Countdown to Showdown: 22 Days
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Ugh! 11 o’clock in New Orleans! The only thing that happens on a Saturday morning in New Orleans is somebody’s supposed to pick up bottles left from the night before.
White helmets? And, what was it with those white pants? And, that funny looking bird on this-game-only jerseys the Tigers were wearing.
OK, it was LSU and Tulane, a rivalry that flamed and inflamed south Louisiana for 50 years. It barely touches off sparks these days.
Like the fans drifting, almost sleepwalking, into the Superdome, LSU drifted aimlessly through most of the first half.
With 1:40 left in the first half, Tulane’s 9-7 lead prompted a Green Wave fans chant, “Overrated.” It was the first time the Tigers trailed in five games.
LSU took the kickoff and, with three seconds showing, took a 10-9 halftime lead on Colt David’s 36-yard field goal.
LSU’s 34-9 win showed its second-half domination.
Whatever was wrong, halftime fixed it. LSU had 264 yards in the second half; Tulane gained 15 in the fourth quarter
“Guys were thinking a little ahead,” LSU wide out Brandon LaFell said, “… trying to dress all fancy because we got new uniforms, and their minds weren’t in the game in the first quarter.”
“Ahead” meant Florida, the national champion Gators, the team that slammed the door on the Tigers’ hopes for a 2006 SEC title. The Gators were next.
By the way, that bird on the jerseys? It was a pelican and a phoenix, a symbol of the state rising from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Proceeds from auctions of both teams’ uniforms went to “Let Me Play New Orleans” fund.
By the way II, this last weekend in September set the tone for College Football — 2007: South Florida upset fifth-ranked West Virginia, Colorado toppled third-ranked Oklahoma and Kansas State upended seventh-ranked Texas.
Vote for the most memorable moment of 2007
Advocate sportswriters have selected 20 memorable moments from LSU’s march to the BCS Championship Game, from the 45-0 win over Mississippi State through the 21-14 SEC Championship Game victory over Tennessee. This series will run through Jan. 1 when readers will be able to go to The Advocate’s Web site — http://www.2theadvocate.com — and vote on their most memorable moment of the season. The voting results will be run in Jan. 7 Advocate Sports’ BCS Game Day Special.
The list so far:
2theadvocate.com's Countdown to the Showdown Archive
BCS TRIVIA
TODAY’S QUESTION: Of the 15 teams with multiple BCS bowl game appearances, only three have undefeated records. Name them.
SATURDAY’S QUESTION: What bowl game decided the first BCS champion? The winning team? Losing team? The score?
The Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 4, 1999. Tennessee 23, Florida State 16
TIGERS’ SCHEDULE
Today: Awards banquet
Monday: Les Miles news conference, player interviews, practice
BUCKEYES’ SCHEDULE
Today: Off
Monday: Practice
NOTEBOOK
Going into their 2007 seasons, the concerns at LSU and Ohio State were with the offense.
Strange, too, how deeply the comparisons run between the two teams that will square off Jan. 7.
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CRUNCHING NUMBERS
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Rushing Offense
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||
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LSU
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OSU
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12th
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Rank
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20th
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563
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Rushes
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524
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2,846
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Yards
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2,415
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5.1
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Yds/carry
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4.6
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|
219
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Yds/game
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201
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|
34
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TDs
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20
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Passing Offense
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||
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LSU
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OSU
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53rd
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Rank
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87th
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237-415
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Comp-att
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195-303
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2,980
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Yards
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2,350
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12.6
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Yds/comp
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12.1
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229.2
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Yds/game
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195.8
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12
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Ints
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12
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25
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TDs
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24
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Total Offense
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LSU
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OSU
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21st
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Rank
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58th
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978
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Plays
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827
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5,826
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Yards
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4,765
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448.2
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Yds/game
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397.1
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|
61
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TDs
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48
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BREAKING DOWN THE SHOWDOWN
LSU’S JACOB HESTER
6-0, 228, Sr.
Shreveport
LSU’s all-everything … tailback, fullback, blocker, special teams player … Big game: 28 carries, 126 yards, 2 TDs vs. Arkansas…Tigers first 1,000-yard back in 5 seasons … finished senior year with 204 carries, 1,017 yards, 11 TDs … captured national attention with fourth-down carries vs. Florida … All-SEC second team.
Career: 343 carries, 1,694 yards, 19 TDs rushing; 62 catches, 459 yards, 7 TDs
“You look at a guy like Hester and you go, ‘That’s who I want holding the ball.’ ”
-- Les Miles, LSU head coach
CHRIS ‘BEANIE’ WELLS
6-1, 235, Soph.
Akron, Ohio
2006 Parade All-America … took over No. 1 RB spot in spring practice after the departure of Antonio Pittman … played in 13 games in 2006, his “true” freshman season with 576 yards and 7 TDs … All Big Ten this year … Big games: 31 carries, 221 yards, 1 TD vs. Michigan State; 39 carries, 222 yards, 2 TDs vs. Michigan.
Career: 358 carries, 2,039 yards, 21 TDs
“I think I came out of my mom’s womb wanting to go to Ohio State.”
-- Beanie Wells
