LSU's 2005 season began with a hurricane and ended with the Hurricanes.

• New coach Les Miles and his staff were heavily into preparations for the September 3 opener against North Texas when Hurricane Katrina smashed into south Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast August 29.
• Emergency plans went into action with LSU playing a pivotal role as a special-needs shelter and medical evacuation site for hurricane victims.
• On Wednesday, August 31, four days before the scheduled opener, LSU Chancellor Sean O'Keefe cancelled the North Texas game.
  
  Monday night (after the storm hit) I looked forward to Saturday's game as an opportunity for us here at LSU to demonstrate on behalf of all Louisianians that we were not going to get beaten down by anything. This would be a chance to really demonstrate the resolve, to continue on and to have the spirit of this great state be reflected, and the folks would continue to get together on Saturday night and demonstrate that we are made of some­thing and have lots of character. That said, I think that was overcome (Tuesday) morning with the concern of all the people coming into this area. The scope of this tragedy is be­coming more evident as time passes, and LSU's focus is on assisting in the recovery effort of our state. LSU is a primary evacuation site and we are not going to conduct any activi­ties that could deter from our mission of assisting in the recovery mission.
  
  
• The LSU Athletic Department hoped to reschedule the North Texas contest for October 29 when the b had an open date. But the Mean Green had to move their game with ULM, which they eventually did in order to reap the large payday from a trip to Baton Rouge.
• So the focus of the Tiger team shifted to September 10 and the home game against Arizona State.

In the meantime, the players and coaches had indelible images etched in their memories.

• The Maravich Center becoming a major triage center for assessing victims before they were transported to a hospital.
  
  Trauma Center in Maravich Center
  Ten years later, Herb Vincent, who was senior associate athletics director, recalled the days right after Katrina: From my sixth-floor office window in the LSU athletic ad­ministration building, I watched the helicopters land on the infield of the Bernie Moore Track Stadium as medical personnel rushed from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center to retrieve injured passengers into the medical unit that had been set up in LSU's basketball areana. It was eerily reminiscent of the opening scene from the television series M*A*S*H. It was indeed all too similar to what I envisioned a war zone to be. Many of the helicopters were of the military variety and the constant movement of people in and out of campus left the distinct impression that our athletics facilities had been occupied by some foreign army. And there was a quiet knowledge around the athletic department that the lower gym of the Maravich Center was serving as a makeshift morgue.
• Barricades and armed guards blocking traffic along North Stadium Drive, clearing a path for ambulances, supply vans, and military vehicles to Maravich. C Rudy Niswanger: I remember walking down the street and passing two National Guardsmen holding automatic weapons. And I did a double take. These are automatic weapons! Coach Miles had to pre­pare us to play football with that as our daily backdrop.
• Players, like so many LSU students, cramming family members and friends into their apartments.
  The most famous guest was the grandfather of QB JaMarcus Russell's girlfriend. He was none other than rock and roll legend Fats Domino from New Orleans, one of 20 people staying with Russell. WR Skyler Green had a like number crammed into his living quarters..
• Some Tigers from the New Orleans area not knowing where their families were or even whether they were alive or what happened to their homes. Miles said "10 to 20" family members of players were unaccouted for.
• Players losing an average of seven pounds each because of the hectic off-the-field demands, steady practice routine, and shaky diet with normal food service disrupted.
• Squad members visiting refugee centers around Baton Rouge and gathering food and other supplies. I think our kids are really affected, said Les. They're stung by it. They're like everybody else. They want to know what they can do to help.

Through it all, Miles and his staff tried to maintain a sense of normalcy.

• The squad appreciated Miles's different approach compared to his predecessor, Nick Saban. It's just more of a positive atmosphere around here, said RB Alley Broussard who would suffer a season-ending knee injury in August. Saban screamed to get his point across, remarked LB Cameron Vaughn. Coach Miles is more calmed down, and he'll talk to you to your face and tell you what you're doing wrong instead of screaming in your face. Everybody that has to go through it feels better about practice and stuff, not worrying about somebody screaming down their face.
• Miles: The players showed us most what had happened because you could see the concern on their faces. You ask questions like, "Who has not visited with their families?" Hands go up, because there are no phones. We told some of our football ops guys to hunt for (play­ers') families during practice, see if they could track them down.
• Individual players shared their horror stories. Green heard that looting was rampant throughout his home town of Avondale, possibly on his street. The brother of LB Ryan Willis was a fireman who stayed in New Orleans. He saw a hundred dead bodies floating in the water.

