page_title: LSU Tigers football
section_title: Les Miles era (2005–2016)
hierarchical_section_title: LSU Tigers football / History / Les Miles era (2005–2016)
caption_attribution_description: English: LSU looking to score a field goal in Bryant Denny Stadium vs Alabama on November 5th 2011.
context_page_description: The LSU Tigers football program, also known as the Fighting Tigers, represents Louisiana State University in college football. The Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference.
  LSU ranks 16th most in victories in NCAA Division I FBS history and claims four National Championships, 16 conference championships, and 35 consensus All-Americans. As of the beginning of the 2018 NFL season, 40 former LSU players were on active rosters in the NFL, the second most of any college program.
  The team plays in Tiger Stadium, and Ed Orgeron is the head coach.
context_section_description: In Les Miles's first season as LSU head coach, the Tigers home opener against Arizona State was moved to Sun Devil Stadium due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. With one end zone painted with "www.KatrinaSRF.com" and the other with "Together We Stand" along with logos of the states of Louisiana and Arizona, LSU rallied in the fourth quarter for a 35–31 comeback victory.
  No. 2 LSU played what was hyped as one of the most exciting games ever played in Tiger Stadium against No. 9 Florida in 2007. The game is also known for the LSU students leaving thousands of messages on the phone of Florida quarterback, Tim Tebow, prompting him to give a "telephone" hand gesture to the LSU student section following an early touchdown. Florida began the fourth quarter with a 24–14 lead, but behind solid defense and being a perfect 5 for 5 on fourth down conversions, the Tigers were able to take the lead 28–24 with 1:06 left in the game after a Jacob Hester touchdown to defeat the Gators. It was LSU's first national primetime game on CBS since 1981. LSU went on to defeat No. 1 Ohio State in the BCS national championship 38–24, becoming the first school to win two BCS national championship titles and improving their BCS record to 4–0, the best of any team. They also became the first two-loss team to ever play in the BCS national championship.
  The ninth regulation game of the 2011 season for LSU found the number 1 nationally ranked Tigers against the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in a match called "The Game of the Century" or the "Matchup of the Year". Both teams were undefeated and both were also coming off a bye week; viewed as important to the BCS Championship Game as the "inside track" by many of the sportswriters, the press built up the game in a Super Bowl-style atmosphere. Ultimately, the game came down to field position and a series of field goals as the top-ranked defenses of both teams prevented any touchdowns. Alabama missed three field goals and a fourth was blocked during regulation, leading to a 6–6 tie heading into overtime. On the first possession of overtime, Alabama again missed a field goal from 52 yards out, only to watch LSU earn the win on the next possession with a chip-shot field goal. As a result, it was the second-lowest scoring match-up between number 1 and number 2 teams in the history of the NCAA, with a 9–6 decision. For the first time in BCS National Championship history, two SEC teams, number 1 LSU and number 2 Alabama again faced each other in the National Championship Game. Alabama won the game, 21–0. The SEC-only title game added impetus to the push for a national playoff system and hastened the death of the BCS system as implemented up to that time.
  On September 25, 2016, Miles was fired after losing to the Auburn Tigers as quarterback Danny Etling failed to snap the ball before time expired which negated what would have been the game winning touchdown pass to wide receiver DJ Chark. Ed Orgeron was named interim head coach. Miles compiled a win–loss record of 114–34 (.770) with LSU.
caption: Alabama-LSU, 2011
exif: {}