Sugar Bowl Player Profile, History & More

2007 Allstate Sugar Bowl Player Profile, History & More

Notre Dame (10-2) vs. LSU (10-2)

January 3rd, 8:00 p.m. ET, Fox

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Sugar Bowl History

2006	West Virginia 38, Georgia 35
2005	Auburn 16, Virginia Tech 13
2004	LSU 21, Oklahoma 14
2003	Georgia 26, Florida State 13
2002	LSU 47, Illinois 34
2001	Miami 37, Florida 20
2000	Florida St 46, Virginia Tech 29
1999	Ohio State 24, Texas A&M 14
1998	Florida State 31, Ohio State 14
1997	Florida 52, Florida State 20
1995	Virginia Tech 28, Texas 10
1995	Florida State 23, Florida 17
1994	Florida 41, West Virginia 7
1993	Alabama 34, Miami (Fla.) 13
1992	Notre Dame 39, Florida 28
1991	Tennessee 23, Virginia 22
1990	Miami 33, Alabama 25
1989	Florida State 13, Auburn 7
1988	Auburn 16, Syracuse 16
1987	Nebraska 30, LSU 15
1986	Tennessee 35, Miami 7
1985	Nebraska 28, LSU 10
1984	Auburn 9, Michigan 7
1983	Penn State 27, Georgia 23
1982	Pittsburgh 24, Georgia 20
1981	Georgia 17, Notre Dame 10
1980	Alabama 24, Arkansas 9
1979	Alabama 14, Penn State 7
1978	Alabama 35, Ohio State 6
1977	Pittsburgh 27, Georgia 3
1975	Alabama 13, Penn State 6
1974	Nebraska 13, Florida 10
1973	Notre Dame 24, Alabama 23
1972	Oklahoma 40, Auburn 22
1972	Oklahoma 14, Penn State 0
1971	Tennessee 34, Air Force 13
1970	Mississippi 27, Arkansas 22
1969	Arkansas 16, Georgia 2
1968	LSU 20, Wyoming 13
1967	Alabama 34, Nebraska 7
1966	Missouri 20, Florida 18
1965	LSU 13, Syracuse 10
1964	Alabama 12, Mississippi 7
1963	Mississippi 17, Arkansas 3
1962	Alabama 10, Arkansas 3
1961	Mississippi 14, Rice 6
1960	Mississippi 21, LSU 0
1959	LSU 7, Clemson 0
1958	Mississippi 39, Texas 7
1957	Baylor 13, Tennessee 7
1956	Georgia Tech 7, Pittsburgh 0
1955	Navy 21, Mississippi 0
1954	Georgia Tech 42, W Virginia 19
1953	Georgia Tech 24, Mississippi 7
1952	Maryland 28, Tennessee 13
1951	Kentucky 13, Oklahoma 7
1950	Oklahoma 35, LSU 0
1949	Oklahoma 14, North Carolina 6
1948	Texas 27, Alabama 7
1947	Georgia 20, North Carolina 10
1946	Oklahoma State 33, St Mary's (Colorado) 13
1945	Duke 29, Alabama 26
1944	Georgia Tech 20, Tulsa 18
1943	Tennessee 14, Tulsa 7
1942	Fordham 2, Missouri 0
1941	Boston Coll 19, Tennessee 13
1940	Texas A&M 14, Tulane 13
1939	TCU 15, Carnegie Mellon 7
1938	Santa Clara 6, LSU 0
1937	Santa Clara 21, LSU 14
1936	TCU 3, LSU 2
1935	Tulane 20, Temple 14

