The No. 6 LSU football team overcame three first-half interceptions from senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger to tie the game at 24-24 in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers couldn’t hold off upset-minded Ole Miss, falling 27-24 on a 41-yard, closing-seconds field goal by Rebel senior kicker Andrew Ritter.
LSU (6-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) benefited from two Ole Miss (3-3, 2-3 SEC) turnovers in the second half, as the Tigers outscored the Rebel Black Bears 24-17 in the second half, but the Tigers’ 10-0 halftime deficit — its largest of the season — proved too much for the Tigers to overcome.
In the third quarter, Ole Miss struck first with a 49-yard touchdwon drive that gave the Rebels a 17-0 lead. LSU answered back with a 61-yard touchdown drive for its first points of the game, closing the gap to a 17-7 Ole Miss lead.
On the ensuing drive, Ole Miss running back I’Tavius Mathers fumbled on a routine handoff near mid-field. LSU safety Ronald Martin recovered the fumble, and the Tigers drove 51 yards to close the gap to 17-14.
Ole Miss later coughed up another turnover on a muffed punt, which gave LSU prime field position. The Tigers settled for a field goal that brought the 24-14 Ole Miss lead at the time to within one possession.
Mettenberger cleaned up his passing game in the second half, finding junior wide receiver Jarvis Landry four times on the Tiger’s game-tying drive in the fourth quarter, including the 8-yard touchdown pass.
Ole Miss racked up more than 500 yards of total offense and outgained the Tigers by more than 120 total yards. The Rebels also dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for more than 32 minutes of the game.
No. 6 LSU is the highest ranked opponent Ole Miss has defeated since toppling No. 8 Florida in 2008.
———————–
Ole Miss has been known to give the Tigers trouble in the past, and after a half, No. 6 LSU has struggled to put points on the board in a 10-0 lead for the Rebels.
The usually prolific LSU senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger has had his worst half of the season, throwing three interceptions down the field, all on passes intended for junior receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Meanwhile, junior Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace has given the young LSU defense trouble through one half of play, passing for one touchdown to junior tight end Nicholas Parker and continuously moving the Ole Miss offense into Tiger territory.
Wallace has completed 16 passes for 200 yards in the first half, almost double what Florida junior quarterback Tyler Murphy passed for only a week prior.
For the LSU offense, junior running back Kenny Hilliard has been the work horse thus far, rushing eight times for 44 yards. Sophomore running back Jeremy Hill has carried the ball seven times for 38 yards.
Sophomore running back Jeremy Hill (33) runs the ball Saturday, October 19, 2013 at Ole Miss.
