Tigers riding high after Sugar Bowl
By By Richard Dark / EMG staff writer
Jan. 6, 2004
NEW ORLEANS Following LSU's 21-14 win over Oklahoma for a share of the national title in Sunday night's Sugar Bowl, thousands of Tiger faithful fans spilled out of the Louisiana Superdome and onto Bourbon Street to join the multitude already assembled for a French Quarter celebration of historical and epic proportions.
But Tigers coach Nick Saban was not one of them. Can't do too much reveling, now. It'll soon be time to think about next season.
So how long does the man coveted by just about every NFL general manager sit back and rest on the laurels? According to him, this year's accomplishments are next year's expectations. But it won't be easy. LSU will lose 18 seniors, including defensive tackle Chad Lavalais and offensive linemen Rodney Reed and guard Stephen Peterman.
If you think Saban's satisfaction is short-lived, consider it took even less time for the debates to start swirling about things such as split national championships and other labels that involve the best.
The Associated Press awarded Southern Cal (12-1) its final No.1 ranking, prompting Tigers defender Lavalais to talk about how sharing is good.
He and his defensive mates made sure, just as they had all season, that it would be a good deal for LSU (13-1). The Tigers, entering the Sugar Bowl, only allowed opponents to score 10 points per game. And with Sooners quarterback Jason White struggling from a severe case of the Heisman jinx, it helped to form a combination of domination.
There wasn't much that White, who failed to complete his final eight pass attempts, could say afterward, either. "It dampers it quite a bit," White said.
His team also thwarted themselves with 11 penalties. "You win 12 games, and that's extremely hard to do in college football, and you end up with nothing to show for it."
Saban has something to show for it. His contract includes a clause that said if he won this game, he was guaranteed $1 more than the highest-paid college coach Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, at $2.3 million. "I'm just happy that we could make this state proud," Saban said.
After more than 45 years, the state is bursting with it.
