The right to represent the West in the Southeastern Conference Championship game was at stake Saturday, as LSU and Arkansas butted heads in Little Rock, Ark.
And only irony can attempt to explain how a last-minute touchdown pass could dash the championship hopes of the Tigers after what occurred in “The Bluegrass Miracle.”
But it was two Matt Jones’ passes accounting for 81 yards and a touchdown on the final drive of the game that caused the SEC West title to slip through the Tigers’ hands and fall into the possession of Arkansas in a dramatic 21-20 finish.
LSU had extended its lead to 20-14 on a John Corbello field goal with 40 seconds left on the clock, but then the miraculous happened.
The Golden Band from Tigerland cheerfully was playing “Tiger Rag” and the fans were planning their trips to Atlanta, while visions of a second-straight SEC Championship danced in their heads.
But just as quickly as the Tigers changed the tone of the game in Kentucky, the Razorbacks fought back with a 14-point fourth quarter including a game-winning, 31-yard touchdown pass to bring home “The Boot” as well as an SEC West title.
“I feel terrible for our players, and I feel terrible for our team,” said LSU head coach Nick Saban. “I wish there was something I could do as a coach to help them. All I can say is I’m very proud of them.”
Last season, LSU put together a string of four consecutive wins to close out the regular season and went on to upset Tennessee 31-20 in the SEC title game.
“The goal that we had was defending the SEC title,” said LSU linebacker Bradie James. “We had that opportunity, and it was very disappointing. Hopefully, what I’ve done is pass the torch to the younger guys, starting a legacy here to always play for the SEC Championship.”
The loss was only the second for the Tigers under Saban when scoring 20 or more points, and their third straight loss in Little Rock.
“Arkansas has a great team,” said receiver Michael Clayton. “We came down here to take the Western Division, but we came up a little short.”
“The Battle for the Golden Boot” seemed to be an afterthought in this game, but both teams hope this will become one of those intense rivalries each looks forward to every season.
“I think ‘The Boot’ is a good tradition to have,” Saban said. “And I think when we play late in the year like last year and this year, and there are championship consequences on the line for both teams, I think those things make it more of a rivalry than ‘The Boot.'”
“The Boot” went to Fayetteville, Ark., where it will remain until the Razorbacks bring it down to Baton Rouge for next year’s matchup.
These two teams now are headed in different directions. The Razorbacks will ride the ecstasy of their win, as they prepare for Georgia and a possible SEC Championship, while LSU will try to regroup and stay focused for their bowl game, which is expected to be announced Dec. 8.
“We’re going to have another game, and like a lot of tough things in life, we’ve got to bounce back,” Saban said. “I don’t know where we’ll play again, but this team will have the opportunity to play again.”
But, the Tigers went to Little Rock to win a championship, and a bowl game does not taste as sweet.
“[A bowl game] really doesn’t matter,” James said. “The bowl game is just a celebration. I wish I could have led the troops back to the SEC Championship and defended our title, but I wasn’t able to do that.”
Tigers lose “The Boot”
By Bryan Wideman, Sports Writer
December 3, 2002
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