I'll say this - in very recent years, Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice have had extremely impressive performances from the running back position.

But, from a pure, "frick this, we ain't losing to Houston - not today. Not as long as I'm upright and cleared to play" standpoint, I've NEVER seen a football player, jr. high, high school, college or pro take over a game like Faulk did in that game.

We ran the ball 50 times that day - Faulk carried 21 times for 246 yards. Rondell Mealy also had a nice game, 11 for 164 - both averaged about 11 1/2 yards per carry - Mealy was more consistent and Faulk's average was bolstered by that 80 yard TD run that started to turn the game around.

Faulk and Mealy both caught a pass (8 and 13 yards, respectively), and Faulk had 106 yards in punt return duties, including a 78-yard TD (no penalties, yay!) - that changed the momentum of the game permanently.

For those of you that missed it or were too young - LSU was beaten - period. We actually went up 7-3 near the end of the first quarter (Faulk with a 3-yard run). We couldn't hold onto the ball or sustain drives early in that game - sometimes we forget Faulk fumbled 3 times, losing 2 of them and David Lafleur lost a fumble - 2 of these fumbles were returned 93 yards.

Houston got a FG early in the 2nd, then 2 rapid fire TDs - they failed to get the 2 on the first then got it on the second to go into the locker room up 17 - 7. But, the score didn't reflect how badly we were beaten, psychologically.

Faulk housed the first (I think first) play from scrimmage in the second half. Then, bam bam - Houston scored TWO MORE TOUCHDOWNS. FFS, I thought, I never imagined we would get owned by Houston.

From a statistical side - the results are mixed. Obviously, LSU poured it on to the total of 600 yards of total offense, well over 400 on the ground. Houston had a slight advantage in TOP by the end of the game (It was right at 24:21 through 3 quarters) and they punted 9 times. They also had 130 yards of returns ... of fumbles and INTS -

- they also did a good job against the normally reliable Herb Tyler - in addition to the INTs, they also sacked him twice.

Without Faulk deciding, "No. Not today" in the second half, we lose that game period. Just shy of 400 yards all purpose - 262 on the ground, 8 through the air, 122 yards of combined return yardage.

(Did I mention that Wade Richey also missed a FG in that game? Of course he did. Wide Richey