All’s well in Tigertown after big win over Georgia

By Ed Daniels, Clarion Herald Sports

Moments after a 37-10 rout of Georgia, the confetti, purple and gold, of course, fell in droves from the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

LSU had defeated yet another college football powerhouse.

The victory in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game was the fifth for LSU over a Top 10-ranked team, tied for most in the history of the Associated Press poll.

After the game, LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady, the whiz kid of the coaching staff, told reporters he was staying.

More importantly, so is Ed Orgeron.

Orgeron has what he calls his dream job, and the prognosis for the Tigers moving forward is outstanding, for years to come.

There’s no secret why LSU whipped Georgia for the second  straight season.

The Tigers have better players.

LSU was superior at quarterback, at wide receiver and in the secondary.

Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm had limited weapons. The Dawgs’ best running back was playing injured, and their wide receiver corps was average, at best.

The only hope was for the Georgia defensive line to control the game.

But LSU’s offensive line, one of the most improved units in college football, negated a supposed Georgia advantage.

As the final minutes ticked off, a reporter walked on the field to a surreal setting. The stands, once filled with partisan Georgia faithful, were two-thirds empty.

The LSU student section chanted, “Joe for Heisman.” Quarterback Joe Burrow left the game to a rousing ovation.

Minutes later, he would tell reporters that he was never closer to any group in his life than he was to his team.

At the tail end of his sentence, there was tinge of emotion.

As the final seconds wound down, a reporter jogged his memory back to October 2017.

LSU had lost to Troy. One year into his first full year on the job, Orgeron was allegedly already in trouble.

“Handing him the keys to a Top 10 program was reckless, at best,” said USA Today.

Those who slammed Orgeron, based on his three seasons at Ole Miss, didn’t understand SEC football.

Since Les Miles arrived at LSU in 2005, the Tigers have had two coaches. Since Orgeron arrived at Ole Miss in 2005, the Rebels are on their fifth coach.

LSU is LSU. You can win championships in Baton Rouge.

On the field after the game, LSU consultant John Robinson, the mega-successful, former head coach of the Los Angeles Rams and USC, was asked what Orgeron did best this season.

“Lead,” said Robinson. “This is one of the best coaching jobs I have ever seen. He would ask me for advice, and there was nothing I could think of. He had all the answers.”

Ed Daniels is sports director of ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at [email protected].