LSU Gold

Game Notes for the 2008 LSU Football team, as well as the weekly opponents’ notes, will be published prior to each game.

 

LSU To Face Georgia Tech in Chick-fil-A Bowl
For the ninth straight year, LSU will cap a football season in a bowl game as the Tigers travel to Atlanta to face 14th-ranked Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The game will be played in the Georgia Dome and will be televised, unopposed, on ESPN. Kickoff for the contest is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CST on Dec. 31. LSU brings a 7-5 overall mark into the game, while Georgia Tech is 9-3 overall. The game between the two teams will mark the 19th meeting with the Yellow Jackets holding a 12-6 advantage in the series.

About the LSU Program
Since taking over in 2005, LSU coach Les Miles has guided the Tigers to a 41-11 overall mark, the 2007 national title, the 2007 SEC title and to three bowl victories, including two BCS bowl wins. LSU has also won the SEC Western Division twice and is second to only Florida in the SEC in total wins over the past four years. Going into this year’s bowl season, LSU is the only team in college football to have won two BCS National Championships ? 2003 and 2007. LSU is also 4-0 in BCS games, which ranks first among all schools in college football in terms of wins and winning percentage.

The LSU-Georgia Tech Series
LSU and Georgia Tech will meet for the 19th time in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta. It’s been eight years since the last meeting between the teams, which also came in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. LSU rallied from a 14-3 halftime deficit to win, 28-14, behind a second half rally led by backup quarterback Rohan Davey. Georgia Tech leads the overall series with the Tigers, 12-6, but LSU has won five of the last six meetings. Georgia Tech was a member of the SEC from 1933-1963 during which the two teams met 14 times as conference rivals. The first meeting between the two teams was in 1915 with Georgia Tech capturing a 36-7 win in New Orleans. The two met twice more before the Yellow Jackets joined the SEC. Prior to the 2000 bowl matchup, the last time the two teams faced off was in 1963 with LSU grinding out a 7-6 victory in Baton Rouge. Georgia Tech has been ranked in the top 15 in the nation in the last four meetings between the teams, however the Tigers have pulled the upset all four times. LSU beat No. 3 ranked Georgia Tech, 10-0, in Baton Rouge in 1961, then followed that with a 10-7 win over No. 5 Georgia Tech in 1962, a 7-6 victory over the No. 7 ranked Yellow Jackets in 1963, and the 28-14 win in the 2000 Chick-fil-A Bowl against No. 15 Tech. The following is a game-by-game look at the LSU-Georgia Tech series:

LSU vs. Georgia Tech Series Results:

Date Results    Site 
Oct. 22, 1915 Georgia Tech def. LSU, 36-7   at New Orleans
Nov. 8, 1924  Georgia Tech def, LSU, 28-7   at Atlanta
Nov. 12, 1927  Georgia Tech def. LSU, 23-0   at Atlanta
Nov. 6, 1943  Georgia Tech def. #20 LSU,42-7   at Atlanta
Nov. 18, 1944  #9 Georgia Tech def. LSU,14-6  at Baton Rouge
Nov. 17, 1945  LSU def. Georgia Tech, 9-7   at Atlanta
Oct. 19, 1946 Georgia Tech def. LSU, 26-7   at Baton Rouge
Oct. 14, 1950 Georgia Tech def. LSU, 13-0   at Baton Rouge
Oct. 13, 1951 #8 Georgia Tech def. LSU, 25-7   at Atlanta
Oct. 16, 1954 Georgia Tech def. LSU, 30-20  at Atlanta
Oct. 8, 1955  #4 Georgia Tech def. LSU, 7-0   at Baton Rouge
Oct. 13, 1956 #3 Georgia Tech def. LSU, 39-7 at Atlanta
Oct, 12, 1957 LSU def. #17 Georgia Tech, 20-13  at Baton Rouge
Oct. 8, 1960  Georgia Tech def. LSU, 6-2   at Atlanta
Oct. 7, 1961  LSU def. #3 Georgia Tech, 10-0   at Baton Rouge
Oct. 6, 1962  LSU def. #5 Georgia Tech, 10-7   at Atlanta
Oct. 5, 1963  LSU def. #7 Georgia Tech, 7-6 at Baton Rouge
Dec. 29, 2000 LSU def. #15 Georgia Tech, 28-14  at Atlanta ? Chick-fil-A Bowl

LSU In Chick-fil-A Bowl For Fifth Time
LSU will be making its fifth appearance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl this year. LSU is 4-0 all-time in Chick-fil-A Bowl (formerly Peach Bowl) games. LSU played in the first Chick-fil-A Bowl back in 1968, beating Florida State by a 31-27 count. The following is a look at LSU’s Chick-fil-A Bowl results:

Year Opponent  Results  LSU Game MVP
1968 Florida State  W, 31-27 Mike Hillman, QB
    Buddy Millican, DE
1996 Clemson   W, 10-7 Herb Tyler, QB
    Anthony McFarland, DT
2000 #15 Georgia Tech  W, 28-14 Rohan Davey, QB
    Bradie James, LB
2005 #9 Miami (Fla.)  W, 40-3 Matt Flynn, QB
    Melvin Oliver, DE

The Georgia Dome Has Been Kind To The Tigers; LSU Is 6-1 All-Time In Georgia Dome
Since playing in the Georgia Dome for the first time in the 1996 Chick-fil-A Bowl, the Tigers have posted a 6-1 record in the dome in Atlanta. LSU’s only loss in the Georgia Dome came in 2005 when the Tigers dropped a 34-14 decision to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. LSU is 3-0 in the Georgia Dome in Chick-fil-A Bowl games and the Tigers are 3-1 in SEC title games played there. The following is a game-by-game look at LSU’s results in games played in the Georgia Dome:

Year Opponent  Game  Results
1997 Clemson   Chick-fil-A Bowl  W, 10-7
2000 #15 Georgia Tech  Chick-fil-A Bowl  W, 28-14
2001 #2 Tennessee  SEC Championship Game W, 31-20
2003 #5 Georgia SEC Championship Game W, 34-13
2005 #13 Georgia  SEC Championship Game L, 34-14
2005 #9 Miami (Fla.)  Chick-fil-A Bowl  W, 40-3
2007 #14 Tennessee  SEC Championship Game W, 21-14

LSU’s Won 15 Straight Overall On ESPN Family Of Networks; Streak At 14 On ESPN
LSU brings a 15-game winning streak on the ESPN family of networks into the Georgia Tech game on Dec. 31. The 15-game streak goes back to the 2005 season when Tennessee rallied for a 30-27 overtime win over the Tigers on a Monday night in a game televised by ESPN2. Since then, the Tigers have reeled off 15 straight victories on the all sports network. Breaking down the 15-game streak has the Tigers winning eight straight on ESPN, six in a row on ESPN2, and one time on ESPN Classic. In ESPN only games, the Tigers have won 14 straight, a streak that dates back to the 2002 season. The Georgia Tech game will mark LSU’s third appearance on ESPN this year.

