Sort of First Impressions: LSU and the Wild Weekend

That is the kind of weekend that reaffirms a person's love of college football. That was the most amazing, incredible, unpredictable weekend of football since... well, probably since some time last year. The sport is usually good for at least one crazy weekend a season, you just never know when it's going to happen.

It was a terrible weekend for me to have relocated Poseur HQ to the Ranch, and to have the internet connection completely fail. I blame the cows.

This means I was unable to get a postgame review up, and now that I have returned to civilization, it's too late to write a game review that anyone would have any interest in. Besides, Richard covered it beautifully and succinctly.

No one remembers the details in ten years. No one will remember the records or the effort or whatever. But we'll all remember a freshman quarterback taking snaps from a freshman center, driving the team down 99 yards to score the game-winning touchdown. OK, you might also remember Jarvis Landry making some insane catches, but you'll probably forget which insane catch came in which game unless you are a true obsessive.

Let's put it like this: what do you remember of the Miracle on Markham? No looking it up, straight from memory. Did you remember Matt Jones was friggin' terrible in that game and was a 2 of 13 for 46 yards before that drive? Do you remember him throwing a critical interception to Corey Webster to cap a 17-play drive that took 8:10 off the clock? Or LSU driving down the field to kick what seemed to be the game cinching football? No? Of course not. You sound like an idiot if you point out LSU outplayed Arkansas by a wide margin back in 2002. People forget and it just becomes a positive memory for Arkansas fans.

The same with this weekend. No one will care that LSU played like hot garbage for 58 minutes. No one will care that Alabama actually outgained Auburn or had the chance to kick a short field goal to go up two scores with two minutes to play. No one will care.

All that gets remembered is the moment. That joyous, wonderful moment. When a freshman becomes a hero. When Auburn pulls another miracle. When Michigan's last gasp comes tantalizingly short.*

*I've seen some debate about the decision to go for two in the Michigan game. If you had been watching the game, which is no sure thing, it was abundantly clear Michigan's defense could not stop Ohio St. Not only was going for two the right call, more teams SHOULD go for two in that situation. In fact, I think a team that scores a touchdown to tie in the second overtime should always, always, ALWAYS go for two. It should be the default call. Michigan had a chance to win the game without exposing their defense, which assuredly would've allowed a touchdown. You have to go for it.

It was an exceptional weekend of exciting games which ended up throwing the season into chaos. I would say I'm surprised, but this is what always happens. The season always gets thrown into chaos and Alabama's dynasty has thrived on losing in November and having pollsters just gloss over this fact. Most teams get punished for losing late, for Bama, it's part of the Process.

In the end, LSU ends the season in a disappointing third in the West. LSU lost three games in the SEC, also a disappointment. But the season will be remembered as a success if we remember the great moments and the possibility that LSU's win over Auburn preventing the Tigers from playing for a national title.

It's the little things that make the season matter. Just because we hate Bama and our happy they fell on their faces doesn't mean we stopped hating Auburn, and can now retroactively revel in their loss to LSU, ruining their perfect season.

Feels good, doesn't it?