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Notre Dame looks to end bowl skid in Sugar Bowl vs. LSU

Jan 3, 2007 - 5:49 PM No. 11 Notre Dame (10-2) vs. No. 4 LSU (10-2) Sugar Bowl 8:00 pm EST

NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) - In order for his team to end a lengthy bowl losing streak, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis will have to find a way to negate Louisiana State's speed.

The 11th-ranked Fighting Irish try to end an eight-game bowl skid Wednesday when they take on the fourth-ranked Tigers in the Sugar Bowl, which is returning to its home after a one-year absence.

Last year's Sugar Bowl, which saw West Virginia upset Georgia, 38-35, was played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta because the Superdome was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Then coached by Lou Holtz, Notre Dame won the 1994 Cotton Bowl with a 24-21 triumph over Texas A&M. But the Fighting Irish lost their next two bowls under Holtz, all three under Bob Davie, two under Tyrone Willingham and last season's 34-20 setback to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Included in that span was a 27-9 loss to LSU in the 1997 Independence Bowl.

By most accounts, the Irish had a successful season, winning 10 of their 12 games. But they were blown out at home by Michigan on September 16, 47-21, and by host Southern California on November 25, 44-24, frequently getting burned by the teams' speedy wideouts, and LSU's receiving corps of Craig Davis, Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet may be even faster.

"I think the most important thing is to not give up big plays," Weis said. "I think that's the most important factor in this game. I think that when we've given up big plays, we've fallen behind and we've been fortunate a couple times to be able to rally and a couple times not. So I think it's important to make sure we make them have to be patient in what they do and not give up the big play."

LSU also went 10-2 in the regular season, including 6-2 in Southeastern Conference play. Paced by star quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the Tigers rank 10th nationally in scoring at 33.08 points per game, but they were even more impressive on the other side of the ball, ranking fifth in scoring defense (12.05) and third in total defense (238.75 yards).

Notre Dame is 5-4 against LSU, winning the last meeting, a 39-36 triumph in South Bend in 1998.

"I'd say the one thing that we've talked about all year and really haven't done is just really put together a complete game," said Irish senior quarterback Brady Quinn, who finished third in Heisman Trophy balloting. "This bowl game is the opportunity to finally do that.

"LSU is a great team, and we see a lot of problems that we may face, but at the same point in time there hasn't been a game yet this season where we felt we've had all three facets of the game and on full mode, so hopefully this game will be that game for us."