LSU came back from a remarkable 20-0 deficit to knock off the the No. 10 Auburn 27-23. It is the ninth straight time LSU has beaten Auburn in Death Valley.
The Purple and Gold were led by clutch defensive stops and equally impressive offensive drives in the closing minutes of the game to complete the comeback.
Coach Ed Orgeron said after the game that a win like this is what the LSU experience is all about.
“What a great win for our football team,” Orgeron said. “The second half I thought our defense came alive. I thought the crowd was electric.”
One of the questions LSU had coming in was how they planned to stop Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson. Johnson ripped off a 20-yard run on his first carry and had a field day against LSU in the first half with 123 yards on 21 carries.
Johnson finished with 156 yards on 31 carries for Auburn.
LSU started two true freshmen on the offensive line, and redshirt sophomore Adrian Magee who received his first ever start. Senior quarterback Danny Etling was constantly pressured in the early stages, but his elusiveness bailed LSU out of some jams.
Auburn took the first drive of the game to the LSU 34 yard line and connected on a 46-yard field goal.
An opening drive fumble by senior receiver DJ Chark took the air out of an impressive catch and throw. Auburn capitalized completing a 49-yard touchdown pass to go up 10-0 three minutes into the game.
After one quarter, LSU looked thoroughly outmatched. The home Tigers were outgained 188-67 in total yardage and trailed 17-0.
LSU was able to cook up a 65-yard touchdown drive in the second to cut the Auburn lead to 20-7 due in large part to a 70 yard rush by senior receiver Russell Gage on a jet sweep.
Etling led the Tigers on an impressive two minute drive to cut the lead to 23-14 at halftime.
Both teams had a difficult time making plays in the third quarter, and the score remained 23-14 heading into the fourth.
Sophomore linebacker Devin White continued his impressive play into the fourth quarter and finished with 15 total tackles, a sack and two tackles for a loss.
The play of the day went to Chark, who returned a punt 75 yards on the second play of the fourth quarter to make it a two point Auburn lead. Chark finished with five catches for 150 yards on the day which led both teams.
“There was no point where anybody on the team gave up,” Chark said. “It felt like this was a homecoming game having the 2007 team back. We couldn’t let those guys down.”
Despite being nowhere close to full, the Tiger Stadium crowd made their voices heard late in the fourth fueling a defensive three and out inside the Auburn five yard line.
“Tiger Stadium was the MVP,” Donte Jackson said. “They kept us in it.”
Redshirt freshman kicker Connor Culp came up big when called upon and drilled a 42-yard field goal with 2:36 left in the game that gave LSU the 24-23 lead. Culp hit a 36-yard field goal with :38 left to extend LSU’s lead to 27-23. The two field goals marked 20 straight points for LSU.
LSU closed it out in the waning seconds with a sack by junior outside linebacker Arden Key.