As the longest fall camp in LSU history continued, it became clear that the campus could not host the Arizona State game.

• After toying with the idea of relocating the game to a site within driving distance - pos­sibly Ole Miss, ULL, or Shreveport - Skip Bertman's athletic department accepted Arizona State's offer to host the game with the proviso that all profits go to Hurricane Katrina relief funds.
• So the "home" game would be played September 10 but 1,447 miles away at Sun Devil Stadium. The game would still be televised as ESPN.
• At least the Tigers now had a target, a chance to get away from the chaos and play the game they loved.
• Bertman expected the game to be a rallying point for Louisiana, a signal to the state and to the world that Katrina's survivors will resume their lives and rebuild with pride. That message can be sent from Tempe as well as from here, he said.
• Miles later revealed his attitude toward the game. This was the biggest, most important game I've ever been associated with that did not involve a championship. I wanted to win that game. We had to. I was fearful to imply that that was a responsibility the players must take on. I didn't think it was morally right for me, but they did. They took it on, and they weren't going to be denied. That was a goal they put on the wall - play for Louisiana.

Both teams went 9-3 in 2004.

• Arizona State ended with a Sun Bowl victory over Purdue in the last seconds.
• LSU's Capital One Bowl game also went down to the last play when Iowa scored to take a 30-25 victory.

The Sun Devils played their home opener Thursday, September 1, and clobbered Temple 63-16.

• The ASU coaches and players expected a tough game against the #5-ranked Tigers. C Grayson Love told the Arizona Republic, I'm sure a lot of people will be rooting for them because they're basically representing their state with everything that's going on there. Love was relieved not to have to play in Baton Rouge surrounded by disaster. We definitely didn't want to go down there and take anything away from that relief effort that people in Baton Rouge are doing to help. It would be difficult to focus on football when you've got all these things going on around you.
• QB Sam Keller called for the Sun Devil fans to turn out for the makeshift game. Hope­fully this place is packed, and it's electric. I think it will be. It's got to be a plus, but look at how good they are. They're going to bring it and play as good as they can wherever they play. We can't think we have an advantage because it's not at their place. We have to play just as hard or harder.
• The Tigers would have to contend with the solid running attack of the Sun Devils, who amassed 300y rushing against the Owls, including 134y by freshman Keegan Herring on just 12 carries.

Meanwhile, Coach Miles revealed a trait that would become all too familiar to LSU fans - playing his cards close to the vest.

• He delayed announcing which sophomore, Matt Flynn or JaMarcus Russell, would start at QB until Thursday.
• You really enjoy the spirit of competition it encourages, said the coach after Wednesday's practice. You want to take all the time that you have to make a decision that has some impact. Certainly, when we make a decision, it comes with study and time, and the more time, the better. If it means that our team gets better because of the competition, then that's great.
• Miles added that both Russell and Flynn matured a lot in the offseason. Then he gave a hint as to which one he might choose. JaMarcus really has a greater command of the offense. He has more comfort commanding and functioning the offense and certainly has the ability to make the throws. ... He already has game experience, as well as Matt. We feel pretty comfortable that our offense, our quarterback, will do well within the scheme of the offense.
• Flynn said, We're both trying to prepare as best we can for Arizona State and get better. That's all we can do. We'll find out Thursday.
• Russell praised the head coach's approach. It made us work everyday because you never know what he's going to say. If a starter had been named earlier, he might have coasted. It kept everybody on level ground.
• When Thursday came, Miles kept his promise and announced the starting QB - to the team. Everyone outside the Charles McClendon Football Practice Facility would have to wait until the offense took the field Saturday night. Fans may not have realized it at the time, but their new coach thereby revealed another trait - enduring to some, exas­perating to others. Never give the enemy more information than you have to.

