“I knew my guys were ready to play when I got run over even before the game started,” Miles told me a few weeks after the game. “It was the start of maybe the most physical game I’ve ever seen.”

What follows are the recollections of those who were there on the night the top two ranked defenses in the nation and an awe-inspiring collection of NFL-bound talent played a historic and unforgettable game.





CHAPTER 1: THE BUILDUP

Eric Reid gets the fans excited during a game against the Oregon Ducks at Cowboys Stadium on September 3, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. (Getty Images)

Eric Reid

LSU safety and San Francisco 49ers first-round pick

We knew the game was going to be physical. Just looking at both of our rosters, it was easy to see that there was going to be a lot of NFL talent on the field. We expected that it would be a low-scoring game.





Damion Square

Alabama defensive end now with the San Diego Chargers

LSU could match us up front physically. We knew it was going to be like two bullies meeting in the schoolyard.





Brad Wing

LSU punter now with the New York Giants

People had been talking about the game for weeks on ESPN. When we got off the bus, it was just a crazy, electric atmosphere around Bryant-Denny Stadium. There were so many people, and you knew thousands wouldn’t even make it inside. You couldn’t be on a bigger stage in college football.





Dre Kirkpatrick

Alabama cornerback and Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick

Practices during the week were chippy. We were really scrapping with each other. We wanted to protect our perfect season.





Cade Foster

Alabama kicker now attending law school

Everyone was telling me that it might come down to a field goal, and I let that get to me. I over-trained that week. I must have kicked 200-300 balls instead of my normal 50. So by the time the game started, my legs were almost dead.

Josh Chapman gets a drink on the sideline during a game against Penn State at Beaver Stadium on September 10, 2011, in State College, Pennsylvania. (Getty Images)

Josh Chapman

Alabama nose tackle and Indianapolis Colts fifth-round pick

When we were heading over to the stadium, none of us could get cell service. That was the first and only time in Tuscaloosa that ever happened. The cell towers were overwhelmed.





Kevin Minter

LSU linebacker and Arizona Cardinals second-round pick

I’ve been in the NFL for four years, and I still haven’t played in a game that was this big. I think the only way to top it would be to play in the Super Bowl. That’s it.





Chandler Rome

who became the editor-in-chief of the Daily Reveille , the LSU student newspaper, and is now a reporter at the Lake Charles American Press

I was in my first semester of college, and I wasn’t yet working for the newspaper. I didn’t have a ticket, but I went because I wanted to be able to say I was in Tuscaloosa for the game. It seemed like every student at LSU wanted to be able to say that.





Marc Torrence

a reporter for the Crimson White , the Alabama student newspaper

Before the game, Les Miles walked around the field, and the only fans in the stands were the Alabama students. The students booed him and stuck their middle fingers out at Les. But then Les walked toward the student section and took off his hat and saluted all of us. It was classic Les Miles.

"I've been in the NFL for four years, and I still haven't played in a game that was this big. I think the only way to top it would be to play in the Super Bowl."

—KEVIN MINTER, ARIZONA CARDINALS LINEBACKER





Phil Savage

former Cleveland Browns general manager and now an Alabama radio color analyst

During pregame, I walked around on the field, and the sidelines were more crowded than I’d ever seen them. Celebrities were everywhere. It felt like this wasn’t just a college football game; this was an NFL JV game.





Chandler Rome

LSU student reporter

I was going to watch the game at the Sigma Nu chapter at Alabama—it was the fraternity I had pledged at LSU—but everyone was having so much fun in the fraternity they couldn’t find the TV remote. The TV was on ESPN, and the game was on CBS.

So I left the frat with a friend, and we walked around the stadium. We saw a guy in LSU clothes, and he asked if we needed tickets. We told him we did. He told us to go to a certain gate and to tell a guy his name. We did and we paid $60 apiece for two tickets. We ended up sitting two rows in back of Les Miles’ wife [Kathy].