Alabama Crimson Tide

LSU Football: ranking the top 5 bowl games of all-time

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:59 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Schondell Thomas/FanSided via Death Valley Voice

November 10, 2012; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers mascot Mike the Tiger during the first half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Now that bowl season is upon us, we here at Death Valley Voice thought it was the perfect time to take a look back at some of the most memorable bowl games in LSU Football history.

One thing sports fans love to do more than anything else is making lists. Even more specific, all time lists of LSU Football.

Usually it is a list regarding favorite players, coaches, or some other miscellaneous topic. This may be an offense style, defensive style, or a corps of some sort. My miscellaneous subject for today: Top 5 LSU Football Bowl Games of All Time.

Here’s a look at the top 5 LSU bowl games of all time in descending order. 

Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

#5 1995 Independence Bowl

Following the 1994 season, the LSU Football program decided to hire a coach with a 19-25 record in Gerry DiNardo to revitalize the program. Although LSU had a 6 year winning drought themselves, they were desperate to change their fortunes. And although his record was not sterling at Vanderbilt, he had won a National Title as the Offensive Coordinator at Colorado in 1990.

Many fans may not recall that LSU was NOT the mighty power that it is thought to be by today’s standard during this time period. Gerry DiNardo was one of the main catalysts in changing that narrative. En route to that, DiNardo chose to use primarily Louisiana talent to spearhead that change. At the spear’s tip – two freshman from SE Louisiana in QB Herb Tyler and RB Kevin Faulk.

With Tyler getting the starting nod late in the season due to a Jamie Howard injury, and Faulk having to split time with Kendall Cleveland, LSU managed to finish the season 6-4-1. It was the Tigers first winning season since 1989, and DiNardo’s first as a head coach.

Offensively, LSU had two stand-out players in this particular contest.  Eddie Kennison, who returned a kickoff back for a touchdown, to go along with his 5 catches for 124 yards and another touchdown.  He was only out done by the Independence Bowl co-MVP, Kevin Faulk.  Faulk led the Tigers with 25 carries for 234 yards, over 270 yards of total yards from scrimmage, and a touchdown.

Defensively, LSU was led by their other Independence Bowl co-MVP – Gabe Northern – who also scored a touchdown on a 37 yard fumble recovery. The 45-26 victory signified that the Tigers were back to their former glory. And as irony would have it, Coach DiNardo beat his future successor in this game.  Once DiNardo’s reign came to an end in 1999, LSU would hire Coach Nick Saban to carry LSU over the hump.

Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

#4 2005 Peach Bowl

Coming off of the high of winning a National Title in 2004, following the 2003 regular season, things could not have gotten any worse for LSU Football the very next year. Although the Tigers finished at 9-2, bitter rival Auburn came away with the Western Division; along with the Conference Title. LSU was invited to play in the Capital One Bowl that season, and even had a 25-23 lead with just seconds remaining on the clock. However, a miracle pass from Drew Tate to Warren Holloway would give Iowa the 30-25 victory, which began a tumultuous year for the Tigers.

Soon afterward, Coach Saban announced that he would be leaving LSU and taking his talents to South Beach to become the next head coach of the Dolphins. He was then replaced by a then virtually unknown Les Miles from Oklahoma State. To add even more uncertainty to the Tigers’ Season, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf South Area a week before the season began.

But with all of those pitfalls that the Tigers faced that season, Coach Miles finished his first season as LSU’s head man with a 10-1 record, and the Tigers earned about trip to the SEC Championship.  Georgia would eventually take the crown that season, but LSU would earn an invitation to the Peach Bowl vs. a vaunted Miami Team; who were fresh off of back to back National Title trips in 2002 and 2003.

Once the game kicked off, there wasn’t much to talk about after the Hurricane’s first possession. A little over six minutes into the game Miami scored a field goal, unaware that it would be the only points they would put up all night. Chris Jackson would end up tying the game towards the end of the 1st, but from there, the route was on.

Touchdown passes from Matt Flynn to Craig Davis and Joseph Addai would flank a Chris Jackson FG to give the Tigers a 20-3 halftime lead. The 3rd quarter was dominated by the LSU backfield, as both Addai and Jacob Hester would reach the endzone; giving the Tigers a 34-3 lead going into the 4th. After the fireworks settled down with just 2 FG’s in the 4th to finish out the game, LSU would walk away with a route of Miami 40-3.

Jan 28, 2014; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers live mascot Mike the Tiger in his cage as sleet falls covering the area in ice. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

#3 2008 Sugar Bowl (BCS National Championship)

2007 was quite the oddball season for the Tigers, and really college football as a whole. The worst ranking a team could receive that year was the #2 in the nation.  7 times that year a team took the field  ranked 2nd in the nation, and all 7 times, they would end up losing the game.  It started with USC losing to Stanford on October 6th, and culminated with West Virginia losing to Pittsburgh on December 1st.

LSU was able to avoid that curse, but was hit by something even harder. LSU hit the turf as the #1 team in the nation that season and walked off ranked lower on two occasions. The first time was to Kentucky in 3OT 43-37, and the second time was to Arkansas 50-48. Along with those losses, they would lose starting QB Matt Flynn for a couple of games –  including the SEC Title Game.

