BCS Championship Bowl History & More

2008 BCS Championship Bowl Best Games, History & More

LSU (11-2) vs. Ohio State (11-1)

January 7th, 8:00 p.m. ET, Fox

 

BCS Championship History
2007 Florida 41, Ohio State 14

Get Tickets for the BCS Championship  

- CFN 2007 BCS Championship Preview

By Richard Cirminiello

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.

Best Buckeye Bowl Moment: Beyond the plethora of Rose Bowl wins, nothing could compare to the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.  In one of the most thrilling college football games of all-time, Ohio State upset Miami in overtime to cop its first unanimous national championship in 34 years. A distant runner-up was the come-from-behind win against USC in the 1969 Rose Bowl that put the finishing touches on that previous national title.

Ohio State's best win ... Ohio State 14 ... Michigan 3
Chris Wells scored from one and 62 yards out and the defense held Michigan to 91 yards of total offense as Ohio State won a sloppy game filled with several slips and dropped passes. The Wolverines gained just 15 yards rushing with Mike Hart gutting it out through a gimpy ankle for 44 yards. Chad Henne struggled through his shoulder injury to complete 11 of 34 passes, but he was plagued by several drops. The Buckeyes held on to the ball for 37:50 as Michigan converted just three of 18 third down conversion attempts.
Player of the game: Ohio State RB Chris Wells ran 39 times for 222 yards and two touchdowns, and DE Vernon Gholston made five tackles, three sacks and four tackles for loss.
Stat Leaders: Michigan - Passing: Chad Henne, 11-34, 68 yds
Rushing: Mike Hart, 18-44. Receiving: Mario Manningham, 5-34
Ohio State - Passing: Todd Boeckman, 7-13, 50 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Chris Wells, 39-222, 2 TD. Receiving: Brian Robiskie, 2-21

Ohio State's worst loss ... Illinois 28 ... Ohio State 21
Illinois tore off 260 rushing yards, but it was the passing game that killed Ohio State early on with Juice Williams throwing four touchdown passes to four different receivers. A 31-yard strike to Marques Wilkins late in the third quarter gave the Illini a 28-14 lead, but the Buckeyes marched right back going 76 yards in eight plays with Chris Wells finishing it off with his second touchdown run of the game. And Illinois decided to not let Ohio State have the ball again. The Buckeyes ran two plays in the fourth quarter with the second an interception by Marcus Thomas with 8:09 to play. And then Illinois played keep-away, going 42 yards on 16 plays taking off the rest of the time, highlighted by a two-yard quarterback sneak on fourth and inches on the Illinois 33 to keep the drive alive. Marcus Freeman and James Laurinaitis combined to make 30 tackles for the Buckeyes, while J Leman made 12 stops for Illinois.
Player of the game: Illinois QB Juice Williams completed 12 of 22 passes for 140 yards, and ran 16 times for 70 yards
Stat Leaders: Illinois - Passing: Isiah Williams, 12-22, 140 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Daniel Dufrene, 8-106. Receiving: Brian Gamble, 3-27, 1 TD
Ohio State - Passing: Todd Boeckman, 13-23, 156 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Chris Wells, 20-76, 2 TD. Receiving: Brian Hartline, 4-86

LSU's best win ... SEC Championship, LSU 21 ... Tennessee 14
LSU outgained Tennessee 464 yards to 343, but needed a bid play from the defense to win the SEC championship. Jonathan Zenon took a long Erik Ainge out pattern throw the other way 18 yards for an LSU touchdown for the winning score. The Vols had one last big chance, but a fourth and four pass on the LSU 21 was dropped by Denarius Moore. Their final drive ended with an interception. The Tigers got two Colt David field goals and a 27-yard Demetrius Byrd touchdown catch from Ryan Perrilloux, who injured his finger, but stay in for most of the game. Tennessee played well with two Erik Ainge touchdown passes with an 11-yarder to Chris Brown and a six-yard play to Josh Briscoe.
Player of the game: LSU CB Jonathan Zenon made six tackles, broke up a pass, and picked off a pass for the game-winning touchdown. Tennessee's Jerod Mayo made 15 tackles and a tackle for loss.
Stat Leaders: LSU - Passing: Ryan Perrilloux, 20-30, 243 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jacob Hester, 23-120. Receiving: Early Doucet, 5-29
Tennessee - Passing: Erik Ainge, 20-40, 249 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Arian Foster, 21-55. Receiving: Josh Briscoe, 8-79, 1 TD

