Flynn throws 4 TD passes, LSU humbles No. 1 Ohio State 38-24 in BCS championship game
NEW ORLEANS - Too easy.
No. 2 LSU danced, dodged and darted its way into the end zone Monday night, turning the BCS national championship game into a horrible replay for No. 1 Ohio State. It was over early, with Matt Flynn throwing four touchdown passes in a 38-24 win.
Playing at their home-away-from-home in the Big Easy, LSU (12-2) became the first two-loss team to play for the title. Shouts of "SEC! SEC!" bounced around the Superdome as the Tigers won their second BCS crown in five seasons. They are the first school to win a second title since BCS rankings began with the 1998 season.
And in a season of surprises, this was hardly an upset: Ohio State once again fell apart in college football's biggest game. A year after the Buckeyes were routed by Tim Tebow and Florida 41-14 in the Arizona desert, they barely did better.
Jacob Hester bulled for a short touchdown, Early Doucet wiggled loose for a touchdown and All-American Glenn Dorsey led a unit that outplayed the top-ranked defense in the nation. Ohio State (11-2) had little to celebrate after Chris Wells broke loose for a 65-yard TD run on the fourth play of the game.
Yet while LSU got to hoist the $30,000 crystal trophy, certainly many fans around the country were peering into their crystal balls, wondering if someone else was worthy of the title. Southern California, Georgia, West Virginia, Kansas and Missouri all put on impressive shows in bowl games, and will be among the favorites in 2008.
The final Associated Press poll was to be released early Tuesday.
LSU became just the fourth favorite to win in 10 BCS championship games. Coach Les Miles probably got a little extra satisfaction, too. Though he turned down a chance to return home to Michigan, he did something his alma mater hasn't done recently - beat the Buckeyes.
The loss left Ohio State at 0-9 overall in bowl games against teams from the Southeastern Conference. The SEC delights in whipping Big Ten teams in what's become a rivalry that steams up fans on both sides.
The Tigers rallied from an early 10-0 deficit, taking a 24-10 lead that held up. Two big plays on special teams kept them ahead - they blocked a field goal, and later took advantage of a roughing-the-kicker penalty.
Matt Flynn hit Early Doucet with a 4-yard toss with 9:04 left for a 31-10 lead and celebration was on in earnest. The Buckeyes made the score more respectable on Todd Boeckman's 5-yard TD pass on fourth down to Brian Robiskie, only to have Matt Flynn come back and throw his second TD pass to Richard Dickson.
As the clocked down, Todd Boeckman threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brian Hartline.
Ohio State was trying to win its second BCS title in six years, and add to the one that coach Jim Tressel captured by upsetting Miami 31-24 in double overtime for the 2002 championship.
For sure, the Buckeyes were perhaps the most-maligned No. 1 team in recent memory, with critics attacking them all season. Tressel gave his players a 10-minute DVD filled with insults hurled at them by television and radio announcers, hoping it would motivate his team.
Instead, the Tigers ravaged the nation's best defense and showed that maybe all those naysayers were right.
Known as a punishing runner, Chris Wells got the game off to a quick start. On the fourth play from scrimmage, the Buckeyes' bruising back started left, made a nifty cut right and burst through the middle.
Chris Wells was gone, off on the longest run of his career. And so much for SEC speed - Chris Wells outran All-America safety Craig Steltz for a 65-yard TD.
Wells was welcomed by a familiar face once he got back to the sideline. Miami Dolphins receiver Ted Ginn Jr., wearing scarlet and gray Mardi Gras beads, knew all about early strikes. He provided Ohio State's only highlight in last year's BCS title game, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown.
This time, Ohio State made it 10-0 on its next possession. Todd Boeckman hit a wide-open Brandon Saine for 44 yards, setting up Ryan Pretorius' 25-yard field goal.
Only five minutes into the game, Ohio State and its all-brass band was blowing away the Tigers. LSU looked dazed and defensive coordinator Bo Pelini - who now becomes Nebraska's full-time coach - had few answers.
Fortunately for the Tigers, their offense started clicking. On a team full of flash, it was the steady ol' Jacob Hester who settled down LSU.
First, he barreled into All-America linebacker James Laurinaitis for a short gain. Both players are the rugged type and in a nice show of sportsmanship, James Laurinaitis - whose dad, Joe, once starred as "Animal" in the "Legion of Doom" wrestling tag team - helped up Jacob Hester.
Jacob Hester broke off a 20-yard run on the next play, and LSU eventually got a 32-yard field goal from Colt David that made it 10-3.
That score late in the first quarter seemed to jazz everyone in purple and gold. The Tigers zoomed into fast motion, the band's Golden Girls suddenly put more bounce in their step and thousands of fans started screaming even louder.
