Three Observations From LSU's Loss to Texas A&M
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It wasn’t the fairytale ending LSU fans had hoped for on Saturday night. Heading into the regular season finale against Texas A&M with the chance to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive, the Tigers simply couldn't get it done after falling to the Aggies.
From start to finish it was the Devon Achane show. The junior running back, who very well may have played his final game for Texas A&M, stole the show with his jaw-dropping 215 yard performance.
For the Tigers, it was a defensive collapse that allowed the Aggies’ offense to gel in this one. Allowing Achane, along with true freshman quarterback Connor Weigman, to get just about anything they wanted halted any momentum attempting to roll LSU’s way.
Here are three observations from Saturday night:
Third Down Conversions
LSU’s defensive struggles began with their inability to get off of the field Saturday night. On the Aggies’ first eight third down attempts, they converted on seven of them, and it continued deep into the second half.
The Tigers’ front four was gashed the entire night. Allowing Achane to convert on every third and short opportunity, it kept A&M on the field, ultimately controlling the time of possession at nearly 32 minutes total.
The Aggies went 10-of-15 on third down attempts, but it certainly felt as though they went perfect. When it rains, it pours, and that was the feeling for this LSU defense with their inability to get off of the field on Saturday. It’s been a major takeaway this season, that being third down inefficiency, and it played a major role in College Station.
Explosive Plays/Defensive Mishaps
Texas A&M scored a season-high 38 points on the Tigers. Led by freshman quarterback Connor Weigman, his poise was certainly a takeaway, but staying locked in on the Aggies’ game plan and executing it to perfection is what allowed this team to come out on top against LSU.
For the Tigers, allowing chunk play after chunk play became a devastating trend, specifically in the second half. Achane’s effectiveness on the ground paired with stud wide receiver Moose Muhammad getting it done on the outside caused a difficult night for this LSU defense.
The Tigers ultimately gave up 429 yards of total offense with a large portion of them coming in the second half. Whether it be their lethal rushing attack or getting it done through the air, this LSU defense had no answer for what the Aggies dialed up on Saturday, and it showed in the number of explosive plays.
Offensive Struggles
Through two quarters, both programs exchanged punches, but the second half became a different story. Despite totaling 329 yards of offense, the Tigers struggled to provide a balanced attack for much of the final two frames.
With starting running back Josh Williams sidelined on Saturday, it put much of the load on both Noah Cain and John Emery with the two providing a spark, but it was inconsistent. Yes, Emery punched in three touchdowns in the red zone, but a slow fourth quarter halted any success for this unit.
Through the air, Jayden Daniels went 21-of-35 for 189 yards and zero total touchdowns in what became a night to forget for LSU’s QB1. Daniels was beat up for much of the night while taking hit after hit. Sidelined twice with injury, it was a gutsy performance for Daniels to stay in the game until the end, but much like the rushing attack, the Tigers struggled to get consistency in this area.
