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College Football Rewind: Most important games from 2003 season

By Jackson Caudell

NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 4: Head coach Nick Saban of the Loiusiana State Tigers holds up the Bowl Championship Series Trophy after his team defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in the Nokia Sugar Bowl National Championship on January 4, 2004 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Tigers defeated the Sooners 21-14 to win the National Championship. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 4: Head coach Nick Saban of the Loiusiana State Tigers holds up the Bowl Championship Series Trophy after his team defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in the Nokia Sugar Bowl National Championship on January 4, 2004 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Tigers defeated the Sooners 21-14 to win the National Championship. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning releases a pass at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, inGainesville. Ole Miss upset the Gators 20 – 17. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/WireImage)
Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning releases a pass at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, inGainesville. Ole Miss upset the Gators 20 – 17. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/WireImage) /

2. (3) LSU 17, (15) Ole Miss 14

With a loss to Florida already in the season, eventual national champion LSU needed a big defensive effort against Eli Manning and the Ole Miss Rebels to keep their SEC and  national championship hopes alive.

Despite three interceptions from quarterback Matty Mauck, LSU made just enough plays on offense to come out with a victory and put the Tigers in the drivers seat in the SEC West, as Ole Miss was undefeated in SEC play heading into that game and would have clinched the SEC West with a victory.

Despite a tough game, Manning was leading the Rebels down the field late in the fourth quarter, but the drive slowed down once they got into the red-zone and they had to settle for a field goal try. Ole Miss missed the kick and LSU was able to run the rest of the clock down and secure a victory.

With an Ole Miss victory here, LSU is eliminated from the national championship race and Ole Miss would have gone to play Georgia in the SEC championship. One also has to wonder that if Ole Miss wins and prevents LSU from making the national championship if Nick Saban leaves for the NFL without a title and stays at LSU for a few more seasons. I guess we will never know.

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