NEW ORLEANS — Et tu, Brute. Étouffee, LSU.
Its only case for the national championship this or last season was lower case: the ohio state university.
Louisiana State University is THE No. 1.
The Buckeyes went from being Chomped to Chumped. New year, same old. Ohio State had a do-over and did over. Goodbye, Columbus.
“To have a chance twice and to lose both, that’s incredible,” Ohio State running back Chris Wells lamented.
The third time would not be charming.
How about Ohio State vs. Vanderbilt in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl next season?
How about Louisiana State vs. Southern Cal in a Real Championship Bowl next week?
In the first quarter on Monday night, the Buckeyes came up with two large offensive plays that led to 10 points.
In the second quarter at the Superdome, the Tigers came up with two XL special-teams and defensive plays that led to a 38-24 victory in what should be called the BCSEC Championship.
This is more than a hiccup, a trend or a tendency.
Ohio State is 0-for-ever against SEC teams in bowls.
“I think I ain’t doing this again,” said a Buckeyes supporter, clutching an adult beverage at game’s end. I think she should have another drink.
In the two most recent college title games, the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes have lost to Florida and LSU by a combined score of 79-38.
Nuts.
In their history, the Buckeyes have lost nine bowls to seven teams from the Southeastern Conference by an aggregate score of 268-155. They have lost twice to Alabama and South Carolina and once to Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and now LSU. They have lost to SEC schools in the Citrus Bowl three times, the Outback Bowl twice, the Hall of Fame Bowl once, the Sugar Bowl once and now the BCS championship twice (at Glendale, Ariz., and New Orleans).
So, OSU still has Vandy, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Arkansas left in 27 other bowls.
Maybe the Buckeyes should just go back to playing in the Rose Bowl every year.
There was a belief that because Ohio State was blown out last year by Florida and Michigan beat Florida last week, the Buckeyes had a legitimate opportunity to win against the Bayou Bengals.
And there was a belief that because Ohio State scored a touchdown after a long run (65 yards) and a field goal after a long pass (44 yards) in the opening quarter, the Buckeyes had a legitimate opportunity to win the national title before a Superdome-record crowd of 79,651.
Then, LSU blocked a field goal and intercepted a pass, and before you could say “Go (Huey) Long,” the Tigers were up 24-10 at the half.
By the end of the third quarter, OSU had made it 31-17 and were tantalizing their backers and tormenting the Tigers.
Then, LSU forced OSU quarterback Todd Boeckman to fumble twice (recovering one). Then, LSU intercepted another pass. Then, the Buckeyes were just barbecued crawdads.
The Big Then, The Little Tin Men.
And LSU is the BCS champion for the second time in five seasons. Of course, there will be challenges to that claim, particularly from Southern Cal and Georgia. The Trojans felt they also got jobbed out of No. 1 in 2003. “Certainly, there will be some argument, but we feel tonight that we are the national champions,” LSU coach Les Miles said.
Of course, in the SEC double-double, Georgia won in this same building over undefeated Hawaii 41-10 last week. LSU has one more victory than Georgia.
On Monday night, the Tigers had more speed than the Buckeyes. The Tigers had more poise. They had more than twice as many people in the dome. They had more plays (76 to 56), more rushing yardage (152-145), more sacks (5-1), more interceptions (2-0), more fumble recoveries (1-0), more blocked field goals (1-0), more third-down conversions (11-3), way more red-zone conversions to TDs (6-3) and more of everything positive and less of anything negative.
Les was more.
Miles said the Tigers overcame the early deficit because “the defense just settled down. We blocked that field goal, got a turnover on an interception and really stemmed the tide (as they stemmed the Crimson Tide)” and Ohio State “really couldn’t score with us.”
Miles paused in his postgame comments and said:
“WAHOO!”
LSU became the first two-defeat team to reach the BCS championship, “and maybe we had some divine intervention,” Miles said. Or, at least, intervention from Pitt — and several other teams late in the game.
The Tigers do finish undefeated in regulation. Their defeats were in triple overtime (Kentucky and Arkansas). They didn’t let Ohio State get it to a third, or even one, OT.
LSU is one, and OSU could only say: “Et two.”
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