Welcoming In A New Year On The Gridiron; LSU is 1-1 In New Year’s Eve Games
LSU’s game against Georgia Tech will mark only the third time in school history that the Tigers will play a game on New Year’s Eve. LSU is 1-1 in games played on New Year’s Eve. The Tigers dropped a 24-14 decision to Stanford on Dec. 31, 1977 in the Sun Bowl and then followed that 10 years later with a 30-13 win over South Carolina in the 1987 Gator Bowl.

LSU Goes For Win No. 700 Against Georgia Tech
LSU goes into the Chick-fil-A Bowl having won 699 games during its 115 years of playing football, leaving the school just one victory shy of reaching the 700-win mark. Currently only 11 schools have won 700 games during their history. A win by LSU against Georgia Tech will make the Tigers the 12th team in college football’s highest-division to win 700 games.

LSU Eyes 8th Win; Tigers Have Won At Least 8 Games Every Year Since 2000
LSU goes into the Georgia Tech game needing one victory to reach 8 wins for the 2008 season. LSU is currently riding a streak of having won at least eight games for a school-record eight straight years. A win over Georgia Tech will run the streak to nine consecutive seasons. Since the start of the 2000 season, LSU is 89-27, which ranks second in the SEC to Georgia’s 91 wins during that span.

Tigers Bowl In Bowl Game For Record Ninth Straight Year
The win over Tulane gave the Tigers their sixth win this year, thus making LSU bowl eligible for a school-record ninth straight season. Since the start of the 2000 season, LSU has played in the following bowl games: BCS National Championship (2003, 2007), Chick-fil-A Bowl (2000, 2005, and 2007), Sugar Bowl (2001, 2003, 2006), Cotton Bowl (2002) and Capital One Bowl (2004). In addition, LSU’s streak of nine straight bowl appearances ties for the seventh-longest current stretch nationally. Florida State holds the mark with 27 straight bowl games. Georgia Tech is appearing in a bowl game for the 12th straight year, which ranks fourth nationally.

LSU To Make 40th Bowl Appearance
When LSU tees it up against Georgia Tech on Dec. 31, the Tigers will be making their 40th appearance in a bowl game, a figure that ties for ninth among all college football programs. Alabama holds the record with 56 bowl games. LSU’s 40 bowl appearances ties with Ohio State.

LSU Ranks 10th All-Time in Bowl Wins With 20
LSU’s 20 bowl victories ranks as the 10th-highest total, along with Florida State, in college football. Alabama has more bowl victories than any other school with 31 to its credit. Since 2000, LSU is 6-2 in bowl games, which includes three Sugar Bowl victories. LSU is 20-18-1 all-time in bowl games, which includes a 3-0 mark under Les Miles. Miles and the Tigers beat Miami, 40-3, in the 2005 Peach Bowl, followed that with a 41-14 victory over Notre Dame to cap the 2006 season and then beat No. 1 ranked Ohio State, 38-24, in last year’s BCS National Championship Game. 

LSU Ranks Sixth Nationally In Wins Since Start of 2003 Season
With 62 victories since the start of the 2003 season, LSU ranks No. 6 nationally in that category. Southern Cal leads all teams with 70 wins over that span, followed by Boise State (68), Oklahoma (66), Ohio State and Texas (63 each), LSU (62), and then Georgia (60).

LSU Among Nation’s Best In Success Away From Home
With a 27-9 record in games played away from Tiger Stadium since the start of the 2003 season, LSU has established itself as one of the nation’s best teams in terms of success away from home. LSU’s .750 winning percentage away from home since 2003 ranks as the nation’s fifth best winning percentage during that span. The following is a look at the college football’s best teams in away/neutral site games since 2003:

Team   Record  Pct.
Southern Cal 35-6  .854
Texas   31-7  .816
Boise State 30-8  .789
Georgia   29-9  .763
LSU  27-9  .750

Miles 8-5 Against Top 10 Teams; 15-8 vs. Top 25 Opponents 
LSU coach Les Miles has goes into the Georgia Tech game having won 15 games against top 25 teams during his four seasons with the Tigers. Miles is 15-8 overall against top 25 teams at LSU, which includes an 8-5 record against top 10 foes. LSU is 1-3 vs. top 25 teams this year, which includes a 1-2 mark vs. top. 10 opponents. Miles and the Tigers won a school-record seven games against top 25 teams a year ago, which included a perfect 3-0 mark against top 10 teams. The following is a look at how Miles has fared against top 10 teams during his four-years with the Tigers:

Year Opponent (Rank)  LSU Rank  Results
2005 Tennessee  (No. 10) No. 4  L, 30-27 OT
2005 at Alabama (No. 3) No. 5  W, 16-13 OT
2005 Miami (No. 10) No. 9  W, 40-3 in Peach Bowl
2006 at Auburn (No. 3)  No. 6  L, 7-3
2006 at Florida (No. 5) No. 9  L, 23-10
2006 at Tennessee (No. 8) No. 13 W, 28-24
2006 at Arkansas (No. 5) No. 9  W, 31-26
2007 Virginia Tech (No. 9)  No. 2  W, 48-7
2007 Florida (No. 7)  No. 1  W, 28-24
2007 Ohio State (No. 1)  No. 2  W, 38-24 in BCS Game
2008 Auburn (No. 9/10) No. 6  W, 26-21
2008 Georgia (No. 9) No. 11 L, 52-38
2008 Alabama (No. 1)  No. 16 L, 27-21 OT

