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Ohio State faces LSU in BCS title game

Jan 7, 2008 - 2:34 PM No. 2 LSU (11-2) vs. No. 1 Ohio St (11-1) 8:00 pm EST BCS championship January 7

NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- One year after being a solid candidate to compete for the national championship, Ohio State has quite a bit to prove this time around.

The top-ranked Buckeyes hope for a better performance in this year's BCS title game when they take on No. 2 Louisiana State on Monday at the Louisiana Superdome.

A consensus No. 1 in 2006, Ohio State entered last year's title game with a perfect record and the Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Troy Smith.

But the Buckeyes suffered a 41-14 thrashing at the hands of Florida, a contest which clearly demonstrated the Gators' superior speed and athleticism.

Smith and fellow offensive stars Ted Ginn, Anthony Gonzalez and Antonio Pittman all departed for the NFL the following spring, leaving the Buckeyes with a perceived lack of offensive talent.

But Ohio State methodically won its first 10 games this season, climbing to the top of the national rankings before losing in shocking fashion to Illinois on November 10.

The Buckeyes rebounded the following week with a win over hated rival Michigan and then watched as several higher-ranked teams lost over the next two weeks, allowing Ohio State to return to No. 1 in the BCS standings.

While the Buckeyes essentially finished first by default this season, LSU fought its way back into the top two to become the first two-loss team to play in the BCS title game.

The Tigers were defeated in stunning fashion by Arkansas on November 23, a loss which dropped them from first to seventh in the BCS standings.

But LSU bounced back with a 21-14 victory over Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference championship game, a win which vaulted the Tigers to second in both polls.

LSU found itself involved in more controversy in the following weeks, as coach Les Miles saw his name constantly linked with the coaching vacancy at Michigan, his alma mater.

Miles seemingly secured his future at LSU on December 6, when he signed a contract extension to remain at the school through the 2012 season.

Miles, 54, announced his intent to stay at LSU in an unofficial yet angry fashion five days earlier during an impromptu news conference prior to the SEC championship game.

Addressing an erroneous report from ESPN earlier that day, Miles claimed that he did not attempt to interview with Michigan.

With Miles' status certain, the Tigers now will have to turn their focus toward the Buckeyes, who boast the nation's No. 1 defense in scoring and total yardage.

Ohio State is led by Butkus Award-winning linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive end Vernon Gholston and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins.

LSU counters with a high-powered offense which averages 38.7 points and topped the 40-point mark seven times.

The Tigers use a two-quarterback system which features Matt Flynn, a pocket passer who tossed 17 TDs this season, and Ryan Perrilloux, who rushed for 203 yards this season and also passed for 243 yards in the SEC title game.

LSU has won eight of its last 10 postseason games, including three BCS bowls, and is seeking its third all-time national championship.

The Buckeyes are shooting for their fifth all-time title and their first since beating Miami in double-overtime in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.