LSU football shadowed by Katrina in desert

TEMPE, Ariz. - For LSU, football has a stark look this season.

"This is not a made-for-TV movie," coach Les Miles said. "This was a real-life trauma where friends and family had to stay in the dorms and the town swelled to take in the New Orleans evacuees. We are treating people that are injured and disadvantaged 200 yards from our stadium. We have a scrimmage, and Blackhawk helicopters are flying people from New Orleans over our heads."

The fifth-ranked Tigers traveled halfway across the country to play their "home" opener Saturday night - a 35-31 victory over No. 15 Arizona State in Miles' debut as LSU's coach.

The game should have been the second this season in Baton Rouge, La., but Hurricane Katrina washed out the opener against North Texas on Sept. 3. A week later, the Tigers were in Tempe, forced off campus by the influx of people who turned the basketball arena into what athletic director Skip Bertman called the largest triage center in the United States.

"Our team has had the longest camp in the history of camps," Miles said.

On Saturday night, JaMarcus Russell hooked up with Early Doucet for a 39-yard touchdown on fourth down with 1:13 to go to win it for the Tigers.

This was hardly smooth going for LSU. The Tigers committed 11 penalties for 100 yards and allowed Arizona State's Sam Keller to pass for four TDs and more yards (461) than LSU's team total (434).

But LSU played like a national title contender at the end, outscoring Arizona State 28-14 in the fourth quarter with contributions everywhere - offense, defense and special teams.

Even after Russell rolled right, reversed direction and threw an against-the-grain floater that Doucet grabbed and came down with his right foot in, the defense had its work cut out. Keller went to work with 27- and 25-yard completions, setting up the Sun Devils (1-1) on the LSU 28 with just under a minute left.

Then the Tigers, who had to replace current NFL cornerbacks Corey Webster and Travis Daniels this season, forced Keller into four straight incompletions and got the ball back.

"I've never been in a game like this," defensive tackle Kyle Williams said. "It's good to come to Tempe and play against a good team that had one game up on us. We fought hard on both ends."

The special teams made a big contribution. Mario Stevenson returned a field-goal attempt 55 yards after Claude Wroten blocked it, and Craig Steltz returned a blocked punt 29 yards 1:20 later, sending LSU to its first lead, 21-17, with 13:27 remaining.

Joseph Addai scored two short-yardage TDs and had 109 yards on 16 carries.

Keller was 35-of-56 for 461 yards in his third game as a starter, throwing scoring passes of 25 and 26 yards to Jamaal Lewis, 8 yards to Rudy Burgess and 4 yards to Moey Mutz.

Derek Hagan and Terry Richardson each had seven catches, and Hagan finished with 191 career receptions to move past John Jefferson (1974-77) for first in school history.

"We had a couple of soft spots, and they were just making good plays against the calls we had," Steltz said. "We have an off-week coming up, and that is going to be something that we improve on and get ready for Tennessee."