Tigers "Roll" Tide 27-3, Set up Showdown with Ole Miss
11/15/03

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- One week ago, three teams ranked ahead of LSU were caught "looking ahead" in their schedule and instead lost the game they were currently playing. However, Saturday night in Tuscaloosa would not be a repeat of this. The Tigers dominated Alabama on both sides of the ball and came away with a 27-3 victory over the Crimson Tide.

LSU (9-1, 5-1) still controls its destiny in the SEC Western Division. A 2:30 p.m. CST match-up against Ole Miss one week from today will determine the SEC West winner and who will head to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game.

(AP) -- Matt Mauck, Chad Lavalais and LSU did just about everything right in a dominating win over Alabama. Yet no matter how overpowering the Tigers look on the field, they still need help off it.

Mauck threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 3 LSU held the Crimson Tide scoreless until the fourth quarter in a 27-3 victory Saturday night. 

With representatives from the Sugar Bowl watching, the Tigers (9-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) moved within a game of Mississippi in the SEC West heading into next week's showdown in Oxford and kept pace with Southern California and Ohio State in the BCS standings.

But LSU will have a hard time moving up from fourth to second in the standings that determine who plays for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl unless Ohio State and USC lose. The Tigers have played the weakest schedule of those three teams, a key component in the BCS standings.

The way the Tigers have played of late, they showed they can compete with just about anybody. Since a 19-7 loss to Florida last month, LSU has outscored its last four opponents 140-27.

Lavalais anchors a dominating defense that allows only 6.7 points per game, best in the nation, and Mauck has been extremely efficient since struggling against the Gators. The Tigers have their highest ranking in the AP poll in 42 years.

Mauck took advantage of soft coverage by Alabama (4-7, 2-5) to connect 12 times with Michael Clayton for 130 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Mauck finished 24-for-36.

The loss assured Alabama of its third losing season in the past seven years after having just one in the previous 40 years. Mike Shula finished 2-5 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in his first year as Crimson Tide coach.

The Tide couldn't generate anything on offense, finally getting on the scoreboard on Brian Bostick's 27-yard field goal with 6:38 to play. Alabama finished with 219 yards and 10 first downs.

Alabama struggled to score even when it had great field position. Charlie Peprah forced and recovered a fumble by Clayton on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. The Tide took over at the LSU 29 but managed only 1 yard in three plays before Bostick missed a 45-yard field goal.

LSU responded with a 72-yard drive, capped by Alley Broussard's 3-yard run to make it 24-0.

Alabama drove to the LSU 6 on the final play of the third quarter but still couldn't score. A penalty, a sack and three incomplete passes thwarted the drive.

The Tide were held to one first down in the first 29 minutes against the nation's stingiest defense. Alabama got two first downs on its final drive of the half, but an interception by Lavalais ended the threat.

LSU gave Brodie Croyle little time to throw and SEC leading rusher Shaud Williams no room to run. Croyle went 12-for-33 for 154 yards and an interception and Williams had 11 carries for 29 yards.

LSU scored on its first two possessions, getting a 20-yard field goal by Chris Jackson and Mauck's pass to Clayton.

His 18th career TD catch -- one shy of the school record -- came one play after Skyler Green's 34-yard punt return set up the Tigers at the 23.

Mauck added a 3-yard touchdown pass to Eric Edwards late in the second quarter to make it 17-0. LSU has outscored opponents 217-19 in the first half this season.