By Richard Cirminiello

Sugar Bowl Player Profile
TE John Carlson, Notre Dame – Since 1973, eight Notre Dame tight ends have been named All-America and four of those players went on to become first-round NFL draft choices.  So when Carlson, an unknown outside South Bend before 2006, was faced with supplanting Anthony Fasano, all he had to do was channel a few Irish greats, such as Dave Casper, Mark Bavaro and Ken McAfee.  Whatever he’s doing, it’s working.  One year after catching just seven passes as Fasano’s understudy, Carlson has arrived with 46 receptions for 621 yards and four touchdowns, despite missing almost a quarter of the season with a knee injury.  Had he not gotten hurt in the Nov. 11 win at Air Force, the Mackey Award finalist might have beaten out Minnesota’s Matt Spaeth for the honor and definitely would have smashed McAfee’s single-season school record for catches by a tight end .  Carlson is running again in practice and expects to be ready for the Sugar Bowl, good news for an offense that missed one of its favorite targets down the stretch.  At 6-6 and 250 pounds, he’s got the potential to be an asset in the running game, but also harbors all the athletic ability to continue progressing as an outstanding downfield pass-catcher.  When defenses play a Cover 2, there isn’t a linebacker in America that can handle his combination of size and speed.  In high school, he averaged a double-double in hoops and was a member of the Litchfield (Minn.) High tennis team.  Like most Irish players, Carlson is also community-minded and versatile between the ears, sporting a nifty 3.59 GPA, en route to being named a first-team Academic All-American.  He’s a senior with another year of eligibility remaining, but even if he opts for the NFL in 2007, Carlson has done enough in his lone year as the starter to solidify Notre Dame’s status as Tight End U.          
Best Irish Bowl Moment – As hard as it is to imagine, the Irish haven’t won a bowl game in 12 years, losing its last eight postseason games.  Prior to that futile streak, however, it had plenty of huge victories in the 1970s and 1980s.  In particular, the 1973 Sugar Bowl, pitting No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Notre Dame, lived up to the billing as the game of the century.  In a thriller that featured six lead changes, the Irish won the game 24-23 and the national championship with an 11-0 record.

Best Tiger Bowl Moment – Look no further than the 2004 Sugar Bowl, a more-dominant-than-the-score-indicated 21-14 win over Oklahoma, which gave LSU a share of its first national championship in 45 years.  The Tigers harassed Heisman winner Jason White from the opening drive, getting just enough of an offensive spark from freshman back Justin Vincent to pull off the mild upset in the Superdome.

Notre Dame's best win ... Notre Dame 41 ... Penn State 17
Notre Dame's offense put up 397 yards and took advantage of every opportunity to blow out Penn State in a game that wasn't as close as the final score might indicate. The Irish scored the first 27 points highlighted by two Brady Quinn touchdown passes and a 25-yard Tom Zbikowski fumble return for a score. Quinn connected with Darius Walker for a 15-yard score and Travis Thomas ran for a one-yard touchdown after running 43 yards on a fake punt. The Nittany Lions scored 14 points in the final six minutes on a two-yard Deon Butler touchdown catch and a five-yard Daryll Clark run.

Notre Dame's worst loss ... Michigan 47 ... Notre Dame 21
Michigan's defense held Notre Dame to 245 yards and picked off Brady Quinn three times with a 31-yard Preston Burgess pick six kicking off the scoring. The Irish soon responded with a three-yard Ashley McConnell touchdown catch following an interception by Chinedum Ndukwe, but the roof soon caved in as Michigan went on a 27-point run on three Mario Manningham touchdown catches and a two-yard Mike Hart touchdown run. The Wolverine D sealed the blowout with a 54-yard fumble return for a score by LaMarr Woodley. Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight each caught a touchdown pass, but they came way too late.

LSU's best win ... LSU 31 ... Arkansas 26
In a wild fourth quarter stretch, LSU increased its lead to 24-12 on a seven-yard touchdown catch from Early Doucet only to see Darren McFadden take the next play from scrimmage 80 yards for a score. Just when it seemed like Arkansas had all the momentum, Trindon Holliday returned the ensuing kickoff for a score. Arkansas was able to get within six on a Felix Jones five-yard touchdown run, but failed on its final drive when Casey Dick misfired on four straight passes. Arkansas ran for 298 yards and three touchdowns along with a 21-yard Marcus Monk touchdown catch, but the lack of a consistent passing game proved to be the downfall. JaMarcus Russell threw two touchdown passes for the Tigers highlighted by a 47-yard play to Craig Davis in the second quarter.

LSU's worst loss ... Florida 23 ... LSU 10
Florida overcame a 7-0 deficit with 23 straight points highlighted by a funky one-yard jump pass from Tim Tebow to Tate Casey with :22 left in the first half. Tebow ran for a one-yard score and threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Louis Murphy for the offensive points, and then the defense and special teams came through as LSU combusted. Early Doucet fumbled the second half kickoff on the three and got dropped for a safety, there was a fumbled snap on the one-yard line, had a punt blocked and fumbled a punt. The Tigers only managed a 45-yard Colt David field goal in the second half.

