Not Quite Crystal Clear

Louisiana State claimed it staked a claim to history, not controversy, after scoring a hard-fought 21-14 win over Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl on Sunday night.

The victory, in front of a record crowd of 79,342 at the Superdome, earned the Tigers a controversial share of their first national title since 1958 and finally put an end to the most controversial college football season in recent memory.

The games have ended, but the debate will not.

With its victory, LSU clinched the bowl championship series’ crystal-football trophy and the voting coaches’ share of the national title.

Late Sunday night, USC was voted No. 1 in the media poll, getting 48 of 65 first-place votes, to win the Associated Press’ half of the crown.

Who is the real No. 1?

“I feel like a national champion,” LSU offensive tackle Rodney Reed said. “The system was designed for whoever won this game to be the national champs. We had 20 guys hoist up that crystal ball a while ago, so I know we’re national champions. If the other poll wants to pick USC the national champions, be my guest. But I feel like we’re the national champions.”

Obviously, that opinion is not shared by everyone -- particularly players and coaches at USC.

The Trojans were No. 1 in both the media and coaches’ polls entering the bowl season, but the coaches had agreed to award their trophy to the BCS game winner.

Oklahoma and LSU finished as the top two teams in the BCS standings, setting the stage for college football’s 11th split title and the first since 1997.

The BCS was created in 1998 to help prevent split titles, but failed miserably this year.

You couldn’t tell there was any controversy at the end of Sunday’s Sugar Bowl, as the partisan crowd exploded in cheers as they ticked off the game’s final seconds.

LSU was clearly the better team in this game, yet did not clinch victory until linebacker Lionel Turner sacked Oklahoma quarterback Jason White on fourth and 10 in Tiger territory with less than two minutes remaining.

LSU took over, ran out the clock and waited for the eruption. Thousands of flashbulbs burst as the Tiger band roared and fans chanted “LSU, LSU, LSU.”

That was followed with a chorus of “We’re No. 1.”

At game’s end, a Sugar Bowl official handed LSU Coach Nick Saban the crystal trophy and proclaimed the award was being presented “to the national champion LSU Tigers.”

Quarterback Matt Mauck agreed.

“I don’t know how you could possibly not consider us the national champions,” he said.

The Tigers finished the season 13-1 while Oklahoma, which started 12-0, lost its last two games.

It had been 45 years since coach Paul Dietzel, star halfback Billy Cannon and an impressive platoon defense led LSU to the school’s only previous national title.

This year’s LSU defense was pretty good too, stifling and confusing the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense.

Oklahoma, which averaged 45 points and 461 yards per game, was held to 14 points and 154 total yards.

The Sooners’ touchdowns were set up by a blocked punt and an interception.

White, the Heisman Trophy winner, completed only 13 of 37 passes for 102 yards. During the regular season, White threw 40 touchdown passes. Against LSU he was intercepted twice and misfired on his last eight pass attempts.

“This dampens [the season] quite a bit,” White said of the loss. “You win 12 games. That’s extremely hard to do today in college football, and you don’t have anything to show for it.”

The Tigers were the quicker team, especially on defense, from the outset, but still allowed Oklahoma to make it more of a game than it should have been.

“We got tired at the end of the game but we played with heart,” Saban said.

Trailing, 21-7, Oklahoma cut it to 21-14 with 11:01 left on Kejuan Jones’ one-yard run and had two chances to tie the game in the last three minutes.

With 2:46 left, White’s pass on fourth and 11 at the LSU 12 fell incomplete in the end zone. Receiver Mark Clayton bobbled the ball but could not hold on.

White said the ball was tipped by an LSU player.

End of game?

Not quite.

LSU took over possession at its own 13 and went three-and-out while exhausting only 37 seconds off the clock.

Oklahoma got the ball back on its own 49 with 2:09 left.

White, however, tossed three straight incomplete passes before Turner sacked him for a nine-yard loss to clinch the victory.

LSU definitely tired in the end, and several players had to receive intravenous fluids during the game.

LSU held on, but it wasn’t easy.

The Tigers had a chance to put the game away in the third quarter but a 27-yard field goal was negated by two Tiger penalties for a total of 25 yards.

Instead of a 24-7 lead, LSU faked a 52-yard field goal attempt on fourth and goal at the 35.

The pass from holder Blain Bech to David Jones was good for 29 yards but Oklahoma took over on downs at its own six.

Oklahoma got back in the game on the first play of the fourth quarter, when Brodney Pool intercepted a Mauck pass and raced 49 yards to the LSU 31.

The drive stalled, but White completed a 19-yard pass on fourth and 11 at the 32.

That set up Jones’ second touchdown of the game, a one-yard run with 11:01 left to cut the LSU lead to 21-14.

