The 2016 Buffalo WIld Wings Citrus Bowl has come a very long way since its inception as the Tangerine Bowl in 1947. It is the seventh-oldest bowl game in the country still running and tomorrow’s match-up between Louisville and LSU certainly signals a progression from the initial match-up between Catawba and Maryville, a game that was played in front of 9,000 fans. If that doesn’t do it for you, then you can certainly say the annual event has come an eternity from the 1952 match-up between the Stetson Hatters and Arkansas State–(a game in which the Hatters won 35-20 by the way).
If you grew up along the I-4 Corridor, perhaps you grew up getting the chance to see an annual event that has provided a warehouse of memories and special players along the way. From guys like Boomer Esiason and his Maryland squad, to Bo Jackson and his Auburn squad. Perhaps you got to see Georgia and FSU play to a 17-17 in 1984, or perhaps you got to see Heath Shuler versus Kerry Collins in 1994 that also featured Ki- Jana Carter, Kyle Brady, and Bobby Engram in a game coached by Joe Paterno. Perhaps you got to see a national champion get crowned when Bobby Ross (as HC), Ralph Friedgen (as OC) and some guy named George O’Leary (as DC) coached up the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech in a 45-21 rout of Nebraska.
If you’re an LSU fan of age, perhaps you made the trip to Orlando when it was still the Tangerine Bowl and were witness to the team’s 34-10 victory over a John Mackovic coached Wake Forest squad. Although if you’re an LSU of a certain age, perhaps you haven’t witnessed a Tiger victory, as LSU has lost in their last two trips here to Iowa (30- 25) in 2005, and Penn State (19-17) in 2010. If you’re a Louisville fan, we can’t help you in this trip down memory lane, as this is the first postseason excursion to Orlando (for this bowl) for the Cardinals in spite of this being their 21st bowl appearance in program history. Technically, the ‘Ville’s first-ever bowl game in Orlando occurred just recently in 2013, when they defeated Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl, 36-9.
You would think that over the course of their long histories, these two programs would have run into one another at some point. That is not the case, however. This year’s 2016 BWW Citrus Bowl provides us with the first-ever meeting between the Tigers and Cardinals, a game that will kickoff locally at 10:00am for the folks back in Baton Rouge. Although they’ve never faced each other on the gridiron, they’ve certainly provided memories (albeit distant) on the hard court, as the two mens hoops teams have met in the Elite EIght and Final Fours among other recent match-ups in ladies hoops and softball. This is the 48th postseason game in LSU history, and an impressive 17th-consecutive appearance.
Louisville has come a long way itself as a program from their first appearance in a bowl game, the 1958 Sun Bowl in El Paso–a game in which they defeated Drake, 34-20. It is the seventh-consecutive postseason appearance for the ‘Cards in which that span they have posted a 4-2 record, including a 2-1 record versus the Southeastern Conference. Their wins come over Florida (33-23) in the 2013 Sugar Bowl, and Texas A&M (27-21) in last year’s Music City Bowl in Nashville. That lone loss referenced comes courtesy of Georgia’s 37-14 romp over the Cardinals in the 2014 Belk Bowl. The Cardinals are 3-1 all-time against the SEC, dating back to their 1990 encounter with Alabama in the Sugar
Bowl in which they were victorious, 34-7.
Both teams can now claim to be the home of a Heisman winner, with Louisvile’s Lamar Jackson the recipient of this year’s honor, and LSU’s Billy Cannon taking home the award all the way back in 1959. While the Cardinals have this year’s Heisman, could we be witnessing a future winner on the other sideline? LSU Freshman phenom running back Derrius Guice joined some of the greatest names to ever play the sport this season when added his name to a list that included Kentucky’s Moe Williams, Georgia’s Herschel Walker, and Auburn’s Bo Jackson. What list is that you ask? He’s only the fourth rusher in SEC History to rush for 250+ yards two times or more in the same season. It was 1995 the last time that happened. Guice also set LSU’s single-game rushing record with 285 yards against Texas A&M. Just three weeks prior, Leonard Fournette–a virtual first round lock in the 2017 NFL Draft–had broken the record with 284 against Ole Miss upon returning from a serious ankle injury sustained versus Auburn. Fournette foregoing this game in order to prepare for the upcoming draft, and a less-than-consistent passing game overall for the Tigers this season means tons of action for Guice and for fans a like to witness a potential superstar.
Along with this being the first bowl game of Ed Orgeron’s career as a head coach, this is the debut of Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada. As mentioned, the offense, and passing game in particular, has left a little more to be desired–and Canada–is perhaps the best man for the job. He comes to Baton Rouge after his stint in the ACC at Pittsburgh, in which his offense was producing an average north of 40 points per game. There are reasons justified to be hopeful in Baton Rouge, though. This addition, combined with Danny Etling’s last performance–a 324 yard passing performance vs. Texas A&M–may be the boost Tiger fans need to feel good about things moving forward as they look to find the compliment to Guice’s insane ability on the ground.
For all of the talk about this “potential” firepower about the Tigers’ offense, we already know about the efficiency and destruction left in its’ wake when the Louisville offense takes the field. They are the leaders nationally in terms of scoring offense and it’s easy to do that when you’ve got a freak under center like Jackson, who was responsible for nearly 5,000 yards this season. And for all of the talk about the running backs on the bayou, it’s the boys from the bluegrass that are averaging nearly 20 more yards on the ground per contest. Not to mention, for all of the accolades that LSU gets on defense, it’s Louisville that holds the slight advantage statistically in total defense. The Cardinals are 11th in the nation, while LSU is 13th. Where the game gets interesting, is that LSU’s offensive line is giving up less than two sacks per game, while the Cardinals OL is giving up nearly four sacks per to opposing DL’s this season. Needless to say, and no matter which side of the fence you represent in this game, every yard is prime real estate when you pit the #1 scoring offense against a top-15 total defense.
The game is such a good match-up, that even Las Vegas–or the people that enjoy that sort of thing– is/are having a hard time figuring out which way this one falls. The spread opened up essentially a pick-em, with the line moving towards LSU as a field goal favorite. The total points was last listed at 60, but one of the main (and accurate) prediction machines thinks this one blasts past that total with a 37-35 shootout in favor of LSU. Neither team has been spectacular in terms of winning people money consistently, either. The Tigers are 5-6 against the spread, while the Cardinals were 6-6, so–IF you’re into that sort of thing–proceed with caution.
No matter which way you dissect this game, these two teams could very well rewrite some of the history of this longstanding contest. From the party in the parking lot, to the quality of the talent standing on the sidelines, this game has everything you could want– short of a national championship that is. Speaking of another national championship (of sorts) that these two teams compete for, is the recruiting battle. There are 21 players in- total from the Sunshine State playing in this game. Louisville has a staggering 15 of their 16 players either starting or as the #2 on their roster. LSU may only have 5, but they’ve dipped into Florida and got Kevin Tolliver II from Trinity Christian and Saivion Smith from IMG, as well as Victory Christian’s Caleb Lewis has earned his way into the squad after walk-on status. The result of this game may not have a direct bearing on any of the recruits in this current cycle, but it will certainly have their attention .
Doug Pugh, BCP Contributor