LSU's worst loss ... Arkansas 50 ... LSU 48 3OT
In the third overtime, Arkansas scored first on a three-yard Peyton Hillis touchdown run with Felix Jones taking it in for the two-point conversion. LSU answered with a nine-yard Brandon LaFell touchdown catch, but the two-point conversion attempt was picked off by Matterral Richardson to seal the win for the Hogs and ruin LSU's national title dreams. Darren McFadden ran for touchdowns from 16, 73 and nine yards out, and threw a 24-yard touchdown to Hillis, who also ran for a 65-yard touchdown and caught a ten-yard scoring pass in the first overtime. The Tigers had to fight just to get to overtime with Demetrius Boyd catching a two-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds to play. LSU scored first on a 12-yard Matt Flynn run, but Arkansas answered with a Hillis's ten-yard catch. McFadden's nine-yard scamper gave the Hogs the lead, but Hester helped tie it up with a two-yard run. Arkansas finished with 385 rushing yards and 513 yards of total offense to LSU's 413 yards.
Player of the game: Arkansas RB Darren McFadden ran 32 times for 206 yards and three touchdowns, and completed three of six passes for 34 yards and a score
Stat Leaders: LSU - Passing: Matt Flynn, 22-47, 209 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Jacob Hester, 28-126, 2 TD. Receiving: Early Doucet, 7-52
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 10-18, 94 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 32-206, 3 TD. Receiving: Peyton Hillis, 5-62, 2 TD

2007 BCS Championship
Florida 41 ... Ohio State 14
Florida dominated Ohio State on both sides of the ball holding the Buckeye offense to eight first downs and 82 total yards of offense while amassing 370 yards and scoring 21 straight points in the first 15:04. Things started out on a high note for OSU as Ted Ginn Jr. took the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, but the Gators responded with a big kickoff return, helped by a penalty, and a seven-play, 46-yard drive finishing with a 14-yard Dallas Baker touchdown catch. Percy Harvin ran for a four-yard score, and DeShawn Wynn ran for a two-yard touchdown for the big lead, but the Buckeyes appeared to have some life after an 18-yard Antonio Pittman touchdown run. That would be it as Florida got two Chris Hetland field goals and took advantage of a sack and Troy Smith fumble to go five yards in the final minute of the first half finishing with a one-yard Andre Caldwell touchdown catch from Tim Tebow. Tebow closed out the scoring with a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Player of the game ... Florida DEs Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey. The two Gator ends combined to make six tackles, five sacks, and came up with several hurries. Moss forced a key Troy Smith fumble at the end of the first half deep in Buckeye territory, and Harvey recovered it.
Stat Leaders: Florida - Passing: Chris Leak, 35-36, 213 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: DeShawn Wynn, 19-69, 1 TD  Receiving: Percy Harvin, 9-60
Ohio State - Passing: Troy Smith, 4-14, 35 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Antonio Pittman, 10-62, 1 TD  Receiving: Anthony Gonzalez, 2-11

---

LSU Bowl History (19-18-1)

2007	Sugar	LSU 41, Notre Dame 14
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

Ohio State Bowl History (18-19)

2005	Fiesta	Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 20
2004	Alamo	Ohio State 33, Oklahoma State 7
2003	Fiesta	Ohio State 35, Kansas State 28
2002	Fiesta	Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (2 OT)
2001	Outback	South Carolina 31, Ohio State 28
2000	Outback	South Carolina 24, Ohio State 7
1998	Sugar	Ohio State 24, Texas A&M 14
1997	Sugar	Florida State 31, Ohio State 14
1996	Rose	Ohio State 20, Arizona State 17
1996	Citrus	Tennessee 20, Ohio State 14
1995	Citrus	Alabma 24, Ohio State 17
1993	Holiday	Ohio State 28, Brigham Young 21
1992	Citrus	Georgia 21, Ohio State 14
1991	Hall of Fame	Syracuse 24, Ohio State 17
1990	Liberty	Air Force 23, Ohio State 11
1989	Hall of Fame	Auburn 31, Ohio State 14
1986	Cotton	Ohio State 28, Texas A&M 12
1985	Citrus	Ohio State 10, Brigham Young 7
1984	Rose	Southern California 20, Ohio State 17
1983	Fiesta	Ohio State 28, Pittsburgh 23
1982	Holiday	Ohio State 47, Brigham Young 17
1981	Liberty	Ohio State 31, Navy 28
1980	Fiesta	Penn State 31, Ohio State 19
1979	Rose	Southern California 17, Ohio State 16
1978	Gator	Clemson 17, Ohio State 15
1977	Sugar	Alabama 35, Ohio State 6
1976	Orange	Ohio State 27, Colorado 10
1975	Rose	UCLA 23, Ohio State 10
1974	Rose	Southern California 18, Ohio State 17
1973	Rose	Ohio State 42, Southern California 21
1972	Rose	Southern California 42, Ohio State 17
1970	Rose	Stanford 27, Ohio State 17
1968	Rose	Ohio State 27, Southern California 16
1957	Rose	Ohio State 10, Oregon 7
1954	Rose	Ohio State 20, Southern California 7
1949	Rose	Ohio State 17, California 14
1920	Rose	California 28, Ohio State 0