Tigers defense holds OU to 154 total yards

By By Richard Dark / EMG staff writer
Jan. 5, 2003
NEW ORLEANS LSU coach Nick Saban finally smiled.
Maybe because he knew something that the final score will never indicate.
Make no mistake about it. The Oklahoma Sooners never had a chance.
Playing in perhaps the most partisan of dens in national championship game history, the Sooners did all they could but it would not prove to be enough, as the second-ranked LSU Tigers strong-armed their way to their first national title since 1958 by putting down OU 21-14 in front of a record rabid crowd of 79,342 here in the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday night.
Evidently, winning your first national title doesn't cloud the memory too badly because for all intents and purposes, Saban was correct.
In the second quarter, OU running back Kejuan Jones punched it in moments after LSU punter Donnie Jones had the ball slapped back in his face while standing deep in his own territory.
With the game knotted at 7-7, LSU quarterback Matt Mauck engineered a textbook nine-play, 80-yard drive that ended with running back Justin Vincent capping the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run to give LSU the lead for good with 4:21 to go before the half.
Vincent finished with 117 yards on 16 carries and the score to collect the Miller Digby Award as the game's Most Valuable Player.
The Tiger defense was especially key. They held OU's top-ranked scoring offense which came into the game averaging 45 points to only 14.
He also electrified the purple and gold faithful on the game's first play from scrimmage by scooting 64 yards to set the tone for the Tigers. LSU churned out 312 total yards. OU got held to 154. The Heisman winner White was harassed relentlessly, finishing 13-of-37 for 102 yards and two picks.
White said the loss was very damaging to his season. His counterpart Mauck completed 13-of-22 passes for 124 yards and rushed for 40 more.