Entering Saturday’s contest between LSU and Ole Miss, the Rebels’ offense was tops in the Southeastern Conference by averaging 459.6 yards of offense per game, including 299.9 passing yards per game.
When the clock struck zero, the Rebels had only 227 yards of total offense – 200 passing and 27 rushing. At the end of the third quarter, Ole Miss had only 98 yards of offense.
Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning came into the game with Heisman hopes as he led the SEC in passing yards and touchdowns, but the LSU defense held him to 16-of-36 passing for 200 yards, one interception and one touchdown.
After the game, a reporter asked LSU defensive tackle Chad Lavalais if the LSU defense got lucky in stopping the Rebels’ offense.
“This game?” Lavalais asked. “Luck? The defense has been doing this all year. So as far as it being luck, no. I don’t see it as luck. I see it as the defense just stepping up to the challenge.”
Immediately following that, a reporter asked Lavalais if he thought the Tigers’ defense shut down Manning.
“You tell me,” Lavalais said. “Do you want me to get on the camera and say, ‘You’re damn right we shut them down?’ Y’all be the judge of it.”
Efficient?
Coming into the game, LSU quarterback Matt Mauck and Ole Miss kicker Jonathan Nichols had something in common – they each were statistically the most efficient player in the SEC at their respective position.
Mauck led the conference with a 154.1 quarterback rating (12th-best in the country) and Nichols led the SEC by making 95.8 percent of the field goals he attempted.
Mauck’s first pass attempt of the game resulted in an interception, which was returned for a touchdown.
Mauck came into the game with eight picks all season, and he and the Tigers escaped with a win despite his three interceptions in the game.
Nichols attempted his first field goal late in the second quarter which would have tied the game at 10. The usually automatic Nichols missed the 47-yarder wide right.
Late in the fourth quarter, with LSU up 17-14, Nichols attempted his second field goal of the game.
This time, it was a 36-yarder. Once again, the three points would have tied the game, and once again, Nichols missed it wide right.
Coming up big
LSU wide receiver Bennie Brazell, known for his accomplishments on the track as a national champion, stepped up for the Tigers on special teams, registering three crucial tackles on the kickoff cover team.
“Bennie did a fantastic job on special teams,” said LSU coach Nick Saban. “Kickoff cover made a couple of good, outstanding plays, and Bennie competed today and contributed to the team the best way he could, and I’m really proud of that.”
To add insult to injury, after the game, Brazell ran to the LSU student section and held up a sign that read, “Mannings, 0-for-3 for Heisman!”
Pig Soo-eee
Just like last season, the LSU football can go to Atlanta for the SEC Championship if it can beat Arkansas. The Razorbacks are 8-3 and are the defending SEC West champs after beating the Tigers in a dramatic come-from-behind drive last season in which Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones completed two deep passes in the final seconds to help beat the Tigers 21-20.
But after the game, Saban said the Tigers will take 24 hours to celebrate the win before setting their sights on the Razorbacks.
“We have a 24-hour rule,” Saban said. “I made the mistake last week of breaking the 24-hour rule and answering questions about the next game when we’re supposed to be talking about that game.
“I got wore out all week. Wore out, you know what I mean? So I’m not going to talk about the [Arkansas] game until Monday. Is that OK? You know I’m just kind of kidding.”