By Ryan Rogers
LSUsports.net
It happened. Yep! LSU won an SEC Football Championship and LSU won the Sugar Bowl. The Tigers finished No. 7 in the final AP Poll. And yes, it did snow in Baton Rouge and LSU did win the Sugar Bowl on the same night. Pinch yourself…you see, it’s not a dream!
The Tigers’ miraculous season closed in a very fitting way. LSU crushed Big Ten Champion Illinois 47-34 in a game that wasn’t even that close. It was LSU’s first BCS Bowl victory and its first victory in the Sugar Bowl since 1968. LSU’s performance in in front of a sellout crowd at the Superdome exemplified the team’s character and will they had all season.
LSU received a Gladiator-like performance from Rohan Davey, who led his troops with 444 passing yards and three touchdown passes. His performance capped off a brilliant senior season in which he passed for more yards than any other quarterback in LSU history. Davey, who battled injuries and other quarterbacks for the starting position throughout his career, always held his head up high and in the end, persevered along with the rest of the Tigers.
This year LSU had to battle lots of adversity. In the SEC Championship Game the Tigers lost running back LaBrandon Toefield with a knee injury that also kept him out of the Sugar Bowl. Some teams would change the game plan and depended on the passing game heading into the big game. Not LSU though. The Tigers inserted Domanick Davis into the lineup and he spurned off 129 yards rushing and four touchdowns on his way to setting a Sugar Bowl record. Davis is impartial to his supposed “backup” status on the team. He proved he was just as good as anyone’s number one.
Biletnikoff winner Josh Reed was sensational once again. He hauled in 14 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Reed has been the spark plug of LSU’s offense for the last two years. His dominating play at the receiver position has made him the catalyst in LSU’s rise to the elite of college football.
And how can we forget the inspiring performance of the defense. LSU all but embarrassed Illinois in the first half of the game. The Tigers stopped the run, pressured the quarterback, batted passes down, and covered receivers with confidence and skill. LSU rose to the occasion and silenced its critics.
So in this time of good cheer, we have a lot to be thankful for in Tiger Town. So here’s a list of 10 New Year’s resolutions that every LSU fan should have.
1. Be appreciative of the effort the LSU players and coaching staff put forth this year. Thanks to their hard work, we all have a smile from ear to ear.
2. In the future, cheer your heart out for the Tigers. But be more courteous to opposing fans. Remember, now we are big dogs in the SEC. Act like it!
3. In future seasons don’t turn you back on the Tigers when things go wrong. Remember, this year’s team was 2-3 in SEC play after the Ole Miss loss. Everyone gave up on the Tigers to have a special season, except the team itself. They never lost faith and they proved they could bounce back and achieve.
4. Call another LSU alum or student and discuss LSU’s glorious season. We’ve waited to talk about this for years.
5. Close your eyes and picture yourself in Tiger Stadium during you favorite moment of the season. (Here’s a few examples to help you.) Toefield runs for 62 yards against Arkansas to open the game or Rohan Davey rolling right and connecting with Josh Reed on a 17-yard TD pass against Auburn to put the Tigers that much closer to Atlanta.
6. Go out and support John Brady‘s basketball team. They have gone through tough times as well, and like the football team they will one day rise to the top as well. Don’t jump on the bandwagon later, be a real fan now.
7. Sing the LSU fight song to your children, spouse or friends before bed one night this week.
8. Don’t bore your fellow workers anymore with updates on your fantasy football team or gossip about what shirt Nancy wore out the other night. Instead, bore them with how great a university LSU really is.
9. This spring when your sitting in Alex Box Stadium watching Smoke Laval‘s Tigers pursue an SEC Title, put a little extra mustard on your Tiger Dog. Hey, you deserve it.
10. Finally, be proud of what LSU accomplished this year. Walk around with a little swagger in your step and because you are so happy, just be nicer to every one around you this year. Trust me, being a little friendlier can’t hurt anyone.