Matt Flynn also seemed to recognize exactly what Ohio State was trying to do. LSU quarterbacks spend a lot of time with an Xbox, playing a custom-made video game to read defenses. Apparently, what worked on the screen did even better on the field.
Two big penalties against Ohio State helped set up Matt Flynn's 13-yard touchdown pass to Richard Dickson, who somehow found himself uncovered. Matt Flynn punctuated the strike by hollering, giving a wild fist pump and putting up both hands to signal TD.
Tied at 10, the Buckeyes counted on Chris Wells. He delivered one of the season's best stiff-arms on a 29-yard romp, and Ohio State seemed poised to retake the lead.
Instead, LSU defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois crashed through the middle, swung his big right arm and blocked Pretorius' 38-yard field goal try.
As Ohio State trudged off the field and LSU sprung on, it was all over. It only took a while to confirm it.
LSU turned to another of its five dangerous tailbacks, and NCAA sprint star Trindon Holliday zigzagged closer to the goal line. Matt Flynn's perfect pass to Brandon LaFell in the back left corner of the end zone put the Tigers ahead 17-10.
Then, it was time for LSU's defense to make the big play. Cornerback Chevis Jackson intercepted Todd Boeckman's loss toss and streaked 34 yards down the right sideline.
The Tigers moved to a first-and-goal at 1. On third down, Jacob Hester plunged up the middle and it was 24-10 with four-plus minutes left in the first half.
No doubt, this was a replay the Buckeyes hoped to avoid. Last January, the top-ranked Buckeyes got blitzed in the BCS title game, falling behind 34-14 at halftime to Florida.
On this night, the Buckeyes were equally humbled. Done in the locker room, offensive coordinator Jim Bollman led a silent, single-file line of coaches through the press box and back to their booth for the second half.
Ohio State picked up LSU's penalty problem in the BCS national championship game Monday night.
LSU came in as the second-most penalized team in the nation, drawing 8.7 per game. The Buckeyes were 21st best at about 5.5 per game.
Ohio State wasn't so disciplined Monday night, racking up five personal fouls in a 38-24 loss to LSU. Four of the 15-yard penalties came during LSU scoring drives and the other helped stall an Ohio State drive in Tigers' territory.
The Buckeyes picked up three personal fouls in a span of eight plays in the second quarter.
The first two helped LSU's first touchdown drive and the third slowed the Buckeyes down after they had driven to the Tigers' 28.
Defensive tackle Todd Denlinger was flagged for a late hit that added 15 yards to a 10-yard run by Keiland Williams for LSU. Two plays later, All-America linebacker James Laurinaitis was penalized for grabbing Demetrius Byrd's facemask on a 20-yard pass play.
On the next play, LSU's Matt Flynn hit a wide-open Richard Dickson for a 13-yard touchdown that tied the score at 10.
Ohio State was on the move on their next possession when receiver Brian Hartline drew another 15-yard personal foul. Ohio State kicker Ryan Pretorious ended up having his 38-yard field goal attempt blocked on the drive.
On the opening possession of the third quarter, Ohio State backup linebacker Austin Spitler got free up the middle on an LSU punt, but missed blocking the kick and ran over Patrick Fisher.
The 15-yard penalty gave LSU an automatic first down and on the next play Ohio State was called for another personal foul. That drive ended with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Flynn to Early Doucet.
Ohio State finished with seven penalties for 83 yards.
The Tigers had four penalties for 36 yards.
FAST START
Chris "Beanie" Wells' 65-yard run on the game's fourth play was the longest ever in a Bowl Championship Series title game, eclipsing by a yard the run by LSU's Justin Vincent against Oklahoma in the Jan. 4, 2004, title game.
Wells had 89 yards on six carries in the first quarter and 119 on 10 attempts by halftime but could be seen hobbling around the sideline during the break. The sophomore tailback had ankle and foot problems much of the year, despite rushing for 1,463 yards during the regular season.
STELTZ STINGER
LSU All-America safety Craig Steltz sat out most of the BCS national championship game against Ohio State with a stinger in his right shoulder he picked up in the second quarter.
His replacement ended up being involved in a big play for the Tigers.
Harry Coleman got a free on a blitz up the middle, pressuring Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman into a slightly underthrown pass that was intercepted with one hand by Chevis Jackson.
Jackson's 34-yard return to the Ohio State 24 set up 1-yard touchdown run by Jacob Hester that put the Tigers up 24-10.
Coleman also recovered a fumble in the second half.
Steltz was suited up with his helmet on for most of the second half, but didn't get back in the game.
CAPTAIN SMITH
This time, Will Smith stood side-by-side with the "visiting team" in the Louisiana Superdome.
