To hear a podcast review of the Tigers’ loss to Ole Miss, click here.
The 20 seniors on LSU’s football team have reached two BCS games, including the 38-24 victory against Ohio State last season to win the BCS championship.They’ve achieved a 50-13 record since 2004, making them one of the most successful senior classes in school history.Saturday’s inaugural Magnolia Bowl — the name recently given to the rivalry  between LSU and Ole Miss — sold 92,649 tickets, the sixth largest amount of tickets sold in Tiger Stadium history.The fans came to send the Tiger seniors out with a bang. But Ole Miss banged up LSU, 31-13.To the chagrin of LSU fans and seniors, the loss marks the second consecutive senior day defeat for LSU. Last year a Houston Nutt-led Arkansas team beat the Tigers, 50-48, in triple overtime. The Razorbacks used the Wildcat formation to near perfection, rushing for 385 yards.This time, Nutt’s Rebels beat LSU through the air. Ole Miss sophomore quarterback Jevan Snead threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns.LSU defensive tackle Marlon Favorite was disappointed with the outcome but not the Tigers’ effort.”We came out today and fought hard,” the senior said. “Unfortunately, we ended up on the bottom of this one.”But Favorite said to expect a turnaround performance in the coming weeks.”Last year we lost to a really good Arkansas team,” Favorite said. “We came right back the following week and played a wonderful game in the SEC championship.”Last season the Tigers defeated Tennessee, 21-14, to win the Southeastern Conference crown.”We definitely have the same vibe from the seniors on this year’s team,” Favorite said.Senior defensive end Tyson Jackson said the short week until Friday’s matchup against Arkansas could be a silver lining to the Tigers’ loss.”It will help us get this game out of our minds, so we’re ready to focus on Arkansas,” Jackson said.Jackson, like Favorite, said the team’s effort is not to blame, despite the offense being limited to just 37 rushing yards.”The seniors, for the most part, did a good job executing,” Jackson said. “It was just Ole Miss’s night.”LSU coach Les Miles said the Rebels “played really well.”He said he’s only disappointed the Tigers — especially the 20 seniors — lost their home finale.”They’ve played big games and had great careers,” Miles said.Several Tiger seniors added another big game to their career totals in the losing effort.Favorite recorded his second sack of the season and the fourth of his career.Senior safety Curtis Taylor recovered an Ole Miss fumble to keep the Tigers’ hopes alive late in the game, and linebacker Darry Beckwith made eight tackles in his Tiger Stadium send-off.Placekicker Colt David tied his career long with a 52-yard field goal Saturday.But David said statistics are of little consolation in a game that “hurts.””You want to come out strong for your last game in Tiger Stadium,” David said. “You want to finish big with a strong performance.”Miles said the loss will have a strong impact on the team’s preparation for its final two games.”We don’t sustain finishing second very well,” Miles said. “It doesn’t sit well with them.”A TIME TO REMEMBERTiger Stadium commemorated the 50th anniversary of LSU’s 1958 national championship team during halftime of Saturday’s game.Forty-one players and coaches were honored during the ceremony.That squad’s quarterback, Billy Cannon, is the only player to have his jersey retired by the Tigers.LSU unveiled a special sign dedicated to the former Heisman Trophy winner in the southeast corner of Tiger Stadium after the first quarter Saturday.Cannon will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 9.—-Contact David Harvey at [email protected]