No. 2 LSU Survives Scare from No. 9 Auburn to Win 23-20
Not since the Fiesta Bowl had LSU quarterback Joe Burrow been hit like that. On the first play of the second quarter, facing a third-and-12, Burrow was forced out of the pocket for what felt like the dozenth time and ran.
As he approached the first down marker out-of-bounds, the senior took one of those remember me shots from Auburn defender Javaris Davis, only it was the Auburn defense that would be remembering Burrow's name by game's end.
Burrow would lead the Tiger offense on it's only touchdown drive of the first half, capped off by a 19-yard dime to the corner of the endzone to recently returned Terrace Marshall.
It was a play that woke the offense up and combined with a stellar second-half defensive performance, helped LSU remain undefeated with a 23-20 win over Auburn.
"What a tremendous team win," Orgeron said. "This wasn't the prettiest game, we had to many penalties, 12 penalties, the turnovers were very costly. Great team win, we're 8-0, a lot of things to work on but I'm fired up about our football team."
The LSU quarterback took multiple shots in the first half but wouldn't let it phase him, completing 32-of-42 passes for 321 yards and a touchdown while rushing for an additional score.
It certainly wasn't all good from LSU in the first half on either side of the ball. The Tigers committed six penalties for 53 yards, though that was helped by Auburn committing nine penalties of its own for 55 yards. Burrow was also sacked three times and was constantly finding himself having to move out of the pocket to avoid further damage.
LSU failed to score on either of its first two drives of the game for the first time all season as the Auburn pass rush caused real problems for Burrow early on.
The LSU defense had no answers for Auburn running back DJ Williams as Williams had 123 yards rushing on eight carries by the beginning of the third quarter. A huge chunk of those yards came on the first offensive play of the second half as Williams broke a 70-yard run out of the gate.
Safety Grant Delpit was able to track him down just inside the LSU 10-yard line, a play that would prove vital as the defense would hold Auburn to a field goal and make it just a 13-10 Auburn lead.
But then the defense completely flipped the switch, turning in its most impressive half of football in the 2019 season.
The defense would pick it up immensely over the next three drives, allowing the Auburn offense to have only two yards on its next nine plays. After the opening 70-yard run from Williams, the LSU defense would allow a grand total of 65 yards of offense to close the game out.
The magnificent second half play from the defense allowed the LSU offense great field position to take the lead back.
And the offense found it's answer in junior running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. After LSU failed to convert on drives that started at the Auburn 45 and 38-yard lines, the running attack came alive, as Edwards-Helaire ran the ball four straight times en route to a touchdown.
The junior picked up gains of 22, 12, five and finally a six-yard touchdown run that put the Tigers up 16-13 on Auburn, heading into the final quarter. It was a complete switch from the first half rushing performance that could only muster 29 yards.
Edwards-Helaire would finish with 136 yards on 26 carries while Chase led the way for the receivers, hauling in eight catches for 123 yards.
"He made some key plays, some key first downs," Orgeron said of Edwards-Helaire. "The passing game was tough sledding but they [Auburn defense] enabled us to run the football and he made a difference."
"It was a special moment and understanding the time of the game that it was in," Edwards-Helaire said of the drive. "It's a moment I grew up always wanting so being able to be in that situation and finishing drives was something that was exciting for me."
After the LSU defense forced Auburn into its third consecutive three-and-out, it was Burrow's turn to make plays with his legs. Burrow picked up a first down on a 10-yard run on third-and-8 and capped the drive off with a seven-yard score that left the student section chanting "Joe for Heisman" upon completion.
Burrow finished with 47 yards rushing on the afternoon, something that surprised him but Orgeron said his ability to use his legs is part of what makes him an effective quarterback.
"He was under pressure and he made some key first downs, the go-ahead touchdown was obviously a big down," Orgeron said. "Joe's a competitor."
It was an afternoon not dominated by one side of the ball. It required a team effort and that's exactly what LSU got and Orgeron and company should feel confident as Alabama awaits.
"I think a lesser team wouldn't have won that game today," Orgeron said. "It was a gut check tonight. Our guys have grit and our guys have character. Our guys stick together and weren't going to be denied tonight."
