AUBURN, Ala.– A shut-out defensive performance coupled with senior Drew Alleman’s third-quarter field goal propelled LSU (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) to a nail-biting 12-10 victory against Auburn in its SEC opener Saturday.
Anchored by juniors Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo, the LSU defense limited Auburn (1-3, 0-1 SEC) to 183 yards of total offense while keeping it off the scoreboard for the entire second half.
Set up by a muffed punt recovered by sophomore Jarvis Landry, the Alleman 30-yard field goal gave LSU its first lead of the second half, one it would keep for good.
Alleman missed a 34-yard kick with 39 seconds left, breathing life into Auburn for one final drive.
After two completions by Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier, LSU junior cornerback Tharold Simon grabbed his fourth career interception on the final play of the game to ensure victory for the visiting Tigers.
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AUBURN, Ala. — After 30 minutes littered with fumbles, penalties and momentum swings, Auburn holds a 10-9 lead over LSU at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger’s two fumbles coupled with Auburn junior defensive end Corey Lemonier’s assault on the backfield have wreaked havoc in LSU’s Southeastern Conference opener.
After leading a methodical opening drive down the field, Mettenberger lost a fumbled snap at the Auburn two yard line sending the Jordan-Hare crowd into a frenzy.
Junior defensive end Sam Montgomery silenced the frenzy one play later, smothering Auburn running back Tre Mason in the end zone to give LSU a 2-0 lead.
Taking the ensuing free kick at their own 41 yard line, the Tigers were led by 44 all-purpose yards from junior running back Spencer Ware as fellow junior Michael Ford punched it in from one yard out to put LSU up 9-0.
After a punt from Auburn, Mettenberger was sacked by Lemonier, losing another fumble and setting Auburn up on the LSU 26 yard line.
Senior running back Onterio McCalebb got to paydirt from a yard out three plays later to pull Auburn within 9-7 and rile up the Jordan-Hare faithful.
A 40-yard Cody Parkey field goal represented the only scoring of the second quarter, sending Auburn into the locker room with a 10-9 lead on the No. 2 team in the country.