Technically, the BCS national championship was held at a neutral site. From a practical standpoint, it was more like a home game for LSU, which is a 90-minute drive away, not to mention that New Orleans is home to countless LSU graduates and even more Tigers fans.
Smith, a defensive end for the New Orleans Saints, played for the Ohio State squad that won a national title in the 2002 season. He accepted an invitation to be an honorary captain for the Buckeyes against LSU.
Smith said he was proud to see how the city is slowly being rebuilt after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina 2 1/2 years ago.
"Unfortunately we had to go through it, but just to see all the positive people, seeing all the outside people coming in trying to do as much as they can to help the city rebuild itself has been great," he said. "Just as long as we can keep it going and get this city back to where it used to be."
UP NEXT
Ohio State and LSU face tough tests next September.
Ohio State takes on USC in Los Angeles on Sept. 13 after opening against Youngstown State and Ohio University.
The Buckeyes also visit Wisconsin and Illinois, and they play Penn State and Michigan at home.
After three nonconference home games, LSU opens the SEC schedule at Auburn. It's the first of three tough road trips in a four-week span, along with games at Florida and South Carolina.
The Tigers get Georgia and Alabama at home, and the Nov. 8 game against the Crimson Tide will mark the return of Nick Saban to Baton Rouge for the first time since he left for the NFL's Miami Dolphins.
Once again, Ohio State was victimized by SEC speed.
This time, though, it wasn't so much a matter of how fast the LSU Tigers could run, but the speed in which they could go on a run.
Having spotted the Buckeyes an early 10-point lead, LSU scored 24 points in a little more than 13 minutes and rarely slowed down en route to winning the BCS national championship with a 38-24 victory Monday night in the Louisiana Superdome.
Quarterback Matt Flynn threw two of his four touchdown passes while guiding the Tigers on four consecutive scoring drives in the first half. The run paved the way for LSU to capture its second national championship in four years and first in three seasons under coach Les Miles. The Tigers defeated Oklahoma 21-14 in the Superdome for the 2003 national title.
It was the fourth time this season LSU rallied from a 10-point deficit.
"We had to keep playing," Flynn said of the early hole the Tigers were in. "We knew they were going to come out with a big surge. We knew we just had to stay in there and keep playing our game."
Since last year's embarrassing 41-14 championship game loss to Florida, in which the Gators' speed produced 370 offensive yards and speed rushes produced five sacks that dismantled Ohio State's offense, the Buckeyes had endured questions about their running ability.
Richard Dickson and Brandon LaFell each caught touchdown passes in LSU's win over Ohio State.
Yet it appeared they had emphatically answered those doubts as tailback Chris Wells outsprinted the LSU defense on a 65-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead on Ohio State's first possession. On the second possession, quarterback Todd Boeckman found backup tailback Brandon Saine behind the Tigers' secondary for a 41-yard reception that set up a 25-yard Ryan Pretorious field goal. The kick staked the Buckeyes to a 10-0 lead and sent the scarlet-and-gray contingent in the Superdome into a frenzied celebration.
But LSU put an end to that in a hurry.
"We just got on the sideline and started to talk to each other and regroup," LSU cornerback Jonathan Zenon said. "We were just playing hard and were too hyped. We had to settle down and refocus."
LSU did that on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Tigers, who netted minus-14 yards on their first three plays, quickly settled down and drove for a 32-yard Colt David field goal with 2:21 left in the first quarter. LSU then took advantage of myriad Ohio State mistakes - penalties, errors in pass coverage, a blocked field goal and an interception - to score touchdowns on three consecutive possessions for a 24-10 halftime lead.
The 24 first-half points were more than double what the Buckeyes had been allowing in games this season.
Flynn then directed a 10-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon LaFell for a 17-10 lead with 7:25 left in the half.
"They were in position of adding three to their score, and instead we get the short field and come back and get seven," Miles said. "It was really a big play."
The Tigers weren't finished.
Three plays later, Beckman - under heavy pressure from Harry Coleman on a delayed safety blitz called by outgoing coordinator and new Nebraska coach Bo Pelini - was intercepted by cornerback Chevis Jackson. His 34-yard return put the Tigers at Ohio State's 24.
That led to a 1-yard touchdown run by Jacob Hester, which put the Tigers firmly in control.
"We were down 10-0 and we've been down in big games before," LSU offensive tackle Ciron Black said. "Coach said we had to keep our composure, and that's what we did."
The Tigers extended the margin to 31-10 on a Flynn pass to Early Doucet on the first possession of the second half, a drive that was aided by a roughing-the-punter penalty on Ohio State.
"The defense just settled down," Miles said. "We blocked that field goal, got a turnover and an interception, and really stemmed the tide. Our defense started settling down, and they really couldn't score with us."
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