has made NOLA its home.
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome wasn't around in 1958 when LSU won its first national championship. Though the title was decided in November back in those days, Tulane Stadium hosted the Tigers' Sugar Bowl victory over...you guessed it...Clemson. You can't make this stuff up.
However, the last four national title game berths set in New Orleans all tell a vastly different story.
Nick's Natty
LSU fans waited a long forty-five years for their next chance at the national title. 2003 was sort of an out-of-the-blue season for the Tigers. Nick Saban's squad lost five games the previous year, and the team entered the season 15th in the Coaches Poll. Despite a hiccup loss to Florida at home, Matt Mauck helped lead the '03 team to an SEC Championship and a national title berth against Oklahoma, despite Pete Carroll prematurely crowning his team AP champions days before the game.
The 2004 Sugar Bowl had a bit of "lagniappe" attached to it from a fan standpoint. For me, as a redshirt academic senior in the stands, there was a bit of "happy to be there"...winning was double the thrill once Lionel Turner made the game-clinching sack. It was a fantasy for four decades up until that point.
Undefeated in Regulation
For most of 2007, LSU looked the part of a title contender: Thrilling wins over Florida, Auburn & Alabama; triple-overtime losses to Kentucky and "Ar-Kansas." That year's SEC Championship was in doubt as well, until the 4th quarter Jonathan Zenon pick-six. A two-loss season with help from late losses by West Virginia and Missouri put the Tigers in the title game.
If 2003 was "happy to be there"...2007 was downright "lucky to be there." Four years later, full circle. Les Miles' club took advantage of the opportunity, and won a third national title. This alum was happy to be in attendance.
The Game That Shall Not Be Mentioned
After the grueling 9-6 victory in the LSU-Bama Game of the Century in early November, I happened to be in Oxford, Mississippi on a Friday night watching the #2 Oklahoma State vs. Iowa State game on the square. The Cowboys missed a chance to clinch in regulation, and that's when I knew unbeaten LSU wasn't winning a national title because a Bama re-match was upcoming. You have to understand, 9-6 was a GRIND, and the Tide would be ready. LSU won the SEC Championship Game with 30 yards passing....THIRTY!
The 2012 National Championship Game played on 1/9/12 is a proverbial "horcrux" in my life (Harry Potter reference there). Part of my fandom died that day, and that's OK. Things change, different stuff begins to matter: family, travel, etc. Wins weren't as important after this game, but losses didn't hurt as much either.
Bebe' Brings the Rebirth
Ed Orgeron was far down the list of "preferred" coaches to replace Les Miles in 2016. He took over in an interim basis, and did fairly well. He was (fortunately) retained, but something "clicked" in early 2019.
Watch that 2019 Fiesta Bowl over again; it's different than all of Joe Burrow's previous games. Worth mentioning, Joe Brady comes aboard in the spring helped as well, assisting Steve Ensminger with the offensive duties.
All this group did was put together the greatest composite season in school history.
This previously ridiculed...no, MOCKED coach, this passed-over quarterback who knew he had it in him to be a championship-caliber player; a pair of world-class receivers in Jefferson and Chase, both who prepped locally...all these folks helped contribute to this historic season.
How can you NOT root for this team?!?
As an alumnus, it restored my pride & fandom. No matter what happens Monday night, this team made me (and many other fans) forget about 1/9/12. They were just so much fun to watch. I've got hours worth of DVR space chronicling this season.
But I've got a little more room saved up for Monday night...
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