CHICK-FIL-A BOWL: LSU’s recent title, fans seal berth vs. Jackets

Georgia Tech’s coaches are in the thick of recruiting, and its players are about to begin final exams.

Sunday, they received something to look forward to —- a bowl game against the defending national champions.

The Chick-fil-A Bowl paired Tech with Louisiana State for the Dec. 31 bowl game at the Georgia Dome.

“They played Alabama off their feet,” coach Paul Johnson said of the Tigers, referring to their overtime loss to the Crimson Tide in November. “They competed very well in the SEC, so I’m sure we’ll have our hands full.”

The Tigers have had a disappointing season, starting out at No. 7 in the preseason AP poll and going 7-5, including losses to Ole Miss and Arkansas to end the season.

The two teams also played in the 2000 Chick-fil-A Bowl, a 28-14 win for LSU.

LSU was first on bowl officials’ wish list to represent the SEC, Chick-fil-A Bowl president Gary Stokan said. South Carolina, which is headed to the Outback Bowl, was another possibility. The Tigers’ status as defending national champions was appealing.

LSU played in the first Peach Bowl, which became the Chick-fil-A Bowl in 2005, in 1968. In the Tigers’ most recent trip to the bowl game, in 2005, Stokan said 20,000 LSU fans came to watch the Tigers demolish Miami 40-3.

Said Stokan, “I think the LSU fans and the LSU team mean something special to the Chick-fil-A Bowl.”

Tech fans have bought about 13,000 tickets from the school since last Monday, according to associate athletics director Wayne Hogan. Tech is about 1,000 tickets shy of its 17,500-ticket allotment and looking for more.

LSU presold 10,000 tickets before its bowl destination was known, athletics director Joe Alleva said. He said he was confident that the school would fill orders for all of its 15,000 tickets. It would give the Chick-fil-A its 12th consecutive sellout, Stokan said.

“We have the best fans in America,” Alleva said. “Our fans will come and support these kids.”

Johnson had no comment regarding speculation that he might be a candidate for coaching openings, including Auburn.

Johnson’s agent is to meet with Tech athletics director Dan Radakovich on Friday to discuss his contract, which will likely mean a raise and an extension.

“I don’t ever talk about that stuff,” he said. “I’m too busy trying to recruit for Georgia Tech.”

LSU

> Record: 7-5, third in SEC West

> Coach: Les Miles 59-32 overall, 41-11 at LSU

> Big wins this year: Defeated Auburn, 26-21 on 9/20; South Carolina 24-17 on 10/18

> Big losses this year: Lost to Ole Miss 31-13 on 11/22, lost to Arkansas 31-30 on 11/28

> Star player: WR Brandon LaFell tied for most receptions in the SEC with 61 and caught eight touchdown passes. RB Charles Scott had a 5.5 yards per carry average with 15 rushing touchdowns.

> First impression for Georgia Tech: The Jackets will have a challenge in the LSU defense, which held opponents to 3.3 yards per carry and was fifth in rushing yards per game allowed. The LSU secondary is a weak spot. Offensively, the Tigers threw 18 interceptions, tied for second-most in the SEC, but averaged 167.2 yards per game on the ground.

—- Ken Sugiura