Miles’ Milestones During His First  Four Years With The Tigers
   Only coach in LSU history to beat Auburn, Florida and Alabama in same season – and he’s done it twice (2005 and 2007)
   Only first-year coach in SEC history to lead team to league’s title game (2005)
   Has 9 wins over coaches who have won national titles
   Coached LSU to 10-plus wins in three straight seasons – a first at the school
   Only coach in LSU history to lead Tigers to three straight top five final rankings

Big Herman Johnson Named To Walter Camp Second Team All-America List 
LSU OG Herman Johnson was named to the 2008 Walter Camp All-America Second Team, the nation’s oldest All-America honor, at The Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Show on Dec. 12. Johnson, a native of Olla, La., started all 12 games this season for the Tigers at left guard and brings a streak of 36 consecutive starts into the Chick-fil-A Bowl, his final collegiate game. The 6-foot-7 senior was also a member of the 2008 All-Southeastern Conference first team by the Associated Press and league coaches earlier this week. For the season, the senior has played 825 snaps and registered 53 knockdowns. The Walter Camp All-America team is selected by the head coaches and sports information directors of the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision schools and certified by UHY Advisors, a New Haven-based accounting firm.

Eight Tigers Named To AP All-SEC Teams
LSU placed eight players on the 2008 Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference first and second teams. WR Brandon LaFell, OG Herman Johnson and DE Rahim Alem were first-team selections. OT Ciron Black, RB Charles Scott, PK Colt David, DE Tyson Jackson and LB Darry Beckwith earned second-team recognition. LaFell is the first LSU receiver to earn first-team All-SEC honors by the Associated Press since Michael Clayton did so in 2003. With Alem earning the recognition, LSU has placed a defensive lineman on the AP All-SEC First Team for the sixth straight season dating back to 2003. LSU has placed 15 players on the AP All-SEC first team since 2005 and 21 players on the first and second teams since head coach Les Miles‘ first season. LSU has placed at least three players on the AP All-SEC first team every season since 2003.

Five Tigers Named To Coaches All-SEC Teams 
Five LSU players were named to the 2008 Coaches All-Southeastern Conference first and second teams. RB Charles Scott, OG Herman Johnson and PK Colt David were first-team selections, while TE Richard Dickson and OT Ciron Black earned second-team recognition in a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches. LSU has now placed 15 players on the Coaches’ All-SEC first-team since 2005 and has combined for a total of 26 players on the first and second teams since Les Miles was named head coach. The Tigers have also placed at least three players on the first-team every season since 2000. This marks the second-straight season that both Johnson and David have earned first-team honors from the league’s head coaches.

LSU Goes Into Georgia Tech Coming Off Rare Back-to-Back Losses
LSU goes into the Georgia Tech game coming off a pair of setbacks in losing 31-13 to Ole Miss and 31-30 to Arkansas. The back-to-back losses were the first for LSU during the Les Miles era. The last time LSU lost back-to-back games came in 2002 when the Tigers lost to Arkansas, 21-20, in the regular season finale and then followed that with a 35-20 defeat to Texas in the Cotton Bowl. LSU is 9-1 under Les Miles in games following a loss.

Three Tigers Have Started At QB For Tigers This Year; Jefferson Expected To Get Nod In Bowl
LSU QB Jordan Jefferson became the third Tiger to start at that position this year when he was under center against Arkansas in the regular season finale. Jefferson, a true freshman, is expected to remain as LSU’s starter against Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The last time LSU used three different starting quarterbacks in the same season came in 2002 when Matt Mauck, Marcus Randall and Rick Clausen all got starts for the Tigers.  LSU is just one of 12  schools in Division IA to have started at least three players at the QB position this year. Dating back to Dec. 1 of last year, the Tigers have started a total of five different players at the QB spot – Lee, Hatch, Jefferson, Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux. The following is a look at other Division IA schools who have started three players at quarterback this year and their record:

Team   No. Of Starting QBs  Current Record
Cincinnati 3  10-2
Georgia Tech 3  9-3
Connecticut 3  7-5
LSU   3  7-5
North Carolina  3  7-4
South Carolina 3  6-6
Navy   3  8-4
Northern Illinois 3  6-6
San Jose State  3  6-6
N.C. State   3  6-6
Memphis   3  6-6
Washington State  3  2-10

LSU Brings 18-Game Non-Conference Winning Streak Into Chick-fil-A Bowl
LSU goes into its game with Georgia Tech having won 18 straight non-conference games, a streak that dates back to the start of the 2005 season. LSU coach Les Miles is a perfect 18-0 in non-conference games at LSU. The 17-game non-conference winnings streak ranks second in the nation to Boston College, who has won 21 in a row. LSU’s last non-conference loss came during the 2004 season when Iowa scored on the final play of the game to beat LSU, 30-25, in the Capital One Bowl.

Did You Know….
LSU is 27-0 under Les Miles when rushing for 100 or more yards and holding the opponent to less than 100 rushing yards … LSU had its streak of scoring at least 21 points in a game snapped at 31 straight vs. Ole Miss, but the Tigers have stilled scored at least 21 points in 32 of their last 33 games … Prior  to Ole Miss game on Nov. 22, LSU had scored at least 21 points in every game since the Florida contest in 2006 … LSU’s won 18 straight non-SEC games, a streak that ranks second nationally … LSU’s current tailbacks (not counting fullbacks) have carried the ball 606 consecutive times without losing a fumble.

