BATON ROUGE — If there’s a downside to playing in the BCS National Championship, it’s the extended wait that the team and the fans have to endure leading up to the game. Well, for LSU, the wait is almost over as the second-ranked Tigers will report to New Orleans on Wednesday as the team’s bowl week has finally arrived.
Wednesday’s schedule has the Tigers starting the day with a 9:30 a.m. practice. The Tigers will then eat lunch, have meetings and then board the busses for what will be a 75-minute bus ride to New Orleans. The team departs the football operations building at 3 p.m. with a scheduled arrival at the New Orleans Marriott at 4:45 p.m.
Once in New Orleans, the team will take part in the official welcome to the BCS Championship Game celebration upon their arrival at the hotel followed by a 30-minute media obligation.
The pace picks up for the squad on Thursday as the Tigers will have a morning practice in the Louisiana Superdome followed by a press conference for LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini and five Tiger defenders at 1:45 p.m.
That night, the Tigers will take part in another BCS sponsored event, this time the team will eat dinner at Zea’s Rotisserie Grill.
Friday’s schedule will start earlier for the team as the Tigers will attend the FCA Breakfast at 8 a.m. followed by a 12:15 practice at the Superdome. The offense will take their turn with the media on Friday as Gary Crowton along with five offensive starters will meet the media in a scheduled BCS press conference.
Friday night has the Tigers taking in dinner at Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse in the French Quarter, while head coach Les Miles will have his radio show from 8 to 9 p.m. at the New Orleans Sheraton.
On Saturday, LSU will start the day with the entire team participating in the BCS Media Day from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Louisiana Superdome. Close to 1,000 media members are expected to be in attendance for the event that is modeled after the NFL’s Super Bowl Media Day.
LSU will taper things down at practice on Saturday, going through shorts and helmets workout at the Louisiana Superdome.
Miles along with Ohio State coach Jim Tressel with conduct formal BCS Press Conferences on Sunday as both coaches will meet with the media for 30 minutes followed by a photo session with the BCS National Championship Trophy.
Sunday also has the Tigers going through their final on-field preparations for the Ohio State game as well as the squad taking a team picture in the Superdome.
Monday will be all business for the Tigers as it will be a typical game day for the team leading up to kickoff that night as LSU and Ohio State battle for the BCS National Championship. Kickoff is scheduled for shortly after 7 p.m. from the Superdome. The game will be televised nationally on FOX.