When the Tigers boarded a plane for Arizona at noon Friday, they physically moved away from the depressing scene that had surrounded them for eleven days.

• But they couldn't put Katrina out of their minds.
• Miles: There's no way you get away from here. We're so attached, and it's such a heartfelt environment, even if you travel, certainly your waking thoughts are moved towards Louisi­ana.
• What mental state would the Tigers take onto the field of combat after a week's delay and a change of venue?

In the last analysis, it was a football game and therefore subject to all the usual pregame analysis.

• Would the LSU offense overcome offseason rust, especially in the passing game?
• Arizona State's defense was not its strong suit, and that unit was weakened by injuries to key players like DE Kyle Caldwell and CB R. J. Oliver. The LBs, led by Dale Robinson and Jamar Williams were the strength.
• Keller didn't possess the arm strength of his predecessor, Andrew Walter, but was more mobile. The Tigers would have to keep him in the pocket and not allow him to break loose for chain-moving runs.
• Other than Broussard and LB E. J. Kuale, LSU entered the fray healthy in terms of injuries. Would the lack of normal conditioning and nutrition take a toll late in the game?

William Kalec of the Times-Picayune summarized the state of mind of Louisianians toward the long-awaited opener this way: Roughly 3,000 LSU fans stomached short-notice airfare costs and made the trip west. those with electricity watched on television. Those without listened on battery-powered radios. And those with nothing still wanted to know the score. 5500 of those watching on television were doing so in Tiger Stadium in a Student Government sponsored event to raise money for hurricane relief.

LSU players pray on the Louisiana image in the end zone.

Arizona State tried to give LSU a home game feel.

• The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl picked up the tab for LSU's meal and hotel expenses.
• Before the game, the big screen played the video that LSU uses.
• Instead of displaying a trivia question about ASU football, the screen showed one for LSU.
• The LSU Pep Band played the Tiger fight song before ASU's band played theirs
• The Arizona State flag and the ASU banners flew at half staff.
• Both end zones had paintings of the states of Louisiana and Arizona along with the fleur-de-lis, the symbol of New Orleans. Between the states in one EZ was the mes­sage "Together We Stand" while the other end had the address of the website for the LSU Student Relief Fund.
• Coach Dirk Koetter purvhased 55 tickets for the game and donated them to Tulane students who were now enrolled at ASU.
• Also on hand were 600 Louisiana storm evacuees who were being housed at Phoenix's Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
• Despite ASU having only five days to sell tickets, the crowd numbered 63,210, which was actually more than the Sun Devils drew for Temple.

Miles revealed in a pregame interview on ESPN that Russell, as most expected, would start at QB.

• Q1: LSU won the toss and deferred.
  Keller threw down the middle on the first play to TE Zach Miller despite smothering coverage. Several plays later, CB Ronnie Prude made a first-down saving tackle on a receiver in the flat to force a punt, which went out on the 3.
  Russell completed his first pass, on 2nd down to WR Craig Davis for a short gain. But wide open WR Early Doucet dropped a 3rd down flare pass to kill the advance. Then came what would be another of Miles's signature calls. When no one covered gunner Prude in punt formation, Chris Jackson took the snap and threw to Ronnie for a 1st down at the 22. But any momentum dissipated when Davis dropped a pass in his bread basket on 2nd-and-11 and Russell threw poorly on 3rd down. Patrick Fisher then punted and ASU had good field position at their 40.
  After two short runs, senior DT Kyle Williams registered his 13th career sack. That led to a punt even better than ASU's previous one. Green let the ball bounce by him. The ball was downed as close to the goal line as you can get without crossing it.
  With holdover offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher deftly alternating runs and passes, the Tigers drove the length of the field.
  After two runs went nowhere against eight-in-the-box, Russell zinged a low throw across the middle to Davis on a short post route to the 14. Two runs by Shyrone Carey. one at RT and one at LT, produced a 1st down on the 28. Russell came through on 3rd down again, hitting Davis across the middle for a first down at the 43. Workhorse Carey carried twice for another 1st down at the ASU 46. Russell then faded on 1st down and, with all the time in the world, hit Davis dragging across to the left to the 28. JaMarcus continued sharp, tossing to FB Jacob Hester on a flat pass to the 19. That brought up another 3rd down. Justin Vincent, the star runner of the '03 championship team who had suffered a knee injury, pushed forward for another 1st down on the 16 as the period ended.
  LSU 0 ASU 0

L: Kyle Williams sacks Sam Keller; R: Shyrone Carey runs.