Lee Breaks LSU Freshman Passing Attempts Mark; Second In School History In Other Categories 
LSU QB Jarrett Lee broke Tommy Hodson’s freshman record for attempts in a rookie season this year with 269. Lee, who was injured on the pass attempt that broke Hodson’s record, currently ranks second in LSU history in terms of freshman records for completions, yards and TD passes. Tommy Hodson holds LSU freshman passing records for completions (175), yards (2,261) and touchdowns (19), all of which were set during the 1986 season. The following is a look at Lee’s numbers going into the Georgia Tech game: 

Player  Attempts  Completions Yards  TDs
Tommy Hodson (1986) 268 175 2,261  19
Jarrett Lee (2008)  269 143 1,873  14

Jefferson Joins List of First-Time Starters At QB; Hatch and Lee Both Won Their LSU Debut
LSU’s Jordan Jefferson became the first true freshman  to start at quarterback for the Tigers since 1995 when Herb Tyler took over as the starting QB late in the year. To take it a step further, Jefferson also became the first true freshman to have his first start in an LSU uniform come in an SEC game since Jamie Howard got the nod against Tennessee in 1992. Earlier this year, QB Andrew Hatch became the first Tiger signal caller to win his first career start that came in a season-opener since Sol Graves beat Georgia, 18-13, to open the 1990 season. When Hatch started against Appalachian State on Aug. 30, he became the first LSU quarterback to get his first career start in a season-opener since Matt Mauck did it against Virginia Tech in 2002. The following is a look at the stats in the first career starts of LSU quarterbacks dating back to 1980:

Year Quarterback  Opponent  Results  Stats
2008 Jordan Jefferson Arkansas   L, 31-30 9-of-21, 143 yds, 2 TDs, 50 rush yds
2008 Jarrett Lee Miss. State W, 34-24 18-of-27, 261 yds, 2 TDs
2008 Andrew Hatch Appalachian State  W, 41-13 7-of-14, 77 yds, 1 TD
2007 Ryan Perrilloux M. Tennessee  W, 44-0 20-of-25, 1 Int., 298 yds, 3 TDs
2005 Matt Flynn Miami W, 40-3 13-of-22, 196 Yds, 2 TDs
2004 JaMarcus Russell  at Florida   W, 24-21 6-of-10, 2 Int., 56 yds, 0 TD
2002 Rick Clausen  Ole Miss   W, 14-13 2-of-6, 1 Int., 9 yds, 0 TD
2002 Marcus Randall South Carolina W, 38-14 12-of-24, 183 yds, 0 TD
2002 Matt Mauck Va. Tech   L, 26-8 15-of-35, 1 Int., 134 yds, 0 TD
1999 Rohan Davey  North Texas  W, 52-0 6-of-6, 66 yds, 1 TD
1999 Josh Booty  at Georgia  L, 23-22 19-of-45, 3 Int., 280 yds, 1 TD
1998 Craig Nall  at Arkansas L, 41-14 15-of-30, 147 yds, 0 TD
1995 Herb Tyler North Texas  W, 49-7 19-of-26, 208 yds, 1 TD
1994 Melvin Hill  at Florida   L, 42-18 11-of-18, 3 INT, 128 yds, 0 TD
1992 Jamie Howard  Tennessee  L, 20-0 10-of-23, 1 INT, 124 yds, 0 TD
1991 Jessie Daigle  at Texas A&M  L, 45-7 6-of-16, 2 Int., 68 yds, 1 TD
1990 Chad Loup  Texas A&M W, 17-8 10-of-13, 152 yds, 1 TD
1990 Sol Graves Georgia W, 18-13 7-of-11, 97 yds, 2 TDs
1987 Mickey Guidry at Alabama L, 22-10 10-of-17, 115 yds.
1986 Tommy Hodson  Texas A&M W, 35-17 15-of-21, 193 yds., 2 TDs
1983 Jeff Wickersham  Florida State  L, 40-35 15-of-26, 3 Int., 274 yds.
1980 Robbie Mahfouz  at Florida   W, 24-7 0-0 – played only first series
1980 Alan Risher Florida State  L, 16-0 9-of-14, 1 Int., 129 yds

LSU Falls Out Of Polls For First Time Since 2002
LSU fell out of the national rankings the week following the Ole Miss loss. It’s the first time since the 2002 season the Tigers hadn’t been ranked in the top 25. Prior to polls which were released on Nov. 16, LSU had been ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll for a school-record 95 consecutive week and for 94 straight periods in the AP Top 25. The last time LSU failed to make the top 25 in either poll came following the Tigers loss to Texas in the 2003 Cotton Bowl to conclude the 2002 season.

Jarrett Lee… A Tale Of Two Halves
Jarrett Lee’s play during the first 11 games this year can best be described as a tale of two halves. Known as a streaky quarterback who flourishes when he gets on a roll, Lee has thrown 10 of his 14 TD passes in the second half, while completing 58 percent of his passes during the final two quarters of games. In the first half of LSU’s first 11 games, Lee has connected on 47 percent of his passes, thrown nine interceptions and just four touchdowns. The following is a look at Lee’s half-by-half breakdown thru LSU’s first 10 games this year:

Game  First Half Stats Second Half Stats  Final Stats
App. State  5-8-0 77 yards, 1 TD 1-2-1 39 yards, 1 TD 6-10-1 116 yards, 2 TDs
North Texas  7-11-0 57 yards  3-7-0 27 yards   10-18-0 84 yards
Auburn 0-5-1 0 yards 11-17-0 182 yards, 2 TDs  11-22-1 182 yards, 2 TDs
Miss. State 10-15-1 115 yards  8-12-0  146 yards, 2 TDs  18-27-1 261 yards, 2 TDs
Florida  9-16-1 92 yards  14-22-1 117 yards 2 TDs 23-38-2 209 yards, 2 TDs
So. Carolina  9-14-1 99 yards  7-12-0 90 yards  16-26-1 189 yards
Georgia 6-12-2 98 yards, 1 TD 8-16-2 189 yards, 2 TDs 14-28-3 287 yards, 3 TDs
Tulane  5-11-0 45 yards, 1 TD 3-9-1 54 yards   8-20-1 99 yards, 1 TD
Alabama  4-16-2 63 yards, 1 TD 9-18-2 118 yards  13-34-4 181 yards, 1 TD
Troy 2-8-1 11 yards 18-26-0 205 yards, 1 TD  20-34-1 216 yards, 1 TD
Ole Miss 4-12-1 49 yards  DNP – injured in first half 4-12-1 49 yards
TOTALS 61-128-9 706 4 TDs 82-141-7 1,167 yards 10 TDs 143-269-16 1,873 yards, 14 TDs

Miles Joins Fulmer, Meyer and McKeen With Most Victories In First 50 Games In SEC History
With the 40-31 win over Troy, Les Miles ran his LSU record to 41-9 with the Tigers. The 41 wins tied Miles with Tennessee’s Phillip Fulmer, Urban Meyer of Florida and Mississippi State’s Allyn McKeen for the most victories for an SEC  coach in their first 50 games in the league. Fulmer and Meyer were both 41-9 during his their first 50 games, while McKeen went 41-7-2 at Mississippi State.  The following is a look at the most by in SEC history after 50 games:

