GAME PREVIEW: LSU
BY ANDREW OWENS
I
t wasn't evident then, but Notre
Dame and LSU were headed in com‑
pletely different directions the last
time they met.
That clash, a 41‑14 win by the Tigers
in the Sugar Bowl following the 2006
season, is one many Irish fans have tried
to forget. It is one of two recent bowl
beatdowns at the hands of an SEC op‑
ponent, along with the 42‑14 pummeling
by Alabama in the BCS National Cham‑
pionship Game at the conclusion of the
2012 campaign.
While LSU went on to capture a na‑
tional championship the next year, the
2006 Irish squad marked the end of the
successful two‑year run under head
coach Charlie Weis. The Sugar Bowl loss
was the final game for veterans such as
quarterback Brady Quinn, wide receiver
Jeff Samardzija and running back Darius
Walker — losses from which Weis' pro‑
gram would not recover during the en‑
suing 16‑21 stretch that led to his ouster.
In 2014, neither Notre Dame nor LSU
dreamt of reaching the Music City Bowl
during the offseason. But respective 7‑5
and 8‑4 regular seasons are the current
reality, even if both squads boast tal‑
ented crops of underclassmen.
For LSU, the young talent is led by
Freshman running back Leonard Fournette has
registered a team-high 891 rushing yards and
eight touchdowns during his debut campaign.
PHOTO COURTESY LSU
WAYS TO GEAUX
Young Tigers look to the future after
disappointing season
