College Football
The #12 LSU Tigers lived up to the expectations of many on Saturday night going into Jordan-Hare Stadium and beating #7 Auburn 22-21. The game ending field goal capped an afternoon of relentless defense and timely offense for the Tigers from Baton Rouge. Few if any gave LSU a fighting chance but Joe Burrow and company ignored the naysayers in posting the so-called upset. With Alabama and Georgia yet to come, the LSU Tigers served notice that the SEC West title will come through Baton Rouge in 2018. They are quickly inserting themselves into the national title conversation.
LSU’s last second win vaulted the Tigers into the sixth spot in both the USA Today Coaches and AP Coaches Poll and rightly so. The Tigers have knocked off two top 10 teams in three weeks and get Alabama in 14 days. Many did not believe that Burrow was ready for the big game. The former Ohio State Buckeye was nothing short of brilliant on many throws. Throws that were in tight coverage but yet right on the money.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV1EZaoLZXY
“He’s going to make the right plays,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said as he praised Burrow for not panicking, being smart and making proper decisions.
“And when you have a quarterback who can do that with athletes, you have a chance. That’s what he did today.”
Burrow’s numbers were not spectacular but his throws were.
Calm Under Pressure
Trailing 21-13 at the LSU 29, Burrow went to work. Watching Derrick Dillon work his way across the middle of the field, Burrow hit him in stride. Seventy one yards later, Dillon was in the endzone.
“That play gave us a boost of energy,” senior tight end Foster Moreau said. “We were marching the ball down the field pretty well all night but that big play, as Coach O says, ‘Big plays fuel emotion.’ We felt it from the sideline.”
The LSU defense came to life forcing Auburn into a three and out.
The Tigers faced fourth and 7 on the final drive at midfield. Burrow, praised for poise under pressure since way back in high school, stood in the pocket with chaos around him and calmly delivered the biggest throw of the day. The transfer threw a strike to Stephen Sullivan in the middle of the field and the rest, as they say, was history.
Eight plays later Cole Tracey put his name into LSU lore with his 42 yard game winner.
Photo credit to Tammy Anthony Baker via Flickr