Coach (School)   Record
Allyn McKeen (Miss. State0 41-7-2
Les Miles (LSU)  41-9
Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee)  41-9
Urban Meyer (Florida) 41-9
Gene Stallings (Alabama)  40-9-1
Steve Spurrier (Florida) 40-10
Mark Richt (Georgia) 40-10
Bill Battle (Tennessee)  39-9-1
Bear Bryant (Alabama)  38-8-4
R.R. Neyland (Tennessee)  37-10-3
Bernie Moore (LSU)  37-12-1
Nick Saban (LSU)  37-13

What A Comeback – Tiger Score 37 Unanswerd Points To Beat Troy, 40-31
Down 31-3 with 26 minutes left in the game, LSU was looking at suffering one of the worst losses in the history of the program. Instead, the Tigers celebrated the biggest comeback in modern day (SEC era) history as LSU scored 37 unanswered points to rally for a 40-31 win over Troy. Down 31-10 to start the fourth quarter, LSU scored 30 points during the final 15 minutes to record the win. The following is a look at some of the notables from the Troy game:

LSU scored 30 points in the 4th quarter, which was the most by an LSU team during the final 15 minutes of play since 1958 when the Tigers scored 35 points in a 62-0 win over Tulane. LSU also scored 28 points in the fourth quarter in a comeback win over Arizona State in 2005 and against Ole Miss in 1970.

LSU’s 30 4th quarter points were the second highest total in a quarter in school history – trailing the 35 points scored in the 3rd quarter vs. Rice in 1977 and the fourth quarter vs. Tulane in 1958.

LSU’s rally from a 28-point deficit was the largest comeback in school history, bettering the 21-0 first half deficit to Ole Miss in 1977.
It was also biggest fourth quarter rally in school history, bettering the 20-point deficit LSU erased against Houston in the 1996 season opener. LSU trailed Houston 34-14 to open the fourth quarter in 1996 and came back to win, 35-34.

Taking Note On The Tigers Under Miles (Since 2005)
Here are some notable trends for LSU in the 52 games its played under head coach Les Miles … The Tigers are 38-5 when rushing for 100 yards or more … On the contrary, the Tigers are just 3-6 under Les Miles when failing to reach the 100-yard mark in net rushing yards … The Tigers are 29-3 when leading after the first quarter with the only losses during that span coming against Tennessee in 2005, Arkansas in 2007, and Alabama in 2008 – all three of which were overtime losses … LSU is 39-7 when scoring 20 or more points and 33-5 when scoring 25 or more points … The Tigers are 29-3 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing, while the record goes to 12-7 under Miles when allowing opponents to go over the 100-yard mark.

LSU Does It Again…Records 11th Fourth-Quarter Comeback Under Miles
LSU has won 11 games under Les Miles when they have trailed in the fourth quarter of a contest. The latest victory came against Troy this year when the Tigers trailed 31-10 to start the fourth quarter and came back to win, 40-31. The following is a look at LSU’s fourth quarter comebacks under Miles, how many points the Tigers had to overcome in the final frame to win and the quarterback who engineered the comeback:

Year Opponent  Situation  Results  QB
2005  at Arizona State scored TD with 1:13 left W, 35-31   Russell
  (LSU trailed 17-7 entering 4Q; LSU scored 28 4Q points)
2005 Florida  scored TD with 12:35 left  W, 21-14   Russell
  (LSU trailed 17-14 in 4Q)
2005 Auburn scored FG with 1:40 left to force OT W, 20-17 Russell
  (LSU trailed 17-14 with less than 5 minutes to play)
2006 at Tennessee scored TD with 9 seconds left W, 28-21   Russell
  (LSU trailed 24-21 with less than 8 minutes left in 4Q)
2006 Ole Miss   scored TD with 14 sec. left to force OT W, 23-20 ot Russell
  (LSU trailed 20-7 with less than 9 minutes left in 4Q)
2007 Florida  scored TD with 1:06 left  W, 28-24   Flynn
  (LSU trailed 24-14 to start 4Q)
2007 Auburn scored TD with :01 left W, 30-24   Flynn
  (LSU trailed 24-23 with 3:12 left in the 4Q)
2007 Alabama  scored TD with 1:26 left  W, 41-34   Flynn
  (LSU trailed 34-27 with 4:53 left in 4Q)
2007 Tennessee  scored TD with 9:54 left  W, 21-14   Perrilloux
  (LSU trailed 14-13 with less than 10 minutes left in 4Q)
2008 at Auburn  scored TD with 1:03 left  W, 26-21   Lee
  ( LSU trailed 21-20 with 4:00 left in 4Q)
2008 Troy scored go ahead TD with 4:50 left  W, 40-31   Lee
  (LSU trailed 31-10 to start 4Q)

Colt David Is LSU’s All-Time Leading Scorer; Ranks No. 4 In SEC History
With his second quarter field goal against Georgia on Oct. 25, LSU senior PK Colt David became the school’s all-time leading scorer, moving past Kevin Faulk‘s total of 318 points. David now has 361 points during his career, a figure that ranks No. 4 in SEC history. David has kicked 53 field goals during his career, second-most in LSU history. Of his 53 field goals, 18 have come from at least 40 yards out, including what was then a career-long 51-yarder he connected on against Georgia to break the school record for scoring. David has three field goals of 50-yards or better during his career becoming just the second player in school history (other is Chris Jackson) to have three field goals or 50 yards or more during a career.

Scott Goes Over 1,000-Yard Mark To Become 12th Player In School History To Reach Milestone
With 90 yards rushing against Troy, LSU RB Charles Scott joined the 1,000-yard club at LSU. Scott became the 12th 1,000-yard rusher in school history. Scott goes into the Georgia Tech game with 1,109 yards and 15 TDs. Scott’s 1,109 yards ranks as the ninth-highest single season total at LSU. LSU has now had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushers as Jacob Hester made the list with 1,103 yards a year ago.