Moments leading up to the SEC Championship, LSU almost their head coach as well. Rumors began to swirl that it was all but certain that Coach Miles was heading back to his Alma Mater to revitalize Michigan’s struggling program. But a 13th hour contract was done to extend Coach Miles as LSU’s Head Coach, as they went on to beat Tennessee in Atlanta to earn Coach Miles his 2nd SEC Title in as many years.

Although LSU finished the season with 2 losses on its schedule, Pittsburgh’s victory over #2 West Virginia helped catapult LSU into a top 5 position. After winning the SEC Title, the coaches and computers smiled in the Tigers’ favor. LSU would also go on to end the curse of the #2 ranking, as they took on the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes in the BCS Sugar Bowl Title Game.

Things started off all Scarlet and Grey, as the Buckeyes took a 10-0 lead, aided by a Beanie Wells 65 yard gallop. By quarter’s end, LSU trailed Ohio State 10-3 going into the next quarter. The 2nd quarter began with a pair of Matt Flynn TD’s. The first of these went to TE Richard Dixon to tie the game, and then another to Brandon LaFell to give the Tigers a 7-point lead.

The half would come to an end after an interception by Chevis Jackson gave LSU the ball back, and Jacob Hester punched it in to give the Tigers a 24-10 lead. Continuing into the 3rd quarter, both teams would score a touchdown in the air.  Flynn would hit WR Early Doucet for one, and Ohio State’s Todd Boeckman would hook up with WR Brian Robiskie for the other. Flynn and Boeckman would trade touchdowns again in the 4th quarter, as the Tigers would go on to beat Ohio State 38-24.

This game legitimized the hiring of Coach Les Miles to LSU, and gave Tigers fans hope that he would be able to lead them to great things in the future.

November 3, 2012; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers mascot Mike VI before a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

#2 2004 Sugar Bowl (BCS National Championship)

As biased as I can be sometimes for LSU Football, I can be a little more so for the 2003 season. It was my last as a manager for the football team, but it was my first for a national champion.

We started out the season as the #14 team in the nation when the preseason polls came out; and opened up at #12 for the first BCS Rankings of the season. The Tigers weren’t on anyone’s radar for the best team in the nation until, I assume, the final week or two of the season.

We started the season on a roll, going 6-0 to start; including a signature comeback win vs Georgia at home. After a devastating 19-7 home loss to Floirda, LSU was able to regroup and refocus on the possibility of what lied ahead.

Another blow to program happened just a few weeks later when my boss, and long time Head Football Equipment Manager (24 years) Jeff Boss passed away on October 27th, 2003. But the team continued to fight; dedicating the rest of the season to “Coach” Boss. If you are a die hard, you may recall the field having a black “JB” painted in some of the corners, as well as black “JB” decals on the back of our helmets.

After finishing the season 11-1, then 12-1 after blowing out Georgia in the SEC Championship, LSU would earn a bid to play Oklahoma in a controversial National Title Tilt. Not controversial because of anything that LSU did, but controversial in the fact that Oklahoma lost their Conference Championship, and still earned the right to play in the title game ahead of the team many thought was more deserving in USC.

Once the game finally kicked off, I was surprised to see just how human the Sooners really were. We were able to score first on a Skylar Green run to take a 7-0 lead in the 1st quarter. Oklahoma’s Kejuan Jones and LSU’s Justin Vincent traded rushing touchdowns to end the half at 14-7 LSU.

Marcus Spears scored the only points of the 3rd quarter when he returned a Jason White interception for a touchdown. The second highlight of my night came when Kirk Herbstreit tapped me on my shoulder to ask about the classification of both he and Marquis Hill. Then the 4th quarter came.

Jones was able to get the score close with his touchdown run, which brought the score to 21-14 early in the 4th. The rest of the quarter saw a slug fest between each team, as well as a ton of punts. But as the game was winding down, and defeat seemed inevitable for the Sooners, Coach Stoops would punt the ball one last time as I watched the time run off the clock.

Triple 0’s! LSU had once again become National Champions for the first time in 45 years! It was a great feeling and even better memory. This, for me, will always be a top 2 or 3 Bowl Game for LSU.

Nov 28, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers mascot Mike the Tiger runs past fans toward Tiger Stadium prior to kickoff against the Texas A&M Aggies. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

#1  1959 Sugar Bowl

Granted, I know that many of us reading this were either not born, or too young to remember this game. However, winning a championship during this era put LSU on the same playing field as Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas in their day.

You never forget your first.  And this was the first championship won for the flagship school of the state.  And given the overall spirit of some Native Louisianians, the fact that we were able to do this in the past, gave us hope of being able to do it in the future.

By today’s standards, a game that ends 7-0 would not be work the price of admission.  However, I think die hard LSU Fans will enjoy the box score from this game. It appears as if Heisman Trophy Nominee, Billy Cannon, scored the only 7 points in the game.  I’m certain we could have all guessed that; but he scored the 6 on a pass and also converted the extra point.

The game summary read like a modern-day LSU vs Alabama Game, with LSU scoring their touchdown in the 4th quarter. Billy Cannon would use this platform to build steam for his Heisman Winning Campaign the very next year; which led to the #20 being the only number retired in LSU Football History.

There may not be anything aesthetically pleasing about the score, but a 7-0 win over Clemson opened the door of possibilities for the future of LSU Football. And therefore gets my vote for the greatest bowl game in LSU History.

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