NEW ORLEANS -- From a Southeastern Conference standpoint, it was the biggest play of LSU's championship season.
From a national perspective, however, Tigers safety Eric Reid stripping the ball from Alabama tight end Michael Williams for a fourth-quarter interception during their Nov. 5 matchup at Bryant-Denny Stadium wound up lacking any impact whatsoever. The No. 1 Tigers and No. 2 Crimson Tide are meeting again Monday night for the BCS championship.
"It meant nothing," Williams said Friday inside the Superdome. "That's part of this sport we play. It's college football, and it can be crazy. You definitely hope for a chance like this if you're a part of a play that didn't work out."
There were no touchdowns scored when the Tigers defeated the Tide 9-6 in overtime, but Williams came quite close with 11:07 left in regulation and Alabama at LSU's 28-yard line. Tide receiver Marquis Maze threw out of the wildcat formation for Williams, who appeared to be open until Reid broke away from covering receiver Brandon Gibson over the middle and headed toward the end zone.
Williams went up for the ball, but Reid had it when the two players hit the turf at the 1-yard line.
"I saw the tight end run free, and as a safety you're taught not to get beat deep," Reid said, "so naturally I tried to get behind him when the ball was in the air. We do those ball drills every day in practice, and I just went up and got it.
"He got his hands on it first, and then I just tried to get mine on it, too, and wrestled it away and was able to get it away before he hit the ground."
Reid's popularity erupted almost to the level of fellow LSU defensive backs Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne after the win in Tuscaloosa. That was the only play in the final 14 minutes of regulation that was run in opposing territory, and it helped enable the Tigers to win the SEC West and advance to the Georgia Dome for the league championship.
Once in Atlanta, the Tigers throttled Georgia 42-10.
"I don't know if it's the biggest play in college football, but it definitely kept our campaign going to get here to New Orleans," Reid said. "I'm glad it happened, but it's not going to affect this game."
Reid has been asked about that play so often that he has tired of the topic, but it's been a different few weeks for Williams. The morning after the game, he saw a picture of the play, cut it out and put it on his mirror.
"Every morning I've looked at it," Williams said. "We worked on jump balls all summer to where I would go up and rip it down, but that was just one of those times when I didn't. I'm very grateful to have this second opportunity."
Maze played some quarterback at Tarrant High in Birmingham and last season threw a 19-yard touchdown out of the wildcat to Williams in a 31-6 thrashing of Florida. His interception against LSU came on his lone attempt this season.
Though he believes the officials made a bad call regarding the possession and said he threw the pass on a "bum ankle," Maze knows Alabama has been given a rare reprieve.
"We have another opportunity and another chance to show the world that we're the best team in the country," he said.