NEW ORLEANS – To compare the 2007 LSU football season to a roller coaster ride might be a bit of an understatement.
The Tigers have encountered multiple peaks and valleys since the season kicked off in late August. From injuries to its starting quarterback, top wide receiver and best defensive player to achieving the school’s first No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press poll since 1958, LSU has seen it all this season.
But those experiences will mean little if the No. 2 Tigers (11-2) don’t finish the season with a win in the Allstate Bowl Championship Series National Championship game Monday night against No.1 Ohio State (11-1).
In his final press conference before his team takes the Superdome field, LSU coach Les Miles said capping such an up-and-down campaign with a victory will say more about his players than it will about his coaching abilities.
“It’s not something that has to do with me,” Miles said. “It’s a quality team. I’m fortunate to represent a great school, and I would represent those seniors and those underclassmen that have really worked so hard and done everything in their power to lift that team. It would be tremendous [to win Monday].”
PLAYERS AT THE FOREFRONT
Miles, who is 3-2 in bowl games as a head coach, has tried his best all week to deflect the national media spotlight away from himself.
“The number of stories that came out that reflected on our team, and the efforts that the media went through, in my opinion, to get different quality stories surely added some color to the game,” he said.
“Of course, anything that you do in covering me, if you’d minimize that, I’d appreciate it,” Miles said jokingly.
Some of Miles players’ said the increased coverage hasn’t affected practice and won’t influence what happens Monday night.
“The guys we have on this team, we know what we’re here to do and that’s to play in the national championship game,” said senior wide receiver Early Doucet. “We won’t get distracted or let anything deter us from reaching our goal.”
The Buckeyes are the only thing that can keep LSU from reaching that goal. Ohio State enters Monday night’s game No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense, total defense and pass defense. The Buckeyes are also No. 3 in the country in rush defense.
While LSU’s defense is not as statistically successful as Ohio State’s, the Tigers are no slouches on that side of the ball. Although they rank No. 16 in the country in scoring defense, the Tigers are in the top-10 nationally in the other three major defensive categories.
A PLACE IN HISTORY
Aside from defense, there has been a lot of talk this week about how a win would boost either program to greater national prominence. The winner of Monday’s game will be the first two-time BCS champion.
LSU has already made BCS history without stepping foot on the field. The Tigers are the first two-loss team to play for the national title since the BCS formula was first used following the 1998 season.
“Being in a position to play in this game is something everybody in college football wants to be in,” Miles said. “And I think it’s obvious to say that certainly USC, Ohio State and LSU can say that if you want to play for the national championship, then there are some advantages to those three locations. But I’ve got to be real honest with you, that landscape will change, and it’s all about next year after Monday night. And until Monday night, it’s about Monday night.”