LSU went into Tuscaloosa with many doubting their chances against the No. 2-ranked team in college football. But the Tigers hung in and had two chances to take the lead late in the 4th quarter against the Crimson Tide, but came up just short in 20-14 loss.
The Tigers arrived in Tuscaloosa with injuries at seemingly every position, but still held the Crimson Tide to its lowest rushing total since 1993. Add some trickery on special teams and fourth down conversions and LSU brought all the ingredients for a potential upset.
While the defense played its heart out, the offense struggled for most of the game. Running back Ty-Davis Price was able to break the 100-yard rushing marker, but the lack of a consistent LSU passing attack allowed Alabama just enough cushion to hang on.
We’ll break down all the highlights and lowlights of the Tigers 20-14 loss to Alabama.
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THE GOOD: LSU Run Defense
The Crimson Tide finished the game with more penalties (9) than they did rushing yards (6) on Saturday night. Neil Farrell and the rest of the defensive line just didn’t allow much in the trenches. Alabama running back Brian Robinson Jr. ended the game with 13 yards on 18 carries. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young’s -22 yards, mostly due to sacks, took away all of the Tide’s yardage on the ground.
Farrell finished the game with one sack and two tackles for losses. Linebacker Damone Clark once again led the Tigers in tackles. He finished with eight total with one resulting in a sack. The performance by the Tigers is even more impressive when you add to the fact that Ali Gaye, Andre Anthony, Joseph Evans and Maason Smith all did not play due to injuries.
The lack of a running game resulted in many scoreless drives for the Crimson Tide. Alabama’s first four possessions resulted in 75 yards and zero points. Give credit to defensive coordinator Daronte Jones for having the Tigers ready to play in a game most people were thinking would be a blowout.
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THE BAD: Lack of Offense
LSU had plenty of opportunities to upset Alabama on Saturday night, but the lack of consistent offense eventually led to their downfall. The offense was able to convert five of their seven 4th down snaps, which was a huge reason the Tigers were in the game until the final seconds. That said, 3rd down wasn’t pretty for either team. LSU’s 27% conversion rate hurt the momentum on offense regularly.
The star of the offense was Ty Davis-Price and his 104 yards rushing. His 37-yard run in the 4th quarter set up the Tigers at the 8-yard line. Unfortunately, a lack of creativity on offense hamstrung the Tigers and they didn’t come with away with any points, despite being handed one final chance with an overturned fumble.
Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte would have made a difference in game with his deep ball and red zone threat. His absence is felt particularly late in the game when QB Max Johnson struggled to find open targets.
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THE UGLY: QB1
Speaking of Max Johnson, his play was definitely left a good bit to be desired. LSU’s QB completed just 50% of his passes for 160 yards. His costly turnover and late-game decision making was probably the difference in this game. His interception right before halftime resulted in the Tide tacking on an extra 7 points just before halftime.
The Alabama defense almost ended up with another sack fumble, but the play was overturned in the 4th quarter. Johnson continues to hold on to the ball too long and struggles to get rid of it when under pressure. This isn’t entirely Johnson’s fault. The offensive line hasn’t given him much help and I can understand getting a bit jittery in the pocket when you’ve been accustomed to getting hit for most of the season.
It doesn’t appear there will be a quarterback change, at any rate. Garrett Nussmeier can only appear in one more game before losing his ability to redshirt, and Orgeron has said he’d like to avoid that if possible.
The Tigers now return to Baton Rouge on a two-game losing streak, with the Arkansas Razorbacks up next. With LA-Monroe the following week, Arkansas represents an important step to getting bowl-eligible.