Tigers to face Ohio State for BCS Title

A day after LSU won the SEC Championship and kept its coach, the Tigers good fortunes continued.

The LSU Tigers, who defeated Tennessee 21-14 on Saturday in the SEC Championship Game, were selected as the BCS' No. 2 seed and will meet the Ohio State Buckeyes in the national championship game to be played on Jan. 7 in New Orleans at the Louisiana Superdome.

Once thought to be out of the hunt for the national title after its second triple overtime loss nine days ago to Arkansas, LSU ascended to the nation's No. 2 spot after a bizarre turn of events transpired on Saturday.

The nation's No. 1 and No. 2 teams went down in defeat as top-ranked Missouri lost to Oklahoma and second-rated West Virginia fell to Pitt. LSU's win over the 17th-ranked Volunteers helped the Tigers catapult ahead of three other two loss teams into the nation's No. 2 spot.

LSU moved ahead of one-loss Kansas as well as Georgia and Virginia Tech to reach the title game matchup.

LSU registered at No. 2 in both the AP and Coaches Poll before the Tigers were announced as the team to face No. 1 Ohio State during the BCS Selection Show on Sunday night.

The LSU Tiger football team, along with its coaching staff and family, gathered at the LSU Football Operations Building at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility to watch the show. When Georgia was announced as the Sugar Bowl representative that would face Hawaii, the room of more than 200 people erupted into celebration.

LSU coach Les Miles, who squashed rumors that he would be the next coach at Michigan just a day earlier, addressed his team following the selection show.

"Eleven wins," Miles began. "A conference title... with a chance to play one more!"

It is the second time in four seasons that LSU has reached the BCS National Championship Game. In 2003, the Tigers faced Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl as USC was left out of the mix. Controversy surrounded that game, which LSU won 21-14 and the Trojans claimed half of the national title. There is sure to be plenty of debate over this trip to the BCS title game as well as LSU becomes the first two-loss team to ever play for a shot at the national championship.

"It doesn't matter to me," said LSU running back Jacob Hester. "We have two losses, but we were picked to play in the game. That is all that matters."

LSU will be playing for its third national title in school history. Ironically, every time the Tigers have played for the national championship, the game took place in New Orleans.

LSU has also been ranked No. 1 twice this season and lost both times in triple overtime. Can the Tigers recapture the nation's top spot one last time, and in doing so win a national title?