Top Games In Death Valley

[Hatchertiger]

I have seen this discussed on the internet and have done so with many of my LSU friends. What do you think?

 

[houtiger]

I would not put 22 Gumps at the top.  I favor games with natty implications and great drama.

07 Fla. led to the natty, those 4th down runs by Hester, lot of drama. 

07 Auburn I would say the same, Flynn to Byrd.

03 Ga. led to a natty, great game.

22 Gumps, major rival, 8 lead changes, great game.   14 pt. dog in TS.

97 Fla., big underdogs. 

 

 

[Hatchertiger]

"03 Georgia is a game which I've always viewed as what officially put LSU back on the map. I was there and it was loud. When Skylar Green caught the TD pass from Mauck it was  pandamonium!!!  What made it odd though is that it was a day game and it was STILL loud.

The game on Saturday was freakin' loud as all get out. Guess we have to see how the rest of the season plays out to rank it. Hopefully it ends up at the top!!!

[Nutriaitch]

1 hour ago, houtiger said:

I would not put 22 Gumps at the top.  I favor games with natty implications and great drama.

07 Fla. led to the natty, those 4th down runs by Hester, lot of drama. 

07 Auburn I would say the same, Flynn to Byrd.

03 Ga. led to a natty, great game.

22 Gumps, major rival, 8 lead changes, great game.   14 pt. dog in TS.

97 Fla., big underdogs. 

 

 

with all due respect, what happens a month or 2 after a game should not have an effect on that game’s ranking. 

does the Billy Cannon run not mean shyte because we didn’t win a title that year?

of the games listed, i’ve been fortunate enough to attend 7 of them. 

including the top 4 on this list. 

im not ready to say i agree completely with the order, but the top 4 are probably right. 

and in all honesty i’ve been to a game we lost against a hated rival that belongs above some of the ones mentioned. 

[Fishhead]

Too much Ole Miss

I can't have an opinion on the order because I was only at 2 of those games. 

I will say 07 UF had to have been the best game DAY experience. I mean that campus was packed and raucous all day

[houtiger]

13 hours ago, Nutriaitch said:

with all due respect, what happens a month or 2 after a game should not have an effect on that game’s ranking. 

I was not basing it on what happened two months down the line, but our perception of what was possible at game time.  In the BCS era, people watched the rankings weekly, we looked at our remaining schedule, we looked at the remaining schedule of all the other contenders, and we constructed mental possibilities of what was possible if we won and certain others lost.  AND, it was not based on a whim, like this playoff committee of humans.  If we won the numbers game, we were IN.  We were all involved in the selection process because the formula was published and we could all track it and speculate.  

This game with Gumps turned into an instant classic, it certainly belongs on the list, but I don't think many LSU fans thought going it that it had CFP implications.  We just wanted to beat Gumps because they have been the standard of excellence the last 10 years in the college football.  You certainly had to beat them to win the west.  We wanted to know how far this team had come, could we believe our eyes of what we had seen the last 2 weeks.

My personal opinion, I'd take the BCS back in a heartbeat.  Give me that strength of schedule factor.  The SEC might regularly get 2 teams in the playoff.  I'll take all the anticipation and formula tracking, I thought it was fun.  Saban even said, show me the rules before the season and let the chips fall where they may. 

[Nutriaitch]

11 hours ago, Fishhead said:

Too much Ole Miss

and not enough Auburn.

'95 and '01 probably need to be up there too.

11 hours ago, Fishhead said:

I can't have an opinion on the order because I was only at 2 of those games. 

'59 Ole Miss and what else?

11 hours ago, Fishhead said:

I will say 07 UF had to have been the best game DAY experience. I mean that campus was packed and raucous all day

that whole damn day was amazing.

[Nutriaitch]

2 hours ago, houtiger said:

I was not basing it on what happened two months down the line, but our perception of what was possible at game time.  In the BCS era, people watched the rankings weekly, we looked at our remaining schedule, we looked at the remaining schedule of all the other contenders, and we constructed mental possibilities of what was possible if we won and certain others lost.  AND, it was not based on a whim, like this playoff committee of humans.  If we won the numbers game, we were IN.  We were all involved in the selection process because the formula was published and we could all track it and speculate.  

