They wanted it so bad. They wanted to prove to their old coach that he made a mistake by ever leaving them, and an even bigger mistake to come back and coach a team in their same division.

And what better way to pay Nick Saban back for his so-called betrayal than to not only beat him, but knock his team from the No. 1 ranking and badly damage their national championship asperations

Yes, the LSU fans wanted to win this one badly. They showed it with the way they crammed into Tiger Stadium in record numbers, 93,039 to be exact, a new stadium record and almost 500 more than what the listed capacity of the stadium is.

They showed it with their enthusiasm and their loud roars during each swing in momentum. The game kicked off under bright sunshine, but you would have sworn it was a night game the way the crowd roared.

And when darkness fell at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the hysteria went to another level. Standing on the sideline as the fourth quarter wound down, I could barely think the noise was so loud. It literally sent chills down my spine.

And when Ricky Jean-Francois blocked Alabama’s last-second field goal attempt that sent the game into overtime, I could almost feel the old stadium shake.

“How was Tiger Stadium?” LSU coach Les Miles asked in his postgame press conference. “It was a great crowd and a place I love playing and competing in. I thank that crowd for being there. I thank that crowd for turning out and I thank that crowd for being part of the game.”

Their desire to beat Saban turned to anger in the seconds after John Parker Wilson scored the winning touchdown in overtime, when a profane chant was started by members of the student section, and then to despair when the loss began to sink in.

Many LSU fans sat numb in their seats over 20 minutes after the game ended, perhaps thinking that if they just continued to sit there, they wouldn’t have to face the reality that their old coach had come back and beaten them in their home.

Saban, for his part, downplayed the return and thanked the LSU fans he said wished him well during the day.

“I know there may be some people that have a negative attitude, but I can say I really appreciate those people that spoke to me and welcomed me back here today,” Saban said. “I really appreciate that from the people here. We have special memories of this place, and no one will tarnish those no matter what they do.”

Well Saban added one more great memory of Tiger Stadium Saturday night, but for LSU fans seeking revenge, it was a nightmare. Now the countdown will begin again. The Crimson Tide and Nick Saban will come around again to Tiger Stadium in 2010. I, for one, can’t wait.