Considering how lopsided the SEC Championship became amidst a demoralizing second quarter that felt much longer than 15 minutes, it’s difficult to imagine that this game felt close at one point. The comments and tweets regarding the LSU football team in the first quarter, besides the ones on the special teams unit, were generally positive.
Though the first offensive possession ended in a punt, the offense managed to move the ball. That was a great sign not just because it wasn’t immediately stifled by the best defense in the nation, but also because it looked much better than it had the last game.
Against Texas A&M, Jayden Daniels was hesitant in the pocket, often times tucking the ball and running it despite a lack of open field, or never getting the chance because the pass rush got to him. He wasn’t the same, confident Jayden Daniels that fans had born witness to against Florida and Alabama. And late in the game, he suffered an ankle injury that concerned fans heading into conference championship weekend.
Even with Brian Kelly eventually confirming that Daniels would be available for the SEC Championship game the following weekend, most wondered if he could possibly get to 100% by then. He was in a walking boot on Monday, and it was hard to imagine the injury healing that quickly.
But on the first drive, it didn’t seem to bother him much and on top of that, he looked much more confident. He quickly completed two straight passes to pick up an early first down and had the offense nearing midfield when Georgia stopped it. Rather than hesitating, he quickly went through his progressions and got the ball out of his hands.
The defense would have an even better start, forcing a quick three-and-out and putting the offense back on the field.
Then, the offense built on that success, driving all the way to the Georgia five-yard line as Daniels completed six passes to five different receivers for 64 yards. If the first drive hinted that the Tigers could move the ball against the Bulldogs, the second confirmed it. Even when the quarterback was sacked on third down, preventing LSU from putting six on the scoreboard, the team’s confidence was building, and it was in position for an easy field goal.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well, a lot.
While the snap and the hold were fine, Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter slipped past Will Campbell on the field goal and got a hand on the ball. To make matters worse, everyone except Georgia defensive back Christopher Smith thought the play was dead, which led to the Nagurski finalist running it back for a 96-yard touchdown.
Ten-point swing, just like that.
It’s an abnormal football situation but one that players should be prepared for, and Kelly said coaching was to blame.
“It’s our responsibility to have our guys alert in that situation,” Kelly said. “They were not alert and that falls on coaching. It falls on my shoulders and I take full responsibility for that.”
LSU aptly responded a few plays later, as Daniels connected with Kayshon Boutte down the middle of the field, who took it 52 yards to the house and showed fans flashes of the bright spots of early 2021. But Georgia had momentum and a very well-rested offense taking the field, which moved the ball downfield 75 yards in seven plays to reestablish the lead.
At this point, the Tigers still clearly had a chance, but they were steadily losing momentum. Another costly mistake would put them in a dire situation, at risk of falling behind by two scores against a team with the best defense in the country and an offense that no longer lagged very far behind it.
But another costly mistake was exactly what happened, as a pass intended for Jack Bech bounced off his helmet, right into the hands of Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. With the LSU defense still recovering from trying to tackle Brock Bowers and getting picked apart the previous drive, the Bulldogs took advantage and punched it in one play later.
Just like against Tennessee, a few bad plays put LSU in a rough spot against a good team early and it cost them. It was unable to reestablish itself offensively or defensively, as Georgia finished the first half up 35-10, a deficit that was practically impossible to overcome considering how proficient the Bulldogs were.
It ultimately finished at 50-30, and Kelly believed it would have been a lot closer had it not been for those early mistakes, doing the math in his head as he answered a question regarding the gap between LSU and Georgia. He got Georgia’s point total down to 37, implying beforehand that he wasn’t trying to propose a hypothetical, then talked further about the divide between the programs.
“The divide is not huge. But we’ve got work to do,” Kelly said. “This foundation is really strong, and I don’t believe that the gap is something we can’t continue to close and get back here again next year.”
“That’ll be our goal. To get back here and win it.”