• Q2: An offside penalty gave LSU a free 5y. But three runs netted only 4y. Miles didn't hesitate to go for it, which forced ASU to call a timeout. When play resumed, LSU lined up in a tight formation and Russell sneaked. Aided by a push from RB Joseph Addai, JaMarcus barely made the 1st down. But the long drive went for naught when Russell took the next snap, on the 19. 19 plays and 11:02 off the clock but no points.
  Keller found his best receiver, Derek Hagan, for the first time to start a drive that broke the scoring ice. With the aid of a face mask penalty, the Devils reached midfield in only two plays. Keller threw on target in front of Prude to Terry Richardson for 14 to the LSU 40. Two plays later, Prude drew a flag for interference on a throw for Ha­gan over the middle. 1st-and-10 at the 25. Two plays later, Keller launched a beautiful throw to Jamal Lewis on a down and out against the other new CB, Chevis Jackson, for a TD. ASU 7 LSU 0 (6:15 on the clock)
  Addai overcame a 5y penalty with a 15y run to the 30. Then Russell threw down the middle to Green, who broke loose for 44y. But a block in the back by Doucet right after the completion negated the gain. JaMarcus then found track All-American Xavier Car­ter open over the middle against the ASU zone to the 43. On the next play, Carter broke down the middle from the left and was yards behind the secondary but dropped the pass that Russell dropped right into his hands. LSU got a break on a run by Addai - a face mask penalty to the ASU 44. Two plays later, Joe slanted off LT for another 1st down on the 30. On 3rd down, Russell whirled to his left to escape pressure and threw on the run to Bennie Brazell, who made a diving catch at the 1. On the next play, Addai ran around LE for the score. New PK Colt David tied the game. 12 plays, 80y, 3:30. LSU 7 ASU 7 (6:15)
  On the first 3rd down of the next possession, Keller hit Richardson for 19y to the LSU 41. That set up a long throw down the right sideline to Matt Miller over Prude to the 16. A screen pass to HB Rudy Burgess gained 7 more. But a big rush on 3rd-and-3 forced an incompletion that brought the FG unit on. Jesse Ainsworth kicked a 26y FG from the right hash. ASU 10 LSU 7 (3:58)
  A deft swing pass to Green gained 14 for a 1st down to the 34. But ASU's second sack of the evening proved too much to overcome, and LSU punted.
  ASU ran out the clock.
  LSU ended the half with a 20:34 to 9:26 domination in time of possession.
  ASU 10 LSU 7

Arizona State's momentum carried over to the second half.

• Q3: The Tigers would play the second half without WR Craig Davis, who suffered a concussion.
  Two runs by Addai moved the ball 22y to the 42 and a first down. But Doucet dropped another pass, and ASU sacked Russell on 3rd down to force a punt. Fisher boomed a punt 58y.
  Keller connected on a 3rd down pass for 16 to move the chains. Then Richardson broke Jackson's tackle behind the line and gained 10 on a reverse. Soon after, Keller converted a 3rd-and-5 on a slant. Jackson muffed an INT in the EZ to keep ASU's drive alive. Prude just missed breaking up a pass to Hagan that produced another first down on the 14. Burgess ran around LE from there and dove for the pylon. The near­est SEC official signalled TD, but the Pac-10 replay official placed the ball at the 1. S LaRon Landry crashed and tackled Burgess for a 1y loss. Then Claude Wroten did the same. Movement in the line set the ball back to the 8. Head coach Dirk Koetter, who doubled as O-coordinator, made a great call - a screen pass to Burgess who ran untouched to the same pylon he tried for earlier. ASU 17 LSU 7 (5:58)
  
