As the Tigers’ No. 1 ranking in total yards would indicate, there haven’t been many offensive lulls for LSU this year.
On a handful of occasions, an early drive has ended in a punt after a pass or two seemed off the mark. Heisman-contending quarterback Jayden Daniels, for all his success, has needed a warm-up period at times, but it’s usually been very short en route to a stat-stuffing performance.
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However, Texas A&M did everything it could to make sure he couldn’t get in a rhythm, and it led to just 52 first-half passing yards for Daniels and a 17-14 halftime lead for the Aggies, 12-point underdogs.
In danger of a Senior Day loss, LSU needed to finish strong — not just in the sense of the game at hand, but also in the larger context of its season. Head coach Brian Kelly had said for weeks that the goal was to run the table and reach 10 wins.
A strong finish evaded the Tigers last year. As the No. 6 team in the country, LSU was upset by unranked Texas A&M during rivalry week, and followed that up with a poor performance in the Southeastern Conference Championship against eventual national champion Georgia.
This revenge match with Texas A&M was an opportunity to right those wrongs, but LSU’s first half hadn’t done that.
The Aggies came into the game boasting the No. 8 defense in the country. The talented pass-rush made Daniels uncomfortable, and the secondary stuck with LSU’s talented receivers better than most defenses have.
More importantly, Texas A&M kept LSU’s offense off the field. The Tigers had just four drives in the first half, with two ending in punts. The Aggies almost doubled LSU’s time of possession with 19 minutes 32 seconds to LSU’s 10 minutes 28 seconds.
The Texas A&M offense was kept afloat by short pass after short pass. On the Aggies’ two first half touchdown drives, they averaged 4.8 yards per play. For context, that would rank as the 15th-lowest mark among FBS teams this season.
Still, the LSU defense couldn’t get off the field. Texas A&M converted seven of its 11 first-half third downs and, on two of those failed conversions, got the first down on the ensuing fourth down anyway.
Texas A&M’s skill in maintaining possession made it difficult for LSU to establish any synergy in its brief chances. The Tigers had 122 yards in the first half.
Daniels’ Heisman campaign and Nabers’ Biletnikoff campaign were at risk, with both counting on impressive final performances that they’d failed to deliver heading into the half.
“When we got back in the locker room, our coaches got us way amped up, and we was prepared,” Nabers said. “It’s our last game in Tiger Stadium. Why we so quiet? We should be playing with a chip on our shoulder.”
PHOTOS: LSU football beats Texas A&M 42-30 in Tiger Stadium
Needing a comeback, LSU answered the call on both sides of the ball.
After Texas A&M opened the half with a touchdown, Jayden Daniels brought LSU to answer after he converted a crucial fourth down with a 49-yard run. The Tigers made good on that play with a Josh Williams rushing touchdown a few plays later.
“It was a must have for us,” Daniels said of the fourth down play. “Obviously, that changed the momentum. When a play had to be made, I stepped up to the plate.”
On the Aggies’ next drive, LSU tightened up in the red zone and forced Texas A&M to kick a field goal, which it missed. After an LSU three-and-out, the embattled defense made another huge play with linebacker Greg Penn III coming up with an interception over the middle.
“I basically just baited the quarterback,” Penn said. “Stayed deep, and he threw me one, so I made the play.”
All season, the recipe for wins hasn’t been defensive dominance, but rather a handful of stops when needed. Even that’s been hard to come by on occasion, but Penn and LSU’s defense made it happen against Texas A&M.
“On the defensive side of the ball, we’re not perfect,” Kelly said. “We have to grind. But I’m proud of their resolve.”
From there, LSU blew the game open, scoring touchdowns on three consecutive drives, each capped by incredible jump-ball touchdown grabs by each of LSU’s three leading receivers: Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Kyren Lacy.
Nabers finished with six receptions for 122 yards and two touchdowns, setting the LSU career record for receptions and coming within 22 yards of the program record for career receiving yards.
He’ll have a chance to break the latter record in LSU’s upcoming bowl game, which Nabers said he’ll play in after Saturday’s match.
Making his final statement for the Heisman, Daniels put up 355 total yards and four touchdowns against an elite defense. Despite a slow start, he put together another strong performance to add to his case.
LSU avoided a disappointment against a dangerous A&M team led by interim coach Elijah Robinson. On both sides of the ball, the Tigers finished strong. In doing so, the possibility of finishing with double-digit wins remains intact.
For all the struggles it’s seen over the year, LSU’s win on Saturday put an end to an impressive regular season in which the Tigers overcame their fair share of adversity.
