Sadly (for us and for Purdue), LSU's record was not really underperforming, it was actually probably overperforming considering the depleted roster Orgeron left us with. Really, we shouldn't have beaten Alabama last year, we kind of stole one there, and UGA consequently treated us like the team we actually were in the SEC CG.
I think Purdue was without their starting QB last year when we played. Definitely didn't help their cause. I knew holding them to 7 was fool's gold, but DAMN did I not see this year's travesty of a defense coming. But on offense, that was probably the beginning of what would be this year's record-setting group.
I remember posting here last year that I thought we had the best overall WR group although perhaps not the best WR or even #2 WR. Some of the Buckeyes asked who we had like Marvin Harrison, Jr. and....??...whoever their #2 was last year. I explained again, maybe nobody, but overall I thought we had a fantastic group of about 5 guys who really looked the part and played well. I feel more justified in that now, with Nabers smoking the yardage records and BTJr. leading the TD receptions, with both in the top 10 of each category, and another guy who did well when called on. Last year's group also had another excellent guy we missed this year. Looking back at the Purdue bowl game, maybe that's when things started really clicking for our QB.
But what I really remember about that bowl game was the traitor Drew Brees coaching for the Boilermakers, actively working against many fans and players who idolized him. Da hell was he thinking....helping his actual college team and stuff?