In a back-and-forth game that started off slowly for both teams, it took overtime for Alabama to come out on top over LSU 20-13.
“These were two very quality football teams. We played through overtime, and I’d like to congratulate the Alabama team,” said LSU head coach Les Miles. “I thought we played extremely hard, and I thought coach Saban did a great job.”
The first five drives of the game resulted in three punts for Alabama and two for LSU. LSU junior punter Jamie Keehn averaged 44 yards per punt in the first half with a long of 62.
LSU pulled ahead late in the first quarter on a 14-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings to freshman wide receiver Malachi Dupre. The seven-play, 41 yard scoring drive was highlighted by five carries from freshman running back Leonard Fournette before the touchdown pass to Dupre.
In the second quarter, Alabama drove 70 yards down the field on 17 plays to set up a 27 yard field goal attempt by sophomore kicker Adam Griffith on 4th and 5. Griffith’s kick hit the left upright, keeping the score 7-0 for the Tigers.
On their next drive, Alabama capitalized on their opportunities. Alabama senior quarterback Blake Sims connected with junior receiver Amari Cooper on a 23 yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7 apiece.
“They did the same thing they did in the first half and shut us down until the end,” Cooper said. “They were playing man to man, and they had such a good defense.”
After an interception by Alabama sophomore defensive back Eddie Jackson, Sims led the Crimson Tide down the field and Griffith completed a 39 yard field goal to put Alabama up 10-7 going into halftime.
LSU’s first drive of the second half ended with a 35 yard field goal by sophomore kicker Colby Delahoussaye, tying the game at 10 and burning 5 minutes and 40 seconds off of the clock.
“They gave us a fight in Death Valley,” said sophomore cornerback Eddie Jackson. “They had us on edge at first.”
On the Tigers’ next drive, Jennings got hurt on a fourth and one quarterback sneak. He left the field under his own power, but freshman quarterback Brandon Harris came in to take his spot. Jennings was back on the field two plays later at full strength.
Late in the fourth quarter, LSU junior linebacker Deion Jones downed a punt by Keehn at the Alabama 1 yard line.
Two plays later, junior linebacker Lamar Louis knocked the ball out of Alabama running back TJ Yeldon’s hands and sophomore linebacker Kendell Beckwith recovered the fumble at the Alabama 6 yard line.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by junior offensive lineman Vadal Alexander pushed LSU back 15 yards to the Alabama 21.
“I am going to investigate because that penalty changed the complexion of the game,” Miles said. “That penalty was at a tremendously pointed time in the game.”
LSU ran time off of the clock and centered the ball for Delahoussaye to kick the go ahead field goal from 39 yards.
Alabama received the ball with 50 seconds remaining and constructed a drive down the field to kick the tying field goal with 3 seconds remaining in regulation.
LSU won the coin toss and chose to begin overtime on defense. Alabama’s first play was a pass completion from Sims to sophomore tight end Brandon Greene.
“Besides practice, that was the first time the ball has been thrown my way,” Greene said. “Everybody on the sideline was telling me, ‘Catch it and tuck’. It’s just like practice, and I caught it.”
The pass brought Alabama down to LSU’s 1 yard line, but a personal foul brought the ball back to the 16.
On 2nd down later in the drive, Sims connected with senior receiver DeAndrew White on a 6 yard touchdown pass to put Alabama ahead.
LSU took the ball over on their overtime possession, but couldn’t connect on four straight pass attempts and lost their third Southeastern Conference game of the season.
“It was a tough one to swallow,” Jennings said. “I wish it would’ve ended differently. We’ve got such a great team. We’re going to come back from this, and we’re going to be better.
