ATHENS, Ga. — The fourth quarter of Saturday’s game between LSU and Georgia was a back-and-forth battle “Between the Hedges” en route to a 20-13 LSU victory.The win maintains LSU’s position at No. 4 in the major top-25 polls behind No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Texas and No. 3 Alabama, who all maintained their positions.The Tigers (5-0, 3-0) have a chance to get to the top of the rankings next weekend when they host No. 1 Florida in Tiger Stadium. LSU arguably got its toughest challenge of the season Saturday in a fourth-quarter shootout which netted a combined 27 points — including 21 points in the game’s final three minutes. Behind 6-0 to start the fourth quarter, Georgia (3-2, 2-1) struck first in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard bootleg pass from senior quarterback Joe Cox to junior fullback Shaun Chapas less than a minute into the quarter to give the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead.
But the Tigers answered back on an 88-yard drive midway through the quarter. Sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson connected with freshman wide receiver Rueben Randle on third and 10 for a 16-yard gain to keep the drive alive. Randle also caught a 12-yard reception later in the drive.Randle had just one reception all season prior to Saturday’s game. “That was his first multi-catch night,” coach Les Miles said. “The emergence of a fine, young player.”Jefferson had a 26-yard scramble to set up a go-ahead touchdown run by senior running back Charles Scott, his first rushing touchdown of the season.But the Bulldog offense wasn’t ready to quit.On third down with less than three minutes left in the game, Cox connected on a 46-yard pass to freshman wide receiver Tavarres King to LSU’s 16-yard line.Sophomore wide receiver A.J. Green out-jumped LSU senior cornerback Chris Hawkins in the corner of the end zone two plays later to put the Bulldogs out in front 13-12 with less than two minutes remaining in the game.But things went downhill for the Bulldogs following Green’s touchdown reception. Green was penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration, forcing the Bulldogs to kickoff from the 15-yard line instead of the 30-yard line.”It’s just a shame after we did score that the field position got changed so much by the celebration penalty,” said Georgia coach Mark Richt. “We had momentum, and we had a chance to get a stop, but we had to kick from the 15.”The Bulldogs were penalized for an illegal formation during the kickoff, which gave LSU 5 more yards after senior running back Trindon Holliday’s 40-yard return to Georgia’s 43-yard line.”He’s always a big piece of the game,” Miles said. “There is a lot of concern when you kick that ball off to him.”The LSU offense started on Georgia’s 38-yard line with one minute and two seconds left in the game. But Scott didn’t need the full minute. He broke two tackles and burst through a hole on second down for a 33-yard touchdown run to give the Tigers the 18-13 lead.”He’d been running the ball well all game,” Jefferson said. “I told Coach, let’s give the ball to Charles, and he came through for us.”Jefferson rolled to his right and connected with senior wide receiver Brandon LaFell in the back of the end zone to score the two-point conversion, which gave the Tigers the 20-13 lead.Senior linebacker Perry Riley secured a Tiger victory with an interception on the Bulldog 44-yard line.LSU’s defense dominated the Bulldogs through the first three quarters. Georgia only earned one first down in the first half — a 27-yard pass reception by Green with two minutes and seven seconds left in the first quarter.The Bulldogs finished the half with 31 yards passing and 18 yards rushing on 18 offensive plays.LSU’s defense held Georgia to 161 total yards before the fourth quarter, including 37 yards rushing. The Bulldogs only reached the red zone once in the first three quarters, but they were held scoreless after Georgia sophomore kicker Blair Walsh missed a 32-yard attempt — his first miss of the season.”They were putting up a lot of yards on people and a lot of points on people, and for us to come out here and do what we did to their offense, it was definitely an energy booster and a confidence booster for us,” Riley said.- – – -Contact Jarred LeBlanc at [email protected]
Football: Battle ‘Between the Hedges’ a defensive struggle until fourth
October 3, 2009