Tigers mull loss to Tide

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 9, 2009

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As reality sank in Saturday night, there were a lot of angles the LSU players had to digest before they could look ahead.

The No. 9-ranked Tigers tumbled out of national championship contention with a 24-15 loss to third-ranked Alabama in a bruising, physical showdown at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

LSU left Tuscaloosa, Ala., bruised and battered, physically and mentally, as the Tigers embark on the final three-game stretch of the regular season in search of a stronger finish than a year ago.

For that to happen LSU (7-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) will have to come to grips with its first loss at Alabama since 1999, a hard-hitting setback that took its toll on several players.

“I understand what happened,” Tigers coach Les Miles said. “I’m just unhappy with the outcome. A couple of our guys are nicked up. We’ll regroup and fight again.”

What happened in LSU’s second loss of the season to a top-three team included a number of storylines.

• The interception that wasn’t.

Sophomore cornerback Patrick Peterson nearly provided the Tigers with one last-gasp opportunity for a late-game rally when he snared a ball thrown by quarterback Greg McElroy intended for Julio Jones.

Peterson caught the ball and appeared to jab at least one foot down inbounds. The ruling on the field was Peterson didn’t come down inbounds, and that ruling was upheld after the replay official reviewed it.

Television replays showed Peterson planted his left foot, and there was also a divot on the 31-yard-line after the play.

“I thought he had a foot in,” LSU senior linebacker Jacob Cutrera said. “He left a mark on the sideline. It was hard to tell. They ruled it (Alabama’s) way, so I guess it was a good call.”

• The big play that was.

Moments before Peterson’s play, Alabama regained the lead for good when Jones snatched a screen pass from McElroy, shimmied out of Brandon Taylor’s tackle and ran away from the rest of the defense down the sideline for a 73-yard touchdown.