2006 Sugar Bowl
West Virginia 38 ... Georgia 35
West Virginia got out to a shocking 28-0 lead early in the second quarter highlighted by Steve Slaton touchdown runs from 52 and 18 yards, along with a touchdown run and catch from Darius Reynaud, but Georgia slowly crept back with a 34-yard touchdown run from Kregg Lumpkin, a 52-yard scoring dash from Thomas Brown, and a four-yard Leonard Pope touchdown catch to cut the lead to 31-21 at halftime. Georgia got the passing game going in the second half with a 34-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Bryant and a 43-yard scoring play to Bryan McClendon, but a second 52-yard touchdown run from Slaton midway through the fourth quarter proved to be the difference. The Dawg defense apparently had West Virginia stopped with just under two minutes to play, but a fake punt kept the final drive alive and allowed the Mountaineers to seal the win. West Virginia outgained Georgia 382 rushing yards to 224, and didn't commit a turnover while the Dawgs gave away three.
Player of the game: West Virginia RB Steve Slaton ran 26 times for 204 yards and three touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Pat White, 11-14, 120 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Steve Slaton, 26-204, 3 TD Receiving: Darius Reynaud, 6-48, 1 TD
Georgia - Passing: D.J. Shockley, 20-33, 277 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Thomas Brown, 9-78, 1 TD Receiving: Leonard Pope, 6-50, 1 TD

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Notre Dame Bowl History (13-14)

2005	Fiesta	Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 20
2004	Insight	Oregon State 38, Notre Dame 21
2002	Gator	NC State 28, Notre Dame 6
2000	Fiesta	Oregon State 41, Notre Dame 9
1998	Gator	Georgia Tech 35, Notre Dame 28
1997	Indep.	LSU 27, Notre Dame 9
1995	Orange	Florida State 31, Notre Dame 26
1994	Fiesta	Colorado 41, Notre Dame 21
1993	Cotton	Notre Dame 24, Texas A&M 21
1992	Cotton	Notre Dame 28, Texas A&M 3
1991	Sugar	Notre Dame 39, Florida 28
1990	Orange	Colorado 10, Notre Dame 9
1989	Orange	Notre Dame 21, Colorado 6
1988	Fiesta	Notre Dame 34, West Virginia 21
1987	Cotton	Texas A&M 35, Notre Dame 10
1984	Aloha	SMU 27, Notre Dame 20
1983	Liberty	Notre Dame 19, Boston Coll 18
1980	Sugar	Georgia 17, Notre Dame 10
1978	Cotton	Notre Dame 35, Houston 34
1977	Cotton	Notre Dame 38, Texas 10
1976	Gator	Notre Dame 20, Penn State 9
1974	Orange	Notre Dame 13, Alabama 11
1973	Sugar	Notre Dame 24, Alabama 23
1972	Orange	Nebraska 40, Notre Dame 6
1970	Cotton	Notre Dame 24, Texas 11
1969	Cotton	Texas 21, Notre Dame 17
1924	Rose	Notre Dame 27, Stanford 10

LSU Bowl History (18-18-1)

2005	Peach	LSU 40, Miami 3
2004	Capital One	Iowa 30, LSU 25
2003	Sugar	LSU 21, Oklahoma 14
2002	Cotton	Texas 35, LSU 20
2001	Sugar	LSU 47, Illinois 34
2000	Peach	LSU 28, Georgia Tech 14
1997	Independence	LSU 27, Notre Dame 9
1996	Peach	LSU 10, Clemson 7
1995	Independence	LSU 45, Michigan State 26
1988	Hall of Fame	Syracuse 23, LSU 10
1987	Gator	LSU 30, South Carolina 13
1986	Sugar	Nebraska 30, LSU 15
1985	Liberty	Baylor 21, LSU 7
1984	Sugar	Nebraska 28, LSU 10
1982	Orange	Nebraska 21, LSU 20
1979	Tangerine	LSU 34, Wake Forest 10
1978	Liberty	Missouri 20, LSU 15
1977	Sun	Stanford 24, LSU 14
1973	Orange	Penn State 16, LSU 9
1972	Astro-Bluebonnet	Tennessee 24, LSU 17
1971	Sun	LSU 33, Iowa State 15
1970	Orange	Nebraska 17, LSU 12
1968	Peach	LSU 31, Florida State 27
1967	Sugar	LSU 20, Wyoming 13
1965	Cotton	LSU 14, Arkansas 7
1964	Sugar	LSU 13, Syracuse 10
1963	Astro-Bluebonnet	Baylor 14, LSU 7
1962	Cotton	LSU 13, Texas 0
1961	Orange	LSU 25, Colorado 7
1959	Sugar	Mississippi 21, LSU 0
1958	Sugar	LSU 7, Clemson 0
1949	Sugar	Oklahoma 35, LSU 0
1946	Cotton	LSU 0, Arkansas 0
1943	Orange	LSU 19, Texas A&M 14
1937	Sugar	Santa Clara 6, LSU 0
1936	Sugar	Santa Clara 21, LSU 14
1935	Sugar	TCU 3, LSU 2