At the end of the disappointing 1947 football season, Bernie Moore resigned as head coach to become commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. For the first time in 13 years, LSU had to hire a new head coach.

Unknown to the public, LSU's target was Bob Woodruff, the head coach at Baylor. How­ever, Woodruff was unable to secure a release from his contract.

So the Board of Supervisors began considering LSU men with three names uppermost on their radar—Red Swanson, Jess Fatherree, and Gaynell "Gus" Tinsley.

After serving as head coach at Southeastern Louisiana College, Swanson joined the LSU staff in 1938 as freshman coach. Four years later, he switched to line coach.

Fatherree, an outstanding back from 1933-35, became LSU's backfield coach in 1942.

Tinsley was an all-American end at LSU from 1934-36 who played two all-pro seasons with the Chicago Cardinals before joining the LSU staff. After a brief stint in the Navy during World War II, he rejoined Moore's staff as end coach. Tinsley admitted he was surprised when the board chose him as head coach. Gus asked his two rivals for the head coaching position to remain on the staff.

The LSU Gumbo yearbook said the new head coach "was presented with the school's rough­est schedule and a reserveless team, which had been stripped of its stars by graduation."

Moore told Tiger fans, "It would not be fair to Gus to expect miracles. The schedule he faces is as tough as any in the country."

The 1948 season began with a 33-0 spanking at Texas. The Tigers now had two weeks to improve before they visited another Southwest Conference power, Rice. Jess Neely's ninth Owls team started their season with a 46-0 pasting of Sam Houston. They entered their sec­ond game as a 19-point favorite.

28,000 in Rice Stadium saw two weeks of work pay off for the Tigers, starting with their opening possession when they marched 56y to pay dirt.

After a penalty made it second and ten, HB Bobby Clegg took a pitchout from QB Charley Pevey around left end for 11y and a first down on the Rice 46. Junior FB Zollie Toth from Pocahontas VA gained two. Then E Sam Lyle dropped a perfect pass from Pevey, but he came right back on the next snap to make a fine catch on the Rice 10. Toth smashed to the 12, carrying several defenders with him. HB Kenny Konz gained three over right guard for a first down on the 14, then gained two more before Lyle took the ball on an end-around to the two. Toth bulled over right guard with three tacklers clinging to him, but they couldn't bring the 210lb Bengal down before he crossed the goal line. Carroll Griffith kicked the extra point. LSU 7 Rice 0

The Owls came right back with a 62y march to tie the score. The big gainer was a 21y run to the LSU 27 by Bobby Lantrip from Lake Charles LA. Huey Kenney ran through tackle for eight before Lantrip plunged to the 15 and another first down. After three plays netted zero, future NFL QB Tobin Rote passed to Froggy Williams, but Clegg batted the ball up in the air only to have Williams grab it on the half-yard line. LB Ed Claunch hit him, but Froggy twist­ed over for the score. LSU 7 Rice 7 with five minutes left in the first quarter.

Tiger P Rip Collins set up the second LSU score midway through the second period when his 42y punt went out of bounds on the Rice 15. The Owls quickly moved to midfield before a 15y penalty followed by a 12y sack on a pass play set them back to their 18. Huey Kenney went back o punt, but G Wren Worley broke through and smothered the punt. He grabbed the bounding ball and raced to the end zone, but the officials ruled that his knee touched the ground on the one as he slid over.

After a 5y penalty set the Tigers back to the six, 210lb FB Bill Schroll came onto the field and took charge. He hit right guard for three, then plunged through left guard to the one be­fore booming over left tackle for the score. Griffith converted again. LSU 14 Rice 7

Neither team scored the rest of the quarter. Halftime score: LSU 14 Rice 7

LSU punted to end the opening possession of the second half. Rice's John Kelly fumbled, and G Charlie Cusimano recovered for the Tigers on the Owls 42.

If an underdog is to pull the upset, they must take advantage of turnovers. After a misfire, Pevey passed to E Ray Bullock for 6y, then threw to Lyle, who made a brilliant diving catch before sliding out of bounds on the 14. Bullock swept end for 6y, then ran agan to the five. Collins came in and got a pair before plunging over right guard for the touchdown. Griffin missed the PAT to leave it LSU 20 Rice 7.

Rice drove 66y to get back within a touchdown. Sticking to the ground, the Owls reached the LSU 43. QB Harmon Carswell entered the game and took to the air. Following an incom­pletion, he hit Nick Lanza with a toss that he juggled but held onto to put the ball on the 27. Three plays later, Rice faced fourth-and-one at the 18. George Glauser skirted right end. DB Jack Cole missed him on the line of scrimmage, and he slipped past HB Dale Gray to score standing up. Williams missed the kick. LSU 20 Rice 13

Early in the fourth quarter, LSU drove to the Rice 27, but Pevey and Schroll fumbled on successive plays to allow the Owls to take over on downs.

Rice scared the Tiger fans when Lantrip caught a short pass from Rote and was tripped by Billy Baggett in the open field to save a possible score. Carswell came in and tossed to Bill Taylor for a first down on the LSU 47. Then Carswell whipped another pass to Williams on the 34. Three plays later, Rice faced fourth and six. They tried a running play, but E Abner Wimberly threw the ball carrier for a 5y loss, and LSU took over.

Collins kicked the Owls back deep into their territory to set up the final touchdown of the game.

On second and five from his 33, Carswell threw down the middle, but Gray intercepted and returned to the Rice 17. On fourth and 10, Pevey connected with Lyle standing in the end zone with 0:22 left. Griffith's PAT kick was blocked.

FINAL SCORE: LSU 26 RICE 13

The victory was LSU's third in a row over Rice with the Owls being favored in every game.

Rice won the statistics battle: 14 first downs to 8, 145-139 in rushing yards, and 132-63 in passing yards. But two lost fumbles, an interception, and a blocked kick gave the Tigers the breaks they needed to claim victory.

An ecstatic Coach Tinsley said, "We got some breaks, and what pleased me was the way we capitalized on them."

The Houston reporters were impressed with the Tigers' speed, their great kicking, and the line play. They also praised the running of the backfield trio of Toth, Collins, and Schroll.