Chuck The Truck Ranks No. 4 In SEC In Rushing
Charles Scott continues to rank among the best in the SEC in rushing as he’s No. 4 in the league with 92.4 yards per game. For the year, Scott has 1,109 yards and 15 TDs on 202 carries. He’s averaging 5.5 yards per rush. This year, Scott has six 100-yard games to his credit, which ranks fourth in LSU history for 100-yard games in a season. He’s also No. 5 in 100-yard games in a career at LSU with 7. The single-season school-record for 100-yard games is seven. Earlier this year, Scott became the first LSU player in school history to rush for 100 yards at Auburn as he racked up 132 yards in the LSU win. By rushing for 100 yards in LSU’s first four games, Scott joined Charles Alexander (1978) and Steve Van Buren (1943) as the only players in school history to accomplish such a feat. Alexander did it in the first four games in 1978 before having the streak snapped in week 5 against Georgia, while Van Buren did in LSU’s first seven games in 1943.

Scott Now Has 15 Rushing TDs This Year; 25 For Career
With a rushing TD against Arkansas, Charles Scott ran his season total to 15. The 15 rushing TDs ties for No. 3 in school history. Scott also has 25 rushing TDs for his career, a figure that currently ranks No. 9 in school history. LaBrandon Toefield holds the LSU record for rushing TDs in a single season with 19, while Kevin Faulk holds the career record with 46.

LaFell No. 2 In SEC In Receptions, No. 3 In Yards Per Game
LSU junior WR Brandon LaFell is turning in quite a season as he’s caught 61 passes for 903 yards and eight touchdowns. LaFell goes into the bowl game ranked No. 2 in the league in receptions per game with 5.1 and he’s No. 3 in the SEC in yards per game with 75.2. LaFell’s 61 receptions rank as the seventh-highest single-season total in school history, while is 903 yards is 10th in school history. LaFell goes into the bowl game having caught at least one pass in 27 straight games. For his career, LaFell has caught 116 passes for 1,699 yards and 14 scores.

Dickson Up To No. 5 In School History For Receptions; He’s No. 2 In TDs By A Tight End
Richard Dickson continued his climb up the LSU record charts for receptions by a tight end as he hauled in caught two passes for 19 yards and one TD against Arkansas. Dickson now has 65 receptions in his career, which ranks fifth in school history. Mitch Andrews holds the LSU career mark with 87. In addition, Dickson has nine TD receptions in his career, a total that ranks second in school history. Brad Boyd holds the LSU mark for TD receptions by a tight end with 10 from 1972-74. This year, Dickson ranks third on the team with 27 catches for 274 yards and four scores. For his career, Dickson has caught 65 passes for 745 yards and nine touchdowns.

Alem No. 3 In SEC In Sacks
Rahim Alem goes into bowl season ranked No. 3 in the SEC in sack with a total of eight to his credit this year. The eight sacks ties for 10th place on LSU’s single-season charts. In 12 games, Alem’s eight sacks have accounted for 66-yards in losses. Alem is also No. 8 in the SEC in tackles for losses with 10.

LSU’s Streak of Consecutive Games With 21 Points Snapped At 31 Straight vs. Ole Miss
LSU streak of scoring at least 21 points in a game was snapped last week vs. Ole Miss. LSU had gone 31 straight games with scoring at least 21 points, a stretch that dated back to the Florida game in 2006. The Tigers go into the Georgia Tech game having scored at least 21 points in 32 of their last 33 games.

An Experienced Offensive Line; Tigers Front Five Have Combined For 151 Starts
When it comes to the offensive line, there’s not a more experienced group on the field for the Tigers. LSU’s starting offensive line has combined for 156 starts. The Tigers lost only one starter from their offensive line of a year ago – Carnell Stewart. Senior Brett Helms leads the way with 40 career starts – 38 of those from under center. Junior Ciron Black has started at left tackle in all 39 career games he has played in. Senior Ryan Miller has three starts, senior Herman Johnson has 38 starts, junior Lyle Hitt owns 25 starts and sophomore right tackle Joe Barksdale has 12 career starts. Andrew Whitworth (2002-05) holds the LSU record for career starts with 52.

LSU Tailbacks Go Into Georgia Tech Game With Streak Of 743 Carries Without Losing A Fumble
Upon further review, the fumble that was charged to Charles Scott against Florida should have gone to QB Andrew Hatch, thus keeping LSU’s streak of consecutive carries by its tailbacks intact. LSU’s stable of tailbacks – Scott, Keiland Williams, Richard Murphy and Stevan Ridley – go into the Georgia Tech game having combined for 606 carries without losing a fumble. To go a step further, an LSU tailback hasn’t lost a fumble since the Arkansas game in 2006 when Alley Broussard fumbled in the third quarter of that contest, a streak that now stands at 743 carries.  Charles Scott, the SEC’s No. 4 rated rusher, leads the group with 293 carries without a lost fumble, followed by Keiland Williams (224 carries), Richard Murphy (77 carries) and Stevan Ridley (12 carries). An LSU back lost a fumble against Mississippi State, however it was fullback Quinn Johnson and not a tailback who coughed up the football in the second quarter against the Bulldogs. The following is a look at the number of carries LSU’s current running backs have toted the football without a fumble:

Player  Carries w/out a lost fumble  Last fumble lost
Charles Scott 293   none
Keiland Williams  224   none
Richard Murphy 77   none
Stevan Ridley 12   none
TOTALS   606  

Here’s a look at the break-down of carries by LSU tailbacks since they last lost a fumble: 
Year Carries by a TB without a lost fumble  Last Fumble Lost
2006 34   Alley Broussard, 3Q at Arkansas
2007 375   None
2008 334   None
TOTALS 743

He Must Be A Former Lineman
One look at LSU’s results in relation to rushing the football and it’s easy to figure out that head coach Les Miles is a former offensive lineman from Michigan. In 52 games under Miles, LSU’s success is easy to predict when it comes to net rushing yards. Get to 100 yards rushing and LSU will more than likely win as the Tigers are 38-5 under Miles when that happens. Hold the opponent to fewer than 100-yards and the Tigers are 29-3. An even more telling stat is that when LSU rushes for 100-plus yards and holds the opponents to fewer than 100-yards, the Tigers are 27-0. The following is a look at LSU’s rushing numbers during the Miles era and have the Tigers have fared in those games:

Year LSU 100+ LSU 100-  Opp 100+ Opp 100-  LSU 100+/Opp 100-
2005 10-0  1-2  3-1  8-1  7-0
2006 10-0  1-2  5-0  6-2  6-0
2007 11-2  1-0  3-2  9-0  8-0
2008 7-3  0-2  2-4  6-0  6-0
Totals  38-4  3-6  13-7  29-3  27-0

A Unique Situation At Left Tackle
Starting left tackle Ciron Black made his 39th career start against Arkansas, continuing a unique trend at that position for the Tigers. Since the start of the 2002 season, a stretch that spans 91 games, only two players have started at left tackle for the Tigers – Black and Andrew Whitworth. Whitworth, now a starting guard for the Cincinnati Bengals, set an LSU record by starting 52 straight games for the Tigers from 2002-05. Black then picked up where Whitworth left off, starting the next 39 games at that position for the Tigers.

