At Long Last

Atlanta, GA - A game that featured one of the biggest rushing duels in RUTS History may have been decided by a pivotal pass play as the LSU Tigers defeated the Florida Gators in the Season 4 SEC Championship Game. The game marked the first Conference Title game appearance for both coach cjohnchavis and C0ACH_Gump and was a rematch of a Week 8 victory by the Gators.

As has been the story all season, coach cjohnchavis used conservative play calling, but aggressive decisions in crucial situations. The decision had backfired on a failed 2-point try in overtime against Oklahoma, and the in previous matchup with the Gators when Spencer Ware was stopped on a 4th and goal in the 4th quarter. The aggressive decisions played into the Tigers' favor on a converted 4th down and Alabama, and in the SEC Title game's opening drive. The initial possession would see the Tigers convert two fourth down attempts, one a 4th and 2 pass to Erik O'Neal and the other, a 4th and 1 run by Spencer Ware. The Tigers would drive all the way to the 6 yard lane, before QB Cameron Treangen misfired on a pass in the corner of the endzone. CBS Analyst Verne Lundquist, usually borderline worshipful of Treangen, would suggest on the broadcast that Treangen's lack of sharpness may have been due to his prolonged 'vacation' in Bogata, Columbia. Tiger P/K would knock home a 23 yard field to cap off the drive with just 1:39 remaining in the 1st quarter.

The story for the Gators this year has been Mack Brown. And the Gators would answer the first score by leaning on Brown. Brown would carry the ball into Tiger territory to set up Steve Hand's 51 yard field goal to tie the game with 5:22 remaining in the half. The Tigers got a big play on their following drive as Treangen found O'Neal on a quick pass and O'Neal broke a couple of tackles enroute to a 72 yard gain. O'Neal would be stopped inside the 10 yard line, and HB Spencer Ware would score the game's first touchdown two plays later on a 1 yard plunge to give LSU a 10-3 lead.

The Gators went to the Stubucksman playbook for the patented "ScoreRightBeforeHalftimeDrive." Brown led the Gator down the field, but the Gators exhausted their timeouts by the time they reached the redzone. In a gutsy call of his own C0ACH_Gump called a run play with 13 seconds and the ball at the 1 yard line. Mack Brown was stopped short of the goal line and the clock ran down to 1 second. QB Trey Burton was able to get his team set, the ball snapped, and Brown carried it in to tie the game at 10 at halftime.

The score would allow the Gators to take the lead early on in the second half as they chose to receive following the intermission. Mack Brown would score from 3 yards out following an 80 yard drive that would consume half of the 3rd quarter. The Tigers found themselves trailing the Gators late once again. Faced with this situation in week 8, Treangen forced a pass which was intercepted, sealing a Gator victory. Today, in contrast, he turned around and handed the ball to Will Chase who broke loose and picked up 63 yards to get the Tigers in scoring range. Spencer Ware would find the end zone from 5 yards out to tie the game for the Tigers with 2:44 to go in the third quarter.

The Gators still held the mythical "control of the game." That control would be lost when Florida failed to convert a 4th down attempt deep inside their own territory. "We didn't want to punt to them and allow them to take the lead back" said C0ACH_Gump. The Gators appeared to be running the ball, coming out in their 7 OL set. However, an adjusted by the LSU Defense caused QB Trey Burton to call an audible to their favorite pass play, a quick out to the TE. The late audible caused Freshman OT Shannon Johnson to line up as the intended receiver and the pass bounced off of his hands. LSU would capitalize behind another strong run by Will Chase, and the Tiger would regain the lead by the score of 24-17 with 6:22 remaining in the game.


LSU would then force the Gators to punt on the subsequent possession and would hand the ball off to Ware and Chase until time expired. The win game the Tigers their first SEC Title since 2007, and coach cjohnchavis his first ever conference title.

LSU learned that Ohio State had lost to Oklahoma when the score was announce in the 2nd quarter. Many BCS experts have LSU vaulting into the title game, but to do so the Tigers, ranked 6th in the BCS must jump #1 Ohio State, #3 Florida, #4 Miami and #5 Alabama. The Tiger lost a game in overtime to the Sooners in week 2.