Just not enough

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 8, 2009

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — In the moment, LSU linebacker Jacob Cutrera was speaking specifically about one play in a tough, physically draining game that had a huge impact on the outcome.

But the look in Cutrera’s eyes and those of several teammates who came to the interview room as afternoon gave way to evening Saturday summed up a tough-to-choke-down loss.

Alabama produced 14 points in the fourth quarter to surge past LSU for a 24-15 victory in front of a full-house crowd at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The third-ranked Crimson Tide (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) earned at least a tie for the West Division championship and nailed down a spot in the SEC Championship Game against Florida on Dec. 5.

For the ninth-ranked Tigers (7-2, 4-2), a second loss to a top-three team ends their hopes of a trip to Atlanta and redirects a season with potential and promise still on the menu.

Not that there was much consolation Saturday.

The play Cutrera spoke of was Crimson Tide star Julio Jones’ 73-yard catch-and-sprint down the sideline on a screen pass. Jones was untouched to the end zone, erasing a 15-13 Tigers lead and putting a bruised and battered LSU team into comeback mode.

“It was a big letdown; it was hard to get back on our feet,” said Cutrera, who led LSU with 11 tackles. “It hurt bad.”

It hurt even worse when an apparent Patrick Peterson interception was ruled an incomplete pass with 6‰ minutes to play.

Peterson stepped in front of Jones right in front of the LSU sideline on a second-down pass from Greg McElroy and appeared — both at full speed and on television replays — to catch the ball and get his left foot down inbounds.

Officials ruled the pass incomplete on the field, and the replay official concurred.

Afterward, the always confident Peterson insisted he had both feet down. CBS television cameras showed a divot in the field of play where Peterson planted his left foot.

LSU coach Les Miles treaded delicately when he spoke of the play. Florida coach Urban Meyer was fined $30,000 Friday for talking about officials just days after a new edict from the SEC office came down.