2002 Sugar Bowl

August 2023 May 2026 Louisiana Superdome - Unbranded - 26 July 2021.jpg The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, hosted the Sugar Bowl. 2002 Nokia Sugar Bowl BCS Bowl Game68th Sugar Bowl 2001 Illinois Fighting Illini University of Illinois LSU Tigers Louisiana State University 10–1 Big Ten 9–3 SEC Ron Turner Nick Saban 7 7 8 12 12 13 0 7 14 13 7 27 7 6 January 1 Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana Rohan Davey (QB, LSU) LSU by 2http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/sugar-bowl-odds Sugar Bowl Odds and Betting History Steve Usechek (Big XII) 77,688 ABC List of announcers of major college bowl games Mike Tirico and David Norrie 8.6 The 2002 Sugar Bowl, a 2001–02 BCS game, was played on January 1, 2002. This 68th edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the Illinois Fighting Illini, and the LSU Tigers. Illinois came into the game 10–1, and ranked 8th in the BCS, whereas LSU came into the game 9–3, and ranked 13th in the BCS. Sponsored by Nokia, the game was officially known as the Nokia Sugar Bowl. Teams The Sugar Bowl during the BCS era usually selected the SEC champion, meaning that the winner of the SEC in 2001, LSU received an invitation to the Sugar Bowl. Their opponent would be Big Ten champion Illinois. Illinois Fighting Illini 2001 Illinois Fighting Illini football team Illinois won the Big Ten title and earn a BCS berth as their conference's champion. The Big Ten's champion usually gets an invitation to the Rose Bowl, however the 2002 Rose Bowl was the designated BCS National Championship Game for 2001. This meant the Fighting Illini would get an at-large berth to another BCS bowl, which in turn was the Sugar Bowl. Illinois entered the bowl with a 10–1 record (7–1 in conference). LSU Tigers 2001 LSU Tigers football team LSU defeated Tennessee in the 2001 SEC Championship Game to earn a berth in the Sugar Bowl as their conference's champion. LSU entered the bowl with a 9–3 record (5–3 in conference). Game summary Domanick Davis started the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run to open up a 7–0 LSU lead. In the second quarter, he posted touchdown runs of 25 and 16 yards, as LSU opened a 21–0 lead. Quarterback Rohan Davey found wide receiver Josh Reed in the end zone for a 28–0 lead. Quarterback Kittner threw a touchdown pass to Hodges to close the deficit to 28–7. Rohan Davey added another touchdown pass before the half to open a 34–7 half-time lead. Illinois tried to rally but were too far behind, and LSU ended up winning 47–34. Davey and Josh Reed would play in their final game together. Davey would graduate and Reed would forgo his senior season to play in the NFL at Buffalo. Scoring summary ILL LSU 1 7:22 LSU 7 43 3:03 RushTD Domanick Davis 4 good John Corbello 0 7 2 13:29 LSU 3 36 1:08 RushTD Domanick Davis 25 no good (blocked) John Corbello 0 13 2 10:23 LSU 6 69 1:31 RushTD Domanick Davis 16 good John Corbello 0 20 2 4:42 LSU 3 5 0:54 RecTD Josh Reed Rohan Davey 5 good John Corbello 0 27 2 3:47 ILL 3 75 0:55 RecTD Brian Hodges Kurt Kittner 2 good Peter Christofilakos 7 27 2 0:18 LSU 10 73 3:29 RecTD Robert Royal Rohan Davey 6 good John Corbello 7 34 3 10:35 ILL 4 70 1:54 RecTD Brandon Lloyd Kurt Kittner 17 good Peter Christofilakos 14 34 3 9:29 LSU 3 67 1:06 RecTD Josh Reed Rohan Davey 32 good John Corbello 14 41 3 7:20 ILL 7 78 2:09 RecTD Brandon Lloyd Kurt Kittner 10 good Peter Christofilakos 21 41 4 11:33 ILL 6 54 1:23 RecTD Walter Young Kurt Kittner 17 good Peter Christofilakos 28 41 4 8:39 LSU 6 64 2:54 RushTD Domanick Davis 4 pass intercepted 28 47 4 5:41 ILL 1 40 0:12 RecTD Walter Young Kurt Kittner 40 pass incomplete 34 47 34 47 Statistics No. 8 Fighting Illini 0 7 14 13 No. 13 Tigers 7 27 7 6 Illinois Fighting Illini ILL LSU Tigers LSU 14 57–363 21–61 302 15–36–1 20:44 32 97–595 44–151 444 31–53–0 39:16 Illinois Fighting Illini Illinois LSU Tigers LSU Kurt Kittner 14/35, 262 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT Rocky Harvey 9 car, 42 yds Walter Young 6 rec, 178 yds, 2 TD Rohan Davey 33/53, 444 yds, 3 TD Domanick Davis 28 car, 122 yds, 4 TD Josh Reed 14 rec, 239 yds, 2 TD References Sugar Bowl Category:Sugar Bowl Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football bowl games Category:LSU Tigers football bowl games Category:January 2002 sports events in the United States Sugar Bowl Category:2000s in New Orleans