Photo by Stephen Lew-Imagn Images/Reuters; Logos via sportslogos.net
The LSU Tigers football team returned to the gridiron on Saturday to face Alabama. Both programs were coming off a bye week and met in Tiger Stadium for a 2:30 PM kickoff. LSU took its first and only lead late in the third quarter, but it was all Bama after that as the Tide came out on top, 31-13, dropping the Tigers to 6-3 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
LSU and Alabama traded field goals on the opening drives. The Crimson Tide’s Connor Talty converted from 43 yards away, and Scott Starzyk made a chip shot 23-yarder for the Tigers through the first 10 minutes of the game.
Alabama reclaimed the lead midway through the second quarter as they drove 62 yards in 11 plays. Tide quarterback Keelon Russell completed four passes on the possession, all to different receivers, but it was Ryan Coleman-Williams who got into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown on a reverse to the right. The scoring drive came off a missed 56-yard field goal by Starzyk.
The Tigers had a chance to tie the game again near the end of the first half. With under two minutes to go, Eugene Wilson III had a 31-yard catch-and-run to midfield. Sam Leavitt completed multiple passes to Dilin Jones and Trey’Dez Green before getting intercepted by Luke Metz, who returned the ball to the Tiger 48-yard line with under 40 seconds left.
The Bayou Bengal defense prevented any more points, and LSU went into the locker room down 10-3 to Alabama.
LSU came out of the break with another scoring drive to cut into the Bama lead. The Tigers went 53 yards in 11 plays and nearly turned the ball over when Wilson threw a pass to Jackson Harris on a trick play. Ivan Taylor dropped the would-be interception, and the Bayou Bengals settled for a 41-yard kick to cut it to a four-point deficit.
That was before LSU took its first lead with 2:44 left in the third quarter, scoring the team’s first touchdown. Leavitt opened the possession with a 16-yard and a 32-yard completion to Green and Harris, who beat the defender on a double move. Carmelo O’Neal was called for defensive pass interference on fourth down a few plays later, which extended LSU’s drive. Four plays later, Jones took a pitch to the right, five yards to the house to put the Tigers ahead 13-10.
Alabama responded by going right down the field in five plays. It began when Russell found Rico Scott across the middle for a 57-yard gain to the LSU 18-yard line. The Tide reclaimed the lead when Josh Ford was wide open for a seven-yard score 40 seconds before the fourth quarter.
It was downhill for the Bayou Bengals from there as Alabama built on its lead in the fourth, scoring on multiple touchdowns and putting constant pressure on Leavitt. Coleman-Williams’ 32-yard punt return set up a one-play touchdown, featuring Cederian Morgan coming down with the 25-yard touchdown catch. The Tigers went into desperation mode on the following possession, going for it on fourth down deep in their territory, only for Leavitt to get sacked by Devan Thompkins.
Bama took over on downs at LSU’s 18-yard line and needed three plays to get into the end zone again; this time it was Kaleb Edwards running a tightrope down the sideline to score from four yards out.
LSU failed to score another point and walked away with a 31-13 loss that dropped the team’s record to 6-3 with three games left in the season.
BIG NUMBER: 6
LSU’s offense turned the ball over six times at home with a Sam Leavitt interception, four turnovers on downs, and a muffed punt return. Kicker Scott Starzyk also missed a 56-yard field goal in the second quarter. This was also a game where the Tigers recorded at least 53 yards on five of the team’s possessions.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Keelon Russell
Alabama’s sophomore quarterback was level-headed throughout the contest and finished the game completing 17 out of 24 pass attempts for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Russell also carried the ball eight times for 25 yards as LSU lost at home 31-13.
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