ATHENS, Ga. — When LSU looks back on its 2013 trip to Athens, Ga., it will likely remember a game that slipped right through its fingertips.
The offensive shootout had no clear victor until Georgia senior quarterback Aaron Murray took a knee in the final moments to seal a 44-41 victory for the Bulldogs. Every drive prior for both the Tigers and the Bulldogs had seemingly game-changing implications.
For four quarters, No. 10 LSU (4-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) kept pace with the high-powered offense of No. 6 Georgia (3-1, 1-1 SEC), but uncharacteristically for LSU teams, three separate plays on defense and special teams spelled defeat for the Tigers.
“We were a mistake or two away from winning that game,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “It was a tremendously competitive game, and there’s a lot of things we can correct and make us a lot better.”
Just when it seemed LSU had begun to gain momentum in the second half  — after LSU senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger completed a 39-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Jarvis Landry to tie the game at 27-27 — and the Tigers’ defense halted the ensuing Georgia drive, an error in the return game swung the game back in the Bulldogs’ favor.
Georgia sophomore punter Collin Barber booted a kick to the LSU 24-yard line, and LSU junior wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. appeared primed for a return. But Beckham muffed the punt and Georgia recovered, instantly putting the Bulldogs in the red zone.
“It had a funky spin to it, and the wind was picking up during the game,” Beckham said. “I went to catch it, and at the last minute, it drifted back a little bit, and it caught the bottom of my chin. It happens. You just have to learn from it and move on.”
Three plays later, Murray completed a pass to Georgia junior receiver Michael Bennett, who stood wide open in the end zone, courtesy of a blown coverage by LSU sophomore defensive back Micah Eugene.
“We had guys who were leaving guys wide open, so whenever something like that happens, someone wasn’t communicating right,” said senior linebacker Lamin Barrow. “We just have to go back through the film and look through the plays. It’s very fixable.”
But Bennett’s touchdown wasn’t the only time a Bulldog receiver ended up alone while running his route.
With less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs trailed 41-37 as they attempted to make a comeback drive.
After Georgia methodically drove down the field to the LSU 25-yard line, Murray dropped back with 1:47 left to play and launched the ball down the right sideline. Sophomore wide receiver Justin Scott-Wesley easily caught the ball with no LSU defenders around him and waltzed into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
The defensive back who looked to be covering Scott-Wesley, sophomore cornerback Jalen Mills, threw his hands up in frustration at senior safety Craig Loston once Mills realized what happened.
“A lot of the yards they had and a lot of the plays they made were plays that we gave them off busted assignments,” Barrow said. “It’s something you have to correct. Football is a game of the team who makes the fewest mistakes.”
Moving forward, the Tigers will see a number of squads with offenses capable of scoring as Georgia did Saturday night. Teams like Texas A&M, Alabama and Ole Miss will continue to challenge the Tigers’ young secondary moving forward.
“It was a lot of coverage busts, but we’ll get to practice this week and it won’t happen again,” said sophomore linebacker Kwon Alexander. “It was a communication thing. We all weren’t communicating, but if we get the communication down, then we’ll be the best defense in the country.”

Gallery • 9 Photos

Angela Major

LSU sophomore safety Micah Eugene (34) attempts to block UGA sophomore running back Keith Marshall (4) Saturday, Sept 28, 2013 during The Bulldogs' 44-41 victory against the Tigers in Sanford Stadium.