Bought three tickets for me and sons before teams were named.. Thinking we would see nebraska's heisman QB. Never in my wildest dreams did I think LSU would make it there. Very 1st bowl game for us and we got to see LSU put epic beatdown on the illini. Also saw lsu/ou for the title in the dome and LSU/nd. As a tiger fan can't get no better than that.
You're right, Reed WAS ridiculous and maybe Rohan was a little chubby, but he did nothing but win while at LSU and is one of my all time favorite LSU QBs.
Amazing passes on the run by both Kurt Kittner at 5:33 and then by Brandon Lloyd (!) at 13:29. That was a fun Fighting Illini season. Say what you will of Ron Turner, but he coached a high-octane offense that 2002 season to take the BigTen title. Pity the defense didn't do its part in this Sugar Bowl game.
Funny thing is that we shut the offense down after going up 41. It was only when they got within 2 TDs, that we decided to start the engine one last time. After easily getting another score, we just rode the game down. We could have hung 60+ if we wanted. Another note, if they ever add bowl game stats from this season back, then Rohan finishes with 3791 yards, 21 TDs, and Reed finishes with 1979 yards and 9 TDs. That would put Rohan's LSU record even further out of reach and Reed reclaims his title for most receiving yards in a single season in CFB history. LSU totaled 4024 passing yards that season. The closest we have gotten since then, was 3272 in 2006 with Jamarcus Russell (we had 3257 in 2003 and 3263 in 2013).
+8MoneyIzmyMission8 We? Are all LSU fans part of the program? A lot of "We" and "They." As a Tide fan I would have liked to see "You" lose but too bad for me this game wasn't 5 quarters. Props to the Illini for coming back in basically a home game for LSU. I know, we suck this year.
Get this!!! LSU had not played in a major bowl since 1986 and me and my buddies all were ready for the game like never before in Monroe! Just after kickoff... fuzz!!! We call the local cable and ABC station and some idiot had wrecked in front of the Monroe ABC station and the power was shut down! DAMNIT!!! Turn on the radio...and finally the TV came on in the 4th quarter!
Mike Tirico at 0:47 what he said right there, was some Nostradomus type shit. I mean the guy doesn't know just how much truth that was. Since then, the Illini have been only average at their very best. Never winning the Big Ten, nor a division since. Never again winning double digit games, and have 10 losing seasons out of 13. They had five immediately after the 2001 season, and have gone 2-2 in bowl games. Since then, LSU has won their division outright 4 times and have 1 tie. We have won 3 conference titles, and have played in four. We have won 2 national championships, and have played in three. We have zero losing seasons. We have won no less than 8 games every year since then, and have won double digit game 8 of the 13 years since this game. We are 7-6 in bowl games, and 4-1 in big bowl games (NCG Sugar Bowl). LSU also sent Miami spiraling in 2005 and Notre Dame in 2006. It took ND six years before the got into another big game (NCG) and failed miserably. They beat us last year, but I'd love us to play them again this year with a better bowl or even the playoffs.