For a football program that hadn't won a national title since 1958, the road back to the top wouldn't be easy. The once-proud program had been inconsistent at best since its glory years, but hiring of head coach Nick Saban in 1999 changed all that.
Saban's first order of business was to instill a winning attitude in the LSU program. Once the Tigers believed they could win, they would become a national championship team. Once the Tigers became champions, the LSU program could become elite.
Four seasons after Saban's arrival, LSU sits atop the college football universe. Winning its second SEC championship in three years after an outstanding regualr season, LSU earned a shot at immortality against the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2004 Sugar Bowl for the BCS national championships.
While few people outside of Baton Rouge gave the Tigers a chance to win, LSU knew it had a special team. It had been breaking school records all season by riding the accurate arm of quarterack Matt Mauck, the steady hands of receiver Michael Clayton and the phenomenal talent of freshman running back Justin Vincent. LSU knew it could score. With its top-ranked defense, led by All American Chad Lavalais, LSU knew it could win.
Just 90 miles from Tiger Stadium, LSU would use the Sugar Bowl as its stage to shock the sports world by knocking off a seemingly unbeatable Oklahoma Sooner team that was powered by a high-octane offense, awe inspiring defense and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.
This is the true story of how a head coach convinced a team, a university, a state and, eventually, the country that LSU could be the best.
Geaux Tigers, the BCS national champions!
