MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / October 4, 2000

Before the season, LSU head coach Nick Saban talked about how the Tigers had to be 60-minute players this season.

Saturday night against Tennessee, the Tigers were that and more.

LSU’s 38-31 overtime victory over the 11th-ranked Volunteers was the longest in Tiger Stadium history. It was arguably one of the most excitinggames in the stadium’s 76-year history. Only time will tell if it proves to beone of the most important.

Saban talked last week about the Tigers needing a victory over a good team to build the team’s confidence. They got that against a Tennessee team thatwas one questionable call against Florida from being undefeated and possibly ranked in the top five in the country.

LSU may have found more than its confidence in the victory. It may also havefound its leader on the field and its quarterback in Rohan Davey. Limpingnoticeably throughout the game with an ankle injury, Davey toughed it out, earning the respect of his teammates and the fans. Of course, passing for318 yards and four touchdowns also helps.

LSU, which has struggled in recent years finding somebody to step up in clutch situations, had a number of players do so Saturday night. LaBrandonToefield rushed for 120 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown run. Josh Reedhad seven catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

Robert Royal had three catches for 54 yards but one of those catches was for the winning score in overtime. John Corbello had a career-best 47-yardfield goal. Linebackers Trev Faulk and Bradie James combined for 31 tackles.And defensive back Damian James knocked away two passes on the final plays of overtime to preserve the win.

The Tigers needed those efforts because the Volunteers kept hanging around. LSU took a 24-6 lead into halftime only to see Tennessee pull towithin 24-15 in the third quarter, converting one third down play after another. LSU answered with a 53-yard touchdown pass from Davey to Reedbut Tennessee again refused to go away. Backed up inside their 10 on thenext possession, the Volunteers got out of trouble thanks to a diving catch by Donte Stallworth, leading to a touchdown to cut the deficit to eight.

Tennessee tied the game later in the quarter thanks to another key third- down conversion.

But an LSU team that could not get by the jabs of UAB the week before survived every roundhouse punch the Volunteers could throw at them. And itwas the Tigers that eventually delivered the knockout punch in overtime.

If LSU fans feel a bit of deja vue this week, they can be forgiven. It was justthree years ago that LSU fans were tearing down the goal posts after the Tigers upset No. 1 Florida a week after surviving a scare at Vanderbilt. Aweek later, LSU came out flat in a loss to Mississippi. That game was thebeginning of the end for Gerry DiNardo.

When LSU hired Saban to replace DiNardo, one thing that was noted was his success in upsetting teams like Michigan and Ohio State. Now that he has hisfirst as coach of the Tigers, Saban’s job is to make sure the team builds on it. It’s up to him and the Tigers to show whether Saturday’s drama was thecornerstone of a winning program or just a cosmetic fix.

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