This game with Gumps turned into an instant classic, it certainly belongs on the list, but I don't think many LSU fans thought going it that it had CFP implications.  We just wanted to beat Gumps because they have been the standard of excellence the last 10 years in the college football.  You certainly had to beat them to win the west.  We wanted to know how far this team had come, could we believe our eyes of what we had seen the last 2 weeks.

My personal opinion, I'd take the BCS back in a heartbeat.  Give me that strength of schedule factor.  The SEC might regularly get 2 teams in the playoff.  I'll take all the anticipation and formula tracking, I thought it was fun.  Saban even said, show me the rules before the season and let the chips fall where they may. 

gotcha, I misunderstood what you meant about games leading to a natty.

I'm not going to comment on my order in here.
y'all will have to wait for the podcast and i'm going to have to rank top handful of Death Valley CROWDS (not necessarily games) i've experienced.

[houtiger]

From Dandy Don today:

"As for the amazing Tiger Stadium atmosphere in LSU’s 32-31 overtime win over Alabama, Kelly said it was one of the best sustained atmospheres he’s ever coached in. “The play was so good on both sides of the ball that it engaged the fans for four quarters,” he said. “Usually there’s an up and down where there’s a bit of a lull, but the way the kids played on both sides of the ball, it kept (fans) on the edge of their seats all night.” Indeed it did!

On a related note, a couple of days ago I wrote that I’ve been going to Tiger Stadium since the Charlie McClendon days and didn’t recall a better Death Valley atmosphere than the one Saturday night. I asked if you felt the same way, and it was great to read your responses. Many spoke of the Florida games in 1997 and 2007, which were definitely among the best, and a few of you reminded me of a game I had kind of forgotten — the 1979 USC loss. I was only nine years old for that USC game, but I can clearly recall how incredibly loud it was. In fact, while thinking of it I remembered that we used to call it “Deaf Valley” back then. (When did that change?) Those Florida games, the USC game, and a handful of others were up there with last Saturday’s in terms of “atmosphere,” but I propose that none were more satisfying!"

 

I can agree with the "satisfying" sentiment, if you asked me what one game per year you would like to win, it would be Gumps over the last 10 years.  The 10 years before that, it would have been Auburn, those games determined who won the west, back when Gumps sucked.

Edited November 11, 2022 by houtiger

[houtiger]

Below is the full game replay.  Go to 3:45 and the Holly Rowe interview with BK.  Holly asks how BK helps his team take advantage of the energy of the crowd.  BK I'm telling the players we have to play well to keep the crowd energized.  It's apparent that BK understand home field advantage and he wanted that on his side.  And he tasked the players to play well so they could play off that energy!  Before the game, he was aware.  Kelly called it one of the best crowds, hell, he understated, I don't think he has ever seen a crowd that good, just my opinion.  It's ok BK, just say it was the best you've ever seen.

 

[LSUDad]

It was a rocking crowd, I said, we will not be out coached. My pick was 38-35 Tigers. Been kind of close the last two games. 

[Hatchertiger]

Tonight will be a perfect time to watch the Gumps game again. I’ve only watched highlights this far

[houtiger]

14 minutes ago, Hatchertiger said:

Tonight will be a perfect time to watch the Gumps game again. I’ve only watched highlights this far

I recorded the replay on SEC Network, 180 minutes.  They cut out the boring times.  I'm watching that, very enjoyable.  My guy John Emery had some good plays in the first half, I didn't see him very much the second half, wonder if he got nicked.

[Nutriaitch]

go watch it on SkyCast (on ESPN app). 

no TV announcers, just sounds from inside the Stadium. 

[Hatchertiger]

1 hour ago, Nutriaitch said:

go watch it on SkyCast (on ESPN app). 

 

I posted the link somewhere here.