Countdown to Showdown: 21 Days
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MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM 2007
‘Fear The Hat’
The stage was set, as dramatic a stage as LSU had played on since its national championship bout with Oklahoma three years and some months before.
This time defending champion Florida was coming to LSU’s stage: The Gators slammed the door on LSU’s SEC title chances the year before at Florida Field.
“The guys talked about it an awful lot this week, about the taste they had in their mouths and how they felt after that game,” LSU defensive end Kirston Pittman said.
The buzz started early: By Saturday’s nationally televised nighttime game, Baton Rouge was the center of the college football world. Even outside Tiger Stadium there was standing-room only — some 40,000 fans were on campus without a ticket.
LSU and Florida gave everyone their money’s worth.
Florida was up 24-14 after three quarters. Gators sophomore QB Tim Tebow took the midseason lead in the Heisman Trophy race when he passed for two TDs and ran 9 yards for another score.
“Things weren’t going our way until the fourth quarter. We said that if we keep moving the ball and playing our game, everything will work out for us,” LSU running back Jacob Hester said.
Pittman’s interception set up the Tigers for a furious 14-point, fourth-quarter rally.
LSU coach Les Miles added to the drama by keeping his offense on the field on four fourth-down tries. Another fourth-down conversion came on a fake field goal in the second quarter.
And, Hester captured the imagination of fans across the country.
LSU converted on all five, the last a Hester run, to keep a drive alive for Hester’s game-winning, 2-yard run with 1:09 left for a 28-24 LSU lead, the Tigers’ only lead in the showdown. Hester had a career-high 23-carry, 106-yard night. Tebow ran and passed for 225.
The New York Times article the next day said the fourth-down calls “helped solidify Miles’ reputation as one of the country’s craftiest and boldest coaches.”
Fault-finding fans who had trouble making their claims about Miles — his Tigers were on a 12-game winning streak — settled on criticizing his wearing a white LSU, high-browed hat.
The slogan “Fear The Hat” was gaining momentum.
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: 37 games have been played in the 9-year history of the BCS. Which conference has the most BCS victories and the highest winning percentage?
SUNDAY’S QUESTION: Of the 15 teams with multiple BCS bowl game appearances, only three have undefeated records. Name them.
TIGERS’ SCHEDULE
Today: Les Miles news conference, player interviews, practice
Tuesday: Practice
BUCKEYES’ SCHEDULE
Today: Practice.
Tuesday: Practice.
NOTEBOOK
Mid-term quotes
Through the first half of the 12-game regular season, LSU and Ohio State had 6-0 records. LSU started the season ranked second and was No. 1 in the polls: Ohio State was sitting No. 3 after starting the season No. 10.
“Right now, it’s right in front of them. I think they understand. I think the leadership of our football team certainly does.”
-- Les Miles
“We pretty much knew it was going to be a chance to win the game. Coach Miles said, ‘I believe in y’all and I want to go and win this game.’ When your head coach has that much respect in you and trust you, you want to prove something to him.”
-- Jacob Hester, after LSU converted five fourth-down plays against Florida
After two wacky, unpredictable weeks to begin this season, it’s time we run home to mamma and embrace what’s safe: the SEC. And at this point, there is no team playing better in the league of leagues than LSU. After the second-ranked Tigers’ 48-7 dismantling of Virginia Tech, this snap decision is simple, really. If this is an eyeball test — and that’s all this poll-based system is — LSU is one damn sexy team.
-- Matt Hayes, Sporting News
“We went into the game wanting to work on the pass. We have new quarterbacks. We can’t ask them to pass only when we’re ahead or only when we’re behind. We went in knowing we were going to throw a lot and not just on significant downs.”
-- Head coach Jim Tressel after 38-6 season-opening win over Youngstown State
In the huddle, normally low-key Todd Boeckman barked at his Ohio State teammates …
“Oh, man, I was really surprised. I’ve never seen Todd like that.”
-- Tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells after 33-14 win over Washington
“I’m not a guy who speaks up much, but we had a lot of dumb penalties in the first half.”
-- Quarterback Todd Boeckman after Buckeyes scored 24 second-half points against Washington
BREAKING DOWN THE SHOWDOWN
Defensive tackle
MARLON FAVORITE
6-1, 302, Jr.
Harvey
A backup to start the year, a starter after Charles Alexander’s season-ending injury in practice … missed SEC Championship Game with injury … played in 26 games with 10 starts … 50 tackles, 5 for losses and 2 sacks .. turned in top games this season against South Carolina, Auburn and Florida.
“… I get held a lot. I turn around and look at the ref and say, ‘Ref, I’m getting held.’ It’s just one of those difficult things you have to deal with and makes you work harder on the field.”
-- Marlon Favorite
TODD DENLINGER
6-3, 286, Soph.
Troy, Ohio
Reserve duty in 11 games in 2006 redshirt freshman season … first-team All-Ohio in 2004 & wrestler … earned starting job in spring practice … injury cost him two games this year … started 10 games with 13 tackles, 3 behind the line and 1 sack.
“We have excitement, athleticism, all the talent. It’s just a matter of putting it to use.”
-- Todd Denlinger (From theozone.net)
Monday, Dec 17, 2007
11:11 AM