LSU claims 2nd title in 5 years

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 8, 2008

NEW ORLEANS — It was the big easy in the Big Easy as finally something in this unpredictable college football season went the way it was supposed to.

A year of unprecedented tumult in the polls — caused by the slew of upsets that occurred almost weekly — provided the backdrop to Monday night’s BCS championship game between Ohio State and LSU. And it was LSU, a team that volleyed in the rankings as much as anyone that ended up winning the title many predicted it would before this wild season began.

LSU, which started the year ranked No. 2 and would go on to lose the No. 1 spot twice, flogged top-ranked Ohio State, 38-24, in front of a mostly pro-Tigers crowd of 79,651 at the Superdome. LSU (12-2), which scored 31 straight points after falling in a 10-0 hole, won the BCS title for the second time in five years, this time for third-year coach Les Miles. When LSU won a share of the 2003 national title with Southern California, the AP champion that season, it was coached by Nick Saban.

“I always had great confidence in this team,” Miles said of the first two-loss team to qualify for a BCS title game. “Once we got here, I knew we’d do our best.”

Ohio State (11-2), meanwhile, could not vanquish the ghosts caused by last season’s championship loss to Florida, with LSU being the latest SEC team to torment the Buckeyes. In fact, it is looking as if Ohio State has as good a chance of beating an SEC team as one of the state’s congressmen, Dennis Kucinich, has of winning the presidency.

Ohio State dropped to 0-9 against the SEC, although Monday night’s wasn’t quite as one-sided as the 41-14 loss to Florida in 2007. The Buckeyes rarely moved the ball against the Gators; Monday night, they outgained the Tigers 353-326 but even that was misleading. LSU mostly had its way with the nation’s top-ranked defense, going 11-for-18 on third downs, including a remarkable 8-for-10 in the first half as it built a 24-10 lead.

LSU fifth-year senior quarterback Matt Flynn, JaMarcus Russell’s backup the past two seasons, did something last year’s No. 1 NFL draft pick never did by winning a national title. Flynn hit six receivers in going 19-for-27 for 174 yards and four touchdowns.

“Not a bad way to end a college career,” said Flynn, who decided to stay at LSU for this season only after Russell declared for the draft. “I feel blessed to be part of such a great team.”

Monday night had an eerily similar start to the 2007 title game for Ohio State as Chris “Beanie” Wells, who finished with 146 yards, ripped through a huge hole in the right side of the line and ran 65 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 13:34 left. The Buckeyes even made it 10-0 on Ryan Pretorious’ 25-yard field goal with 9:12 left. But just as Ted Ginn returning the opening kickoff 93 yards for a score against Florida last season made little difference in the end, so too did Monday night’s fast start.

LSU trailed 10-3 after the first quarter and was outgained 147-57, but that was the only quarter it didn’t dominate.

Dickson’s 13-yard touchdown catch with 13 minutes left in the second quarter tied it at 10-10, and Brandon LaFell’s 10-yarder made it 17-10 with 7:25 left.