22 years ago today - 11/22/2003 - Chad Lavalais steamrolls Ole Miss center into Eli

We definitely remember those 2003 SEC co-champs.

Coincidentally this was the same year USC also claimed to be co-national champions.

Buncha participation trophy crybabies.

I remember where I was watching that play—sitting at the bar at Stepbrothers in Metairie.

One of my favorite Manning moments. “Daddy I fell dowwwwwwn!”

At some point after the game, word on the street was that Eli was seen in an uptown NOLA bar and some LSU fan yelled "Eli don't trip" or something to that effect.

Ole Miss blew some chances in that game. In the 1st half their receiver stepped out of bounds at midfield on a play that he took the ball down to about the 5 yard line before they moved it back and ended up punting.

Their kicker missed about a 35 yarder to tie the game midway through the 4th.

The whole game is on youtube and is a great rewatch. That game was one of the all time great slobber knockers

Fun fact, Chad Lavalais worked as a prison guard for a year or two before becoming eligible to enroll at LSU.

What a hell of a defensive line. Kyle Williams, Chad Lavalais, Marcus Spears, Marquise Hill (RIP), and Melvin Oliver.

I was a HS referee when Lavalais was playing for Marksville, I was on a crew for several of his games. He totally out-classed every other player on the field, and was a tremendous athlete. Tight end on offense, defensive end/lineman on defense. Unbelievable quickness for such a big guy…

I was there too. Eli claims that he saw an open wide receiver right before he fell.

Four decades of frustration now came down to just one snap
Fifty thousand fans rose from their seats and clapped
And now the center holds the ball and now he lets it go
And now Eli looks downfield as he drops back to throw


Oh somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright
Somewhere men are laughing and somewhere hearts are light
And the Golden Band is sounding victory in Tigertown
But there is no joy in Oxford. Mighty Eli done fell down.