NEW ORLEANS – JaMarcus Russell thoroughly outplayed Brady Quinn and made a compelling case that the mammoth quarterback's next pass should come in the NFL.

As for Notre Dame, it was a familiar meltdown at bowl time.

The Sugar Bowl returned to New Orleans with a Cajun-style party put on by No. 4 LSU, which dominated college football's most storied program in a 41-14 rout Wednesday night that had the Superdome rockin'.

It also gave the 11th-ranked Fighting Irish a most unwanted spot in the record book.

The school of Touchdown Jesus and Knute Rockne now has a more ignominious distinction: nine straight bowl losses, breaking a tie with South Carolina and West Virginia for the most in NCAA history. And this was like most of the others, a double-digit blowout that showed Notre Dame still has work to do if it wants to compete with the nation's best.

Russell and LSU's feared defense took control after halftime, turning a tenuous 21-14 game into a laugher. The 6-foot-6, 257-pound quarterback, who is bigger than many players on Notre Dame's defense, threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns. He also had his first rushing score of the season and set up LSU's other TD with a 31-yard pass.

After brilliant junior season, Russell hasn't decided – or at least announced – whether he will return to LSU (11-2) for his senior year. But he would likely be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the draft with his linebacker-like size, stunningly strong arm and the ability to run when needed.

"One more year," the LSU fans pleaded to their quarterback.