  L: Wroten pressures Keller; R: Burgess scores.
  Needing to show some life, the LSU offense got a 22y run by Addai but holding at the end negated part of the gain. On 3rd-and-4, Addai took a short pass for the 1st down but fumbled, and CB Josh Golden grabbed the pigskin and ran it to the 45.
  A fresh back, Keegan Herring got loose for 17y. Hagan took a reception to the 9. Desperately needing a stop, the Tigers got a huge break when LB Ali Highsmith stripped Herring, and S Craig Steltz came up with the football.
  Carey ran the ball twice out to the 27. Then came still another Doucet drop. Under pressure on 3rd down, Russell overthrew Green. Jackson punted to the 20.
  Vaughn made a great stop short of the first down play, but his facemask violation put ASU in business at the 44.
• Q4: Two plays within 1:20 completely turned the game around and began a wild 42-point final period in which the lead changed hands five times.
  The first occurred when Ainsworth lined up for a 47y FG try on the second play of the quarter. Wroten pushed up the middle and got a hand on the ball, which popped into the air right to Mario Stevenson, who caught the ball on the run and sprinted 55y untouched for a TD. ASU 17 LSU 14 (14:47)
  S Craig Steltz: It was crazy. When Claude came in and blocked the field goal, we were all going crazy. That kind of changed momentum, and we took advantage of it.
  Koetter: On the field goal, there's a 10-point turnaround right there.
  Keller hit Richardson for a 1st down to the ASU 35. Then TE Lewis, double covered, couldn't pull down a pass. A short run and another incompletion brought on the punt­ing team, which lined up in the "shield punt" formation with a run-kick option depend­ing on how LSU lined up. Chris McDonald took the snap, moved to his right as if planning to run behind his protectors. Meanwhile, Hester broke loose up the middle and no one laid a hand on him. He leveled McDonald, who had decided to punt. Steltz picked up the loose ball and ran untouched to the EZ. Just like that, LSU had the lead. LSU 21 ASU 17 (13:27)
  Steltz: All week long, we've been watching film, and they had a special formation, kind of like a sprint-out formation. We had a special call for it, and we rushed the "A" guy (Hes­ter) because we thought they were going to try and run the ball. Hester got a great rush, and I got a lucky bounce and took it in.
  Addai: Those two plays were kind of a wake-up call for the offense and defense. That let us know that everybody had to start doing their job if we wanted to win the ballgame.
  Starting from the 25, ASU retook the lead. Keller dropped a pass in the right flat to TE Lee Burghgraef who rambled 19y to the 46. Miller snared an 11y throw, then another for 5. After Williams knocked down a pass, ASU lined up to go for it on 4th down. So LSU took time. Keller threw into traffic to Brent Miller, Zach's brother, to move the chains to the 26. Then Lewis got loose out and up behind Highsmith and caught a nicely thrown pass down the left sideline to retake the lead. ASU 24 LSU 21 (11:27)
  The Tiger offense, which hadn't done anything since Q2, needed to respond. Vincent swept LE for 19y to the 39. Then DB Mike Davis came off the edge and sacked Russell. A draw play to Vincent made it 3rd-and-9. JaMarcus rolled right, away from the blitz, and found Green who ran for the 1st down at the ASU 47. Skyler took a reverse around the right side and burst 41y to the 6. Vincent could get only 1 up the middle. But a misdirection pitchout to Addai running around LE put the Tigers back on top. LSU 28 ASU 24 (8:26)
  