The Superdome atmosphere was frenetic and clearly partisan from the outset, with LSU fans making up about two-thirds of the crowd.

The Tigers fed off the energy and dominated the first half, yet had only a 14-7 lead to show for it.

Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops thought his players had a chance to regroup and make it a game.

“Let’s face it, as poorly as we played ... it’s 14-7,” Stoops said he told his players. “We got a game. I said, ‘Listen here, we’re not going to panic. This is nothing. I don’t know if we can play more poorly.’ ”

Oklahoma played better, but not well enough to catch LSU.

Saban was proud that his team did not wilt.

“It happened all year long,” Saban said, “that we turned around and were able to do what we needed to do. When something goes bad in a game, it means nothing.”

Controversy?

No one was talking about a controversy Sunday.

LSU claimed the BCS trophy and claimed that was more than enough.

“We are the national champions,” Tiger defensive lineman Marcus Spears said. “We earned everything we got.”

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

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Polls Apart

The Associated Press media poll began in 1936, the UPI coaches’ poll in 1950. Since 1950, there have been 11 split national championships:

*--* 1954 AP: Ohio State; UPI: UCLA 1957 AP: Auburn; UPI: Ohio St. 1965 AP: Alabama; UPI: Michigan St. 1970 AP: Nebraska; UPI: Texas 1973 AP: Notre Dame; UPI: Alabama 1974 AP: Oklahoma; UPI: USC 1978 AP: Alabama; UPI: USC 1990 AP: Colorado; UPI: Georgia Tech 1991 AP: Miami; Coaches: Washington 1997 AP: Michigan; Coaches: Nebraska 2003 AP: USC; Coaches: Louisiana St.

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FIRST QUARTER IN REVIEW

Big plays: Two LSU turnovers were nullified by Oklahoma penalties. LSU running back Justin Vincent lost a fumble, but Oklahoma defensive end Dan Cody had blatantly jumped offside and LSU kept possession. Later, Brandon Everage intercepted an overthrown pass from Matt Mauck, but Brandon Shelby was called for holding.

Key statistic: The Tigers had 206 total yards; Oklahoma had 27.

Also: The second-biggest college football game of the year, and they get Jessica Simpson to sing the national anthem? Was Vanilla Ice unavailable?

Analysis: The ABC announcers kept referring to Jason White’s thumb injury, but the way he was throwing the ball, he appeared to have an injured shoulder. Every pass was sidearmed, causing them to be underthrown. An alligator’s arms seemed more useful than White’s

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SECOND QUARTER IN REVIEW

Big plays: Brandon Shelby blocked a punt deep in LSU territory and Oklahoma recovered at the two. It took three plays, but the Sooners finally scored the tying touchdown. Unfortunately for Sooner fans, on their next possession the Tigers marched down the field and scored on Justin Vincent’s 18-yard run.

Key statistic: Heisman Trophy winner White had only 30 yards passing in the first half. Wonder whether Coach Bob Stoops tried to talk him out of returning next season.

Also: When did Snoop Dogg become the voice of corporate America? Could he be in a few more commercials?

Analysis: Both teams appeared very nervous, and there were several dropped passes, near fumbles and just poor tackling on both sides. Neither team looked like the best in the country.

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THIRD QUARTER IN REVIEW

Big play: On the second play of the quarter, Marcus Spears intercepted a pass by Jason White and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 lead for LSU. Spears had sacked White for a three-yard loss on the first play of the quarter.

Key statistic: Penalties were really hurting the Sooners. Through three quarters, Oklahoma had been penalized 10 times for 81 yards. In fact the Sooners had more yards in penalties than on offense (76) in the game to that point.

Also: Can Brent Musburger say the word “football” a little more often? We know we’re watching a football game; you don’t have to say “LSU is leading this football game” every five minutes.

Analysis: It looked like LSU’s game through three. Mauck wasn’t making any dumb mistakes, and running back Justin Vincent was helping the Tigers control the ball and the clock.

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FOURTH QUARTER IN REVIEW

Big play: Oklahoma had first and 10 on the LSU 12 with 3:02 left in the game. The Sooners were in perfect position to score the tying touchdown, but Jason White threw three incompletions and was sacked, effectively ending their BCS title hopes.

Key statistic: White completed only 13 of 37 passes for 104 yards in the game. Jason White, meet Gino Torretta; Gino, Jason. You guys have a lot to talk about.

Also: Does Brent Musburger ever stop talking? They should put Tim McCarver in the booth with him and watch all the oxygen get sucked out of the room. And, how much did it bother USC alum and Sugar Bowl sideline reporter Lynn Swann to congratulate LSU on its national championship?

Analysis: How about one more game next week, USC vs. LSU?

-- Houston Mitchell