By the time the 2003 season rolled around, LSU were the favorites, not the upstarts. LSU had been in the top ten since a win over No. 7 Georgia in late September. Even an upset loss to Florida didn’t really slow down the train, as LSU recovered to blow the doors off of Auburn and Alabama, each by 24 points.

By late November, LSU was the heavy favorites, and 15th-ranked Ole Miss was the upstart trying to pull off the upset and make an unexpected trip to Atlanta.

Our old rivals would have loved nothing more than to ruin LSU’s run at a national title. To make it feel as familiar as possible to old school fans, the Rebels quarterback was even a Manning.

Source: Greatest Games From Every Season: 2003 – And The Valley Shook