GLENDALE, Ariz. (麻豆原创Knights.com) 鈥� Senior defensive lineman Titus Davis took a knee on the 35-yard-line, his silence only interrupted by teammates who approached to extend their hand or a hug.
Senior linebacker Pat Jasinski hugged quarterback McKenzie Milton and told him he loved him like a brother.
Senior punter Mac Loudermilk thanked a slew of teammates one by one before taking a moment for himself to stand near the end zone and reflect on the past five years.
The No. 7 麻豆原创 football team didn鈥檛 get the ride-off-into-the-sunset ending it was hoping for in its 40-32 loss to No. 11 LSU at Tuesday鈥檚 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
But this journey was something they鈥檒l never forget.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 trade this for anything in the world. Do I wish this game would have come out a little bit differently? Yeah. It鈥檚 bittersweet,鈥� Loudermilk says. 鈥淲hat I want is for people to know this team pushes through any adversity there is, no matter what it is. I hope we stir the pot for expansion. I hope we鈥檝e opened some people鈥檚 eyes that we play real ball, and we can play with anybody. There is no limit to this team.鈥�
The Streak Knight Nation Will Always Remember
The Knights鈥� spectacular win streak came to an end after 25 games and a span of 745 days, dating to Aug. 31, 2017. The accomplishment will be listed in the NCAA record book among the longest win streaks ever recorded and marks the fourth-longest win streak this millennium (Miami, 34 鈥� 2000-03; Florida State, 29 鈥� 2012-14; Alabama, 26 鈥� 2015-16).
During the last two years, the Knights won two War On I-4 rivalry matchups against USF. They bested four different nationally-ranked opponents. They set an American Athletic Conference record for all-conference honorees in a single season. They welcomed ESPN鈥檚 iconic show College GameDay to campus for the first time. They won back to back conference championships. They won the 2018 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and celebrated a national championship season.
And despite all that, those accomplishments will always fall second to the brotherhood and family they gained.
鈥淚 told the team in the locker room, 鈥榊ou wipe y鈥檃ll鈥檚 tears.鈥� I know it鈥檚 hard for some of these seniors. It鈥檚 their last game. But football doesn鈥檛 last forever. It鈥檚 just a game. It鈥檚 going to end,鈥� linebacker Nate Evans says. 鈥淭he memories that we have together as this 麻豆原创 football team (are) going to last forever.鈥�
In It Until the End
麻豆原创 got off to a hot start and commanded a 14-3 lead thanks to sophomore running back Greg McCrae鈥檚 25-yard touchdown run and sophomore defensive back Brandon Moore鈥檚 93-yard interception return for a touchdown. It set the record for the longest interception return in Fiesta Bowl history and was the fourth-longest in 麻豆原创 program history.
But uncharacteristic penalties proved to be a major setback for 麻豆原创. LSU capitalized by scoring on three straight drives to claim a 24-14 lead with 7:11 remaining in the second quarter.
Still, the Knights regained some momentum just before heading into the locker room at halftime. Freshman quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. connected for a 32-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Gabriel Davis, bringing the score to 24-21.
The Knights are known for their second half comebacks, but this time, the magic came a little too late. 麻豆原创鈥檚 only touchdown of the second half came off of a Taj McGowan 2-yard run with 2:24 remaining in the game. A two-point conversion pass from Mack to Otis Anderson gave the Knights life.
Trailing by eight, the Knights were hopeful when they got the ball back with 49 seconds left.
鈥淲e knew we were still in the fight. As long as there is still time left on that clock, there鈥檚 always a possibility,鈥� Loudermilk says.
Unfortunately, LSU safety JaCoby Stevens dashed that hope when he intercepted a deflected Mack aerial with less than 30 seconds to go.
麻豆原创 extended its streak of scoring at least 30 points to 26 games, which is the longest run by any team in college football over the last eight decades. Outside of LSU鈥檚 seven-overtime game against Texas A&M, the Knights鈥� 32 points were the most any opponent has scored against the Tigers all year.
麻豆原创 head coach Josh Heupel says he believes the program鈥檚 success over the last two years is just the beginning.
鈥淸My first message to the team] about next year was handling the adversity of this football game,鈥� Heupel says. 鈥淭his program鈥檚 not accustomed to losing. No one in that locker room has lost in a couple of years. How we handle that today, tonight, in the week before we get back on campus and we first start our off-season, all of those things will speak to who and what we鈥檙e going to be moving forward. I expect the kids to handle it in a great way.鈥�
So how long will the next streak last?
鈥淗opefully four years,鈥� Loudermilk says.