  L: Tiger D swarms Burgess; R: Addai Scores
  It took 4:19 for ASU to retake the lead. The key plays were all passes: to Richardson for 20 to the 42, a 3rd-and-5 connection against a zone blitz to Hagan to the LSU 41, then Hagan again for 24 despite defensive holding to the 17. With Keller going over to Koetter after every play, Burgess took the ball on 3rd-and-1 at the 12 and fought to the 5. Two plays later, Sam found WR Moey Mutz just across the goal line. ASU 31 LSU 28 (4:07) Did ASU score too soon?
  For once a kickoff didn't sail through the EZ, and that helped ASU when Green could return only to the 8. That started one of the great clutch drives in LSU history.
  With four minutes left and two timeouts, the Tigers didn't have to pass on every down.
  Addai for 8, then 2 for a first down.
  Russell zipped one to Doucet, who hung onto the ball at the 32.
  Vincent got bounced out of bounds for a loss of 2. 2:26 left
  Doucet came across the middle from the left and took the pass to the 40.
  On 3rd-and-2, Russell hit Addai out of the backfield down the left sideline for 20. Out of bounds with 1:39 on the clock.
  A long pass under pressure off the back foot sailed over Green 's head.
  Long FG kicker Chris Jackson warmed up on the sideline.
  Russell rolled right and threw the ball away since Brazill was covered.
  With a man up the middle in his face, JaMarcus failed to connect with Green up the middle. 4th-and-10 at the ASU 40 with 1:23 remaining. LSU called one of its two re­maining timeouts. A FG would have to travel 56y. So there was no question that the Tigers had to go for it. But fail to get the 1st down and the game is over.
  With the ball on the left hash mark and the crowd roaring, Russell took the shotgun snap, rolled right, then turned back to his left. He twisted and threw effortlessly toward the EZ where Doucet had a step on two defenders and jumped and caught the ball, landing just inside the sideline. LSU 35 ASU 31 (1:13)
  
  Two views of Doucet's catch
  There was 1:14 on the clock in the Sun Bowl when Keller led ASU to the winning TD against Purdue. Could he do it again?
  Starting from the 20 with all three timeouts left, Sam threw down the middle. The ball bounced off the hands of Jackson to Mutz who was tackled at the ASU 47. Keller threw down the left seam to Lewis to the LSU 27. Knowing he needed to exert pressure on the passer, D coordinator Bo Pelini called for blitzes on four straight downs.
  First, Highsmith pressured Keller and forced an incompletion. Time out ASU.
  Under pressure from Vaughn, Keller overthrew Hagan. 3rd-and-10.
  Keller threw again to Hagan, who was double-covered by Landry and Jonathan Ze­non, who almost intercepted the underthrown ball at the left pylon.
  Wroten went out with a left arm injury.
  On 4th-and-10, Keller rushed his throw, which landed behind Richardson. LSU took over on downs!
  Russell took a knee twice, and LSU escaped with a victory in Les Miles's first game.
  LSU 35 ASU 31

Postgame

LSU

• Miles on the winning TD: It was the old double-roll that you see on Sundays many, many times. It was ad-lib with a guy with a really strong arm. Our man got open in the end zone, and that was it. Asked to describe the final 15 minutes, Les said, Willy-nilly. He summa­rized his team's effort like this: Our team has had the longest training camp in the history of training camps. And it's been surrounded by a real-life trauma. Not a made-for-TV. They wanted this game for the people back home. We're thrilled. ... They are treating people who are injured and disabled in our stadium, and our team has done its part and showed its heart. But when they stepped between the white lines, they were able to keep their focus and do what they needed to do. The LSU Tigers just would not be denied. They were going to find a way to win. They wanted this game for the people back home. ... We had some jitters and made a lot of first-game mistakes. But our team has gown closer through this time and through this game. I have a feeling there were a lot of people in Louisiana staying up late to watch this game. We really look forward to coming hoome and playing in Tiger Stadium again.
• Russell finished 16-for-29 for 232y. I've got faith - never give up. I never gave up on (Doucet's) ability. God was with him. He's been with all of us thus far.
• Early started late and snared three passes for 62y. I hope it's a big uplift to Louisiana and all the people who lost stuff in the hurricane. With the recent hurricane, we felt a little down but did a great job of rebounding. We all came together and pulled through these tough times. On overcoming his tough first three quarters: My teammates just told me to shake it off and keep your head up. They stood behind me and stayed confident and that gave me the confidence to keep battling.
• Williams: It's kind of hard to deny fate when you look at this game tonight. I mean, we're down and out. Then a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown, a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, then our offense starts rollling. It was kind of like it was meant to be.
• Green: We need to milk this one. Let me milk this one.

Arizona State

• Koetter: There are going to be breakdowns, and some are more costly than others. We did have two breakdowns in special teams that cost us.
• Keller ended the evening 35-for-56 for 461y. That's the best game I've ever been a part of. It was a great game. I just wis we could have come away with a W. That's the fastest, best team I've seen, and we played right with them.