SEC WEST CHAMPS! LSU Smokes Auburn, 27-14
12/01


BATON ROUGE -- LSU and Auburn had an equal shot to win the Southeastern Conference Western Division heading into Saturday night's showdown in Tiger Stadium. A win in the game meant a win in the west.

But for Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville, this one wasn't close and there was no cigar.

Instead, it was the vaunted LSU offensive attack and its rapidly improving defensive squad that smoked the visiting Tigers on their way to a 27-14 win in front of a record-crowd of 92,141, most of whom stormed the field after the game.

"This was the best we've played on defense all year," said LSU head coach Nick Saban whose defense held Auburn to just 293 yards and 15 first downs. "This is such a big win for our program and our institution and all the people who worked so hard to make this happen."

LSU improved its record to 8-3 overall, 5-3 in SEC play and earned a trip to the conference championship game in Atlanta for a rematch against SEC East Champ Tennessee, which upset Florida 34-32 earlier in the day. The winner of the championship game is guaranteed a spot in one of the Bowl Championship Series games.

Auburn's record fell to 7-4 overall and 5-3 in the conference. Its fate will be decided when the bowl gods hand out bids later this month.

In a season filled with record-setting performances, the hometown Tigers added another one as tailback LaBrandon Toefield tied a SEC record with his 19th rushing touchdown of the season joining former Alabama standout Shaun Alexander and former Georgia rusher Garrison Hearst.

LSU junior receiver Josh Reed continued to pile up yards in his All-America, record-setting campaign. Reed caught 10 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown, which gave him the single-season record for catches with 90 and moved him into second place in SEC history in receiving yards with 2,941. He needs just 23 yards in next week's championship game to surpass former Vanderbilt wide out Boo Mitchell, who amassed 2,964 yards from 1985-88.

Facing a coach known for pulling out all the stops in Tuberville, Saban reached into his own bag of tricks to open the game.

LSU lined up for the opening kick at the 50 yard line because of an Auburn unsportsmanlike conduct penalty received during pre-game warm ups. Tiger kicker John Corbello lobbed an onside kick to the left side of the field that was recovered by LSU's Michael Clayton at the Auburn 36. Six plays later, Toefield piled into the end zone from two yards out. Two minutes into the game, LSU had a 7-0 lead.

Auburn was unfazed by the quick LSU strike and made up the stagger just a minute-and-a half later. Redshirt freshman quarterback Jason Campbell tossed a 72-yard touchdown pass to Tim Carter to cap a drive that used just four plays to tie the score 7-7.

The two defenses then stepped up and batted passes and kicks all over the field. Corbello had a 46-yard field goal attempt blocked by Auburn defensive end Alton Moore. LSU took the ball back on the very next play as linebacker Jeremy Lawrence dove to grab a Jason Campbell pass deflected by LSU safety Norman LeJeune. Then, Auburn's defense took the ball right back six plays later when linebacker Karlos Dansby picked off a Davey pass that was deflected by his own receiver.

Davey and the LSU offense made up for the flub with 12:40 left in the second quarter when Reed hauled in a 17-yard TD pass, his seventh catch to that point in the game for 130 yards. The six-play drive that gave LSU a 14-7 lead was set up by a long Dominick Davis punt return giving LSU the ball at the 50-yard line.

Davis and Reed keyed the next scoring drive as well as Reed hauled in his eighth catch, this one for 30 yards to set up a first and goal for LSU at the Auburn nine yard line. Davis finished the drive two plays later with a seven-yard scamper into the end zone to give LSU a two-touchdown advantage, 21-7, with 3:40 remaining in the half.

After a halftime show that included a shoving match between Auburn kicker David Duval and the LSU band, the two teams returned from the lockerooms to continue the fray. LSU took the opening kick off of the second half 73 yards in seven plays for a 21-yard Corbello field goal to give the hometown fans a 24-7 lead with 12:19 left in the third. The drive was highlighted by a 48-yard run by Toefield to give LSU a first down at the Auburn 11.

Duval got the opportunity to answer Corbello on the ensuing drive, but he missed a 29-yard attempt wide left with 7:04 left in the third quarter while the jeers of the Tiger Stadium crowd rained down.

Those jeers continued as Duval overthrew his intended receiver during a fake punt attempt from his own 45 yard line with a little more than 3:00 left in the third. His errant pass was intercepted by LSU defensive back Demetrius Hookfin and returned to the LSU 40-yard line.

Corbello split the uprights again with 10:39 left in the game on a 22-yard field goal giving LSU a 20-point advantage. The three points capped a time-consuming 16-play drive that traveled 57 yards in 7:19.

Auburn scored a touchdown with a little more than 3:00 left in the game to cut into the LSU lead. But Reed and Toefield moved the ball down the field with ease on the ensuing drive to seal the win.

"We've got another challenge ahead," Saban said. "Tennessee is a very good football team and we are looking forward to facing the challenge."