‘Bitter’ defeat

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 9, 2008 - UPDATED: 10:50 a.m.

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Les Miles didn’t chew on the question long. The answer was right there on the tip of his tongue.

How tough was Saturday’s 27-21 overtime loss to No. 1-ranked Alabama?

“This one here is bitter,” Miles said after the Crimson Tide survived a fourth-quarter LSU touchdown, a blocked field goal on the last play of regulation and an energized Tiger Stadium record crowd of 93,039.

“It’s painful. There isn’t any question. As a competitor, when you play your tail off, there’s a comfort in that. There’s an understanding that, ‘Damn, I played my tail off.’ ” 

Any other day and to any other team with any other coach on the opposing sideline, that might be enough. Not this time.

Not only did the Tigers squander a chance to topple top-ranked Alabama, but former LSU coach Nick Saban escaped his old stomping grounds with a punch-in-the-gut victory that clinches the West Division championship and propels the Crimson Tide (10-0) into the Southeastern Conference championship game on Saturday, Dec. 6, for the first time since 1999.

Alabama (6-0 SEC) will take on Florida (8-1), which clinched the East Division spot Saturday with a victory at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

With a few more plays here, a few more breaks made or chances seized there, the Tigers could have stalled that celebration for the Tide and ended its run at the top of the rankings.

Instead, four Jarrett Lee interceptions — the last in overtime — sent the Tigers to a third regular-season loss for the first time in Miles’ four seasons and left them to pick up the pieces of a season when very little seems left to salvage.

“This loss kills your spirit,” LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson said. “You don’t know what to prepare for. We just have to keep fighting.”

There was plenty of fight in the Tigers on Saturday as they went toe-to-toe with Alabama.

LSU did most of the things it needed to do to win. 

The Tigers outgained the Tide 382 total yards to 353, controlled the clock (33 minutes, 20 seconds to 26:40) and forced Alabama out of its comfort zone by leading most of the first half.