Florida Snaps LSU Streak Of 23 Straight Games Played Without Losing In Regulation
The streak started in Gainesville and ended in Gainesville as Florida snapped LSU’s streak of 23 straight games without losing in regulation. Prior to the Florida loss on Oct. 11, 2008, the last time LSU lost a football game in regulation came against the Gators on Oct. 7, 2006 in a 23-10 setback. In between those two Florida games in 2006 and 2008, the Tigers were 20-2 overall with the only two losses during that span coming in triple overtime to Kentucky and Arkansas in 2007.

LSU’s Won 30 Consecutive Saturday Night Games In Tiger Stadium
With its win over Troy, LSU has now won 30 consecutive Saturday night games in Death Valley. LSU’s streak of consecutive Saturday night wins in Tiger Stadium goes back to the 2002 season when the Tigers beat Ole Miss, 14-13, to get the run started. The last time LSU lost a Saturday night game in Tiger Stadium came against Alabama on Nov. 16, 2002 by a 31-0 count.

Holliday Joins Exclusive Group
By returning a punt return for a TD against North Texas, Trindon Holliday joined an elite group of LSU players who have returned both a punt and kickoff for a touchdown during their career. Holliday has three returns for scores (2 kickoffs, 1 punt). The following is a look at the players in LSU history who have returned both a punt and kickoff for a touchdown:

Player  Returns
Trindon Holliday  92-yard kick return at Arkansas, 2006 
  98-yard kick return at Ole Miss, 2007
  92-yard punt return vs. North Texas, 2008
Kevin Faulk 88-yard kick return at Notre Dame in 1998
  78-yard punt return vs. Houston in 1996
Eddie Kennison 92-yard kick return vs. Michigan St., 1995;
  100-yard punt return vs. Miss. St., 1994
Robert Dow 45-yard punt return vs. Oregon State, 1976
  92-yard kickoff return vs. Utah, 1974
Sammy Grezaffi  80-yard punt return vs. Kentucky, 1966 
  100-yard kick return vs. Tennessee, 1967
Billy Cannon  89-yard punt return vs. Ole Miss, 1959
  97-yard kickoff return vs. Texas Tech, 1957
J.W. Brodnax 53-yard punt return vs. Ole Miss, 1957
  99-yard kickoff return vs. Florida, 1957
Pinky Rohm 86-yard punt return vs. Loyola, 1937;
  93-yard kick return vs. La. Normal, 1937
  (Note: Rohm returned a total of 5 kicks and punts for TDs during his career)
 
Eight True Frosh Have Seen Action Thus Far For LSU 
Six true freshmen saw action in LSU’s season-opening win over Appalachian State. QB Jordan Jefferson added his name to the list against North Texas and then Derrick Bryant made the list by playing for the first time against Florida. The following is a look at the true freshmen who have seen action this year for the Tigers: 

Game  True Freshmen Who Saw First Action Of Career
App. State  CB Patrick Peterson, CB Brandon Taylor, LB Ryan Baker, DB Karnell Hatcher,
  OT Greg Shaw, WR Deangelo Peterson
North Texas  QB Jordan Jefferson
Florida  DB Derrick Bryant

LSU Has Used 14 First-Time Starters This Season, Including 3 At QB
LSU has used a total of 14 first-time starters this year, including two at the quarterback position. The Florida contest was the first time this year that the LSU lineup didn’t feature a first-time starter. The following is a look at the first-time starters for LSU this year:

Game  First-Time Starters
App. State  QB Andrew Hatch, RT Joe Barksdale, DE Tremaine Johnson, CB Chris Hawkins,
  S Harry Coleman, CB Jai Eugene, S Chad Jones
North Texas  DT Al Woods, DB Phelon Jones
Auburn LB Kelvin Sheppard, LB Perry Riley
Miss. State QB Jarrett Lee
Alabama  DE Rahim Alem
Troy CB Patrick Peterson
Arkansas QB Jordan Jefferson
 
Finally, A Normal Routine Without Hurricanes
It was like d?j? vu for LSU earlier this year as the Tigers must have had flashbacks to the 2005 season when the first month of football season was disrupted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In 2005, LSU didn’t finally settle into a normal week of practice followed by a regularly-scheduled Saturday contest until the week the Tigers played at Vanderbilt on Oct. 8. This year, it was eerily similar as LSU’s first two games were altered. In week one, the Appalachian State game was moved up six hours to 10 a.m. because of Hurricane Gustav and the following week the Troy contest was postponed until Nov. 15 because of that storm. The North Texas game appeared to be in jeopardy for most of the week before Hurricane Ike took a path away from Baton Rouge.  The following is a look at the schedule disruptions for LSU caused by Hurricanes since the start of the 2005 season:

Year Game  Storm  Outcome
2005 North Texas  Hurricane Katrina  game postponed from Sept. 3 to Oct. 29
2005 Arizona State  Hurricane Katrina  game moved from Baton Route to Tempe, Ariz.
2005 Tennessee  Hurricane Rita game moved from Saturday to Monday night
2008 App. State  Hurricane Gustav game moved up 6 hours to 10 a.m.
2008 Troy Hurricane Gustav game postponed from Sept. 6 to Nov. 15

LSU’s Best After Dark – Despite Florida Loss Tigers Have Won 22 Of Last 23 Night Games
Night games in Tiger Stadium seem to bring out the best in LSU. However, lately LSU has been at its best no matter the location just as long as it dark outside. After the win over Troy on Nov. 15, LSU has now won 22 of its last 23 night games. (Note: NCAA determines that a kickoff at 5 p.m. or later is a night game). Florida snapped LSU’s streak of consecutive night wins at 19 on Oct. 11. LSU’s streak of 22 wins in its last 23 night games includes six games this year, seven games in 2007, eight in 2006 and the win over Miami in the Chick-fil-A Bowl to cap the 2005 season. Prior to the Florida game on Oct. 11, LSU hadn’t lost a night game since a 34-14 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game in 2005. Overall, LSU coach Les Miles has guided the Tigers to a 28-3 mark in night games.

