Just two short years ago, a No. 8 LSU team traveled to New York to face Syracuse for the third meeting between the two programs.
The Tigers escaped a Syracuse team that would go on to finish the season 4-8 with an eight game losing skid.
Leonard Fournette put on a memorable performance in the No. 7 jersey, a 261 yards and two touchdowns kind of game. Even then-freshman running back Derrius Guice rushed 13 yards on four carries.
Former John Ehret standout running back Darrel Williams patiently waited his turn behind Fournette and Guice.
Williams, who junior center Will Clapp calls, “Old reliable,” put on a performance Saturday night in Tiger Stadium when he was needed.
Guice sat out of practice for three days last week and was ruled out for LSU’s game against Syracuse, but came back to practice on Thursday and was cleared to play.
However, Guice was held to a limited role and Williams delivered.
Williams ran 92 yards on 16 carries with a 20-yard touchdown late in the third quarter before Syracuse scored 16 points to come within two points of LSU.
But it wasn’t just the touchdown that made the team feel his presence.
Williams seemed to give the offense a spark after LSU’s offense was held down by Syracuse’s defensive line
Heading into the game, LSU was averaging 217 rushing yards but were held to just 151 yards on 38 carries.
LSU led Syracuse by two with just 5:39 left in the fourth quarter, and once again Williams proved his nickname for the Tigers. A 24-yard run that gave LSU a first down to set up a touchdown from senior receiver DJ Chark that sealed the win.
Williams shed 10 pounds in the offseason and prepared himself for the larger role he was bound to play in his senior season.
A leaner, faster Williams now has 251 rushing yards on the season.
So, two years later versus Syracuse, Williams was the memorable performance for LSU, being the spark that the offense needed.
