LSU defense steals show

Published 6:00 pm Sunday, October 27, 2019

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BATON ROUGE — We interrupt this quicksilver offensive freak show of an LSU season for a little throwback.

The No. 2-ranked Tigers can play some defense, too.

And not a moment too soon.

While the offense was busy wasting much of its 508 yards Saturday against Auburn, the defense was setting the table … again and again and again.

There were even key contributions from the running game as the Tigers slugged it out in a 23-20 win over No. 9 Auburn.

The Tigers (8-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) can take a week off before the annual showdown with No. 1 Alabama.

“This did feel weird,” LSU quarterback Joe Burrow said after throwing for 321 yards, including one for a touchdown while also running for another score on a designed play in the fourth quarter to give the Tigers some cushion.

“We had 508 yards of total offense and only scored 23 points. We are going to have to get better in short-yardage situations and the red zone.”

But, he added, “We showed toughness today. It was not a pretty win by any means. SEC games aren’t going to be pretty. When you can come out on top of a top-10 team and feel like you could have played better, it’s always a good thing.”

Sometimes, claimed LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, you have to win games like this.

“No question,” he said. “I think a lesser team would not have won that game. Auburn came to play. Adversity hit us. We weren’t playing very well in the first half, they got up ahead, but we kept fighting. There was confidence we were going to win the game.”

On this day the glamour boys on offense could also thank their defense, which held Auburn (6-2, 3-2) to 287 yards and totally shut down the War Eagles when LSU took control in the second half.

“When our defense plays like this,” Burrow said, “nobody is going to beat us.”

LSU held Auburn quarterback Bo Nix to 15 completions on 35 attempts and sacked him three times.

Auburn got three sacks of Burrow in the first quarter, but the LSU offensive line kept him clean the rest of the game.

But a fumbled punt by LSU’s Derek Stingley at his own 22 set up a short Auburn scoring drive and a 10-10 halftime tie.

Stingley’s interception at the 2-yard line kept the tie intact, but Auburn opened the second half with a 70-yard run by D.J. Williams to the LSU 9-yard line. The defense again stiffened, holding Auburn to a field goal and a 13-10 lead.

The LSU defense promptly held Auburn to two more first downs — three three-and-outs — until the Tigers took a 23-13 lead on Burrow’s 7-yard quarterback draw.

“They went up 13-10, our defense forced six (straight) punts,” Orgeron said. “What an outstanding job by our defense.”

Burrow completed 32 of 42 passes but also threw a costly interception deep in Auburn territory that short-circuited yet another promising drive.

The Tigers also failed on two fourth-down gambles, one after starting first-and-goal from the 3.

“They came out in a defense we hadn’t seen before,” Burrow said. “It took us awhile to get used to what they were doing and figure out how to attack and get the running game going.”

“Their defensive line is one of the best I’ve seen,” Orgeron said. “Tremendous players. Give credit to our offensive line.”

So after the LSU defense shut Auburn down after the Burrow interception to give the Tigers good field position again, the LSU quarterback was on the headsets with offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger.

“He said let’s power this drive, run the ball and see it they can stop it,” Burrow related.

Four plays and 45 yards later the Tigers were in the end zone — successive run of 22, 12, 5 and 6 yards — to take the lead for good at 13-10.

“Four consecutive runs really isn’t a lot,” LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire said. “But thinking back on it, it was a real pressure moment because we know we had to score the ball.”

With Auburn’s defense focused on the passing game, Edwards-Helaire ran for 136 yards and the touchdown.

“Made some key plays and key first downs,” Orgeron said of Edwards-Helaire. “Passing was kind of tough sledding … but we just weren’t on point. I think it was because of the pressure, but we were able to run the football and that was the difference.”

LSU, normally efficient on third down, was 9 of 19 Saturday, but Burrow solved it on his 7-yard scoring run to put the Tigers up 23-13.

“I thought it was a great call,” he said. “We knew what they were going to give us and ended up being wide open for us.”

“Great team win,” Orgeron said. “We’re 8-0 but we have a lot of things to work on going into the open date.”

LSU 23, Auburn 20