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Once Again, SEC Asserts Its Dominance Over Buckeyes

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By JOEY JOHNSTON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 9, 2008

NEW ORLEANS - LSU coach Les Miles, poker-faced and humble, said all the right things after smashing Ohio State 38-24 to win Monday night's BCS Championship Game.

He thanked all the right people. He distributed the credit. He praised Ohio State's effort.

Then he leaned back and let fly with a primal scream.

Wahooooo!

"Sorry, had to do that," Miles said. "It's just one of those things."

It was good to be king - again.

From the highest reaches of the Superdome, the chant rang down.

S-E-C! S-E-C! S-E-C!

The Southeastern Conference had its second consecutive national champion as the Tigers (12-2) nearly duplicated Florida's feat from last season - a thorough dissection of Ohio State (11-2), the No. 1-ranked team and outright Big Ten champion.

Afterward, some observers compared the quick-strike ability and defensive presence of LSU and Florida. And no doubt, when remembering Florida's 41-14 victory against the unbeaten Buckeyes at Glendale, Ariz., there was a dejÀ vu quality.

But there's another parallel.

Ohio State has become college football's version of the Buffalo Bills, a four-time Super Bowl participant in the 1990s. There's a dominant regular season, but a failure to produce in the big game.

"That hurts," Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "The media really builds it up like we are slow and all that stuff. I don't think it's a speed thing.

"I think the team that wins in this type of game is the team that is more physical and the team that executes the best."

It sure sounds like the resume of a team that emerges from the week-in, week-out competition of the SEC.

Don't look now, but the Buckeyes, with quarterback Todd Boeckman and running back Chris "Beanie" Wells returning to the lineup, are among the favorites to reach the next BCS Championship Game on Jan. 8, 2009, in Miami.

But so is LSU. So is Georgia. And possibly, so is Florida.

The SEC may be girding for a three-peat.

"There are certainly great teams everywhere," Miles said. "But in the SEC, you're going to play quality-coached, very talented teams all the time. I think it puts the champion of this conference in position to enter a very competitive game like this with an advantage."

Miles said you need good fortune, too.

LSU, the first two-loss team to win the BCS Championship Game, twice surrendered its No. 1 national ranking after dropping a pair of triple-overtime games (Kentucky, Arkansas). It looked like the Tigers would be settling for the Sugar Bowl.

After losses by Missouri and West Virginia on the final weekend, though, LSU rose from No. 7 to No. 2 in the final BCS standings, mostly a reflection of its status as SEC champion. The Gators used the same formula last season, winning the SEC and rising past Michigan in the polls after a conference-title statement.

"I have to give some credit to divine intervention and grace that allowed us to be in this position," said Miles, whose Tigers also finished No. 1 in The Associated Press poll, receiving 60 of a possible 65 first-place votes.

"Certainly there will be some argument as to who's the best team the AP's other first-place votes went to USC, Georgia and Kansas. But I think the national champion has been crowned."

LSU essentially ended any debate by running off 31 unanswered points against Ohio State's defense, which had surrendered more than 17 points just once this season (28 against Illinois, in its other defeat).

Ohio State compounded its problems with three turnovers and seven penalties for 83 yards - including five personal fouls. The Buckeyes had a 38-yard field-goal attempt blocked (after Brian Robiskie dropped a 21-yard certain touchdown pass on the previous play).

LSU weathered an early 10-0 deficit. It was the fourth time this season LSU had trailed by 10 points (Florida, Auburn, Alabama), and the Tigers won each time.

"You are prepared for anything in the SEC," said LSU quarterback Matt Flynn, the game's offensive Most Valuable Player, who tossed four touchdown passes. "You become battle-tested."

"We have the best conference," LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey said. "I think that's obvious."

After Monday night's performance, there was little the Buckeyes could say (or do) to dispute that assertion. Ohio State, idle in the regular season's final two weeks, ascended back through the BCS standings to No. 1, following a series of upsets.

"To have this opportunity - whether we deserved it or not - was an honor," Buckeyes wide receiver Brian Hartline said. "I was glad to represent the Big Ten. I just wish it would've turned out differently."

Instead, it was eerily similar.

That noise won't go away.

S-E-C! S-E-C! S-E-C!

Reporter Joey Johnston can be reached at (813) 259-7353 or jjohnston@tampatrib.com.

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