LSU Best In SEC Over Past 5 Seasons
Since the start of the 2003 season, LSU has posted a 63-15 mark, which ranks first among all SEC teams. LSU’s 63 wins is three more than second place Georgia. The following is a look at how the SEC stacks up over since the 2003 season:

Team W-L  Bowls  SEC Titles  Top 25s
LSU  63-15 6  2  5
Georgia 60-16 6  1  5
Florida  58-19 6  2  4
Auburn 55-20 5  1  4
Tennessee  48-27 4  0  4
Alabama  45-31 5  0  1
Arkansas 41-34 3  0  1
So. Carolina  39-33 3  0  0
Kentucky  32-42 3  0  0
Ole Miss 32-39 2  0  1
Vanderbilt 24-46 1  0  0
Miss. State 23-48 1  0  0

LSU Has Become D-Line U.
You can now refer to LSU as D-line U as the Tigers have made it a habit of producing All-Americans and NFL Draft picks from its defensive line. Since the 2003 season, LSU has had five defensive linemen earn a total of six First-Team All-America honors and eight members of its defensive line selected in the NFL Draft. A year ago, DT Glenn Dorsey became the most decorated defensive player in school history – winning four national awards – on his way to becoming the fifth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.
2003 DT Chad Lavalais – First-Team All-America; 5th round NFL Draft pick
  DE Marquise Hill – 2nd round NFL Draft pick
2004 DE Marcus Spears – First Team All-America; 1st round NFL Draft pick
2005 DT Kyle Williams – First Team All-America; 5th round NFL Draft pick
  DT Claude Wroten – First Team All-America; 3rd round NFL Draft pick
  DE Melvin Oliver – 6th round NFL Draft pick
2006 DT Glenn Dorsey – First Team All-America
  DE Chase Pittman – 5th round NFL Draft pick

2007 DT Glenn Dorsey – First Team All-America; 1st round NFL Draft pick

LSU Had Five Players Earn SEC Player of the Week Honors In 2008
LSU had five of its players ? two offense, two special teams, and one defense ? earn Special Teams Player of the Week honors during the 2008 season. The following is a look at the individual weekly honors won by LSU this year:

* Colt David(SEC Special Teams Player of The Week) vs. Ole Miss 
LSU senior PK Colt David is the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against Ole Miss. Last week vs. Ole Miss, David tied a career-long with a 52-yard field goal. David also kicked a 46-yarder against the Rebels, to run his career total of field goals of 40-yards or more to 17. David joins Chris Jackson as the only players in school history to have three field goals of at least 50 yards. David, who owns the LSU career scoring mark, ranks No. 5 in SEC history in points with 349 for his career.

* Tyson Jackson (SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week) vs. South Carolina
LSU senior DE Tyson Jackson was the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in the Tigers’ 24-17 win over South Carolina. Against the Gamecocks, Jackson had three tackles, including a pair of sacks and he keyed a defensive front that limited South Carolina to just 39 yards rushing. LSU finished with a season-high six sacks as the Tigers limited the South Carolina to only 254 yards of offense, including just 42 yards in the second half.

* Jarrett Lee (SEC Freshman of the Week) vs. Mississippi State
LSU QB Jarrett Lee earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his performance in the Tigers’ 34-24 win over Mississippi State. Lee, a redshirt freshman from Brenham, Texas, completed 18 of 27 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns in what was his first career start. The 261 passing yards were the most by a first-time LSU starter since 1999 when Josh Booty threw for 280 yards in a loss to Georgia. Lee also became the first LSU freshman to go the distance and win his first SEC start since Herb Tyler helped the Tigers past Ole Miss, 38-9, in 1995.

* Trindon Holliday (SEC Special Teams Player of the Week) vs. North Texas
LSU RS/RB/WR Trindon Holliday was been named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the 41-3 win over North Texas. Against the Mean Green, Holliday returned a punt 92-yards for a touchdown and finished the contest with four punt returns for a total of 163 yards. The 92-yard punt return ties for the second longest in LSU history and his 163 punt return yards is the second most in school history and the most in the SEC since 1983. For the game, Holliday averaged 40.3 yards per return. He other returns went for 59, 8, and 4-yards.

* Charles Scott (SEC Offensive Player of the Week) vs. Auburn
RB Charles Scott was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 132 yards in LSU’s 26-21 win over Auburn. The 100-yard game was the third straight for Scott to open the season. Scott became the first LSU running back to break the 100-yard mark in a game at Auburn. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry against an Auburn defense that was allowing just 53 rushing yards per game going into the contest. Scott had eight carries of at least nine yards vs. Auburn, including a long run of 31 yards to setup an LSU field goal in the third quarter. He also caught 2 passes for 15 yards. The honor was the first of Scott’s career.

Oh Brother
LSU has three sets of brothers on this year’s team – defensive end Rahim Alem (formerly Al Jones) and defensive back Chad Jones are brothers as are center Brett Helms and offensive lineman Trey Helms. In addition, the Taylor trio of Curtis (senior DB), Brandon (true freshman DB) and Jhyryn (true freshman WR) are brothers. Alem is on the defensive line rotation for the Tigers and is often on the field at the same time as his brother Chad, who serves as LSU starter at either nickel or dime back. Brett Helms is LSU’s starter at center, while Trey is a walkon redshirt freshman. Curtis Taylor is a starting safety for the Tigers, while Brandon plays on special teams and is a backup cornerback. Jhyryn will likely redshirt this season. 

Cap and Gown Tigers
Two members of the LSU football team – C Brett Helms, DE Kirston Pittman – have already earned their bachelor’s degree. Helms graduated last spring with a degree in management, while Pittman graduated in the fall of 2007 with a degree in general studies. Of the 19 listed seniors on this years team, 14 are expected to have earned their degree by the time the Tigers line up to play in a bowl game.