LSU found itself in yet another nail-biter against Auburn on Saturday night, the latest in a growing trend of close games both in recent weeks and in the Auburn series history.
Saturday’s come-from-behind 30-24 victory marked the third straight game LSU was trailing or tied with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
The matchup with Auburn was also the second straight home game in which LSU overcame a 10-point, second-half deficit after Jacob Hester’s touchdown run against Florida put the Tigers ahead 28-24 with 1:09 remaining.
This time, senior quarterback Matt Flynn’s touchdown pass to junior receiver Demetrius Byrd with one second remaining sent Tiger Stadium into pandemonium.
LSU coach Les Miles’ confidence in his team’s ability to convert pressure situations paid off – much as it did with five fourth-down conversions against Florida – and LSU left Tiger Stadium tied with Alabama atop the Southeastern Conference.
“It’s a gutsy call,” said Auburn senior quarterback Brandon Cox. “Incomplete, and it’s going to be game. But [LSU] converted, and hats off to them. They converted and scored so I guess it’s a good call.”
Byrd’s catch was the finishing touch on LSU’s second comeback after trailing at the half.
Down 17-7 at halftime, LSU used 23 second-half points to avoid losing a second-consecutive game.
“We went into the locker room at halftime, and our football team needed to regroup and understood we needed to come out and play,” Miles said. “To me, they showed great character and resolve the way they played in the second half.”
After allowing 17 points on 169 yards in the first half, the Tiger defense tightened up to allow only seven points on 127 yards the rest of the way.
“We knew that a lot was riding on us, and we knew what we had to do,” said senior linebacker Ali Highsmith. “Once everyone settled in … everything just started to click for us.”
In addition to the defense’s second half stinginess, LSU’s offense turned things around after the break.
The rushing game came up big with 129 yards compared to 40 in the first half.
Flynn had 30 rushing yards and 97 passing yards for one touchdown at halftime but added 22 rushing yards and 222 passing yards for two touchdowns.
While LSU receivers again dropped several catchable passes, they also helped Flynn with six second-half receptions of more than 15 yards after just one in the first half by sophomore running back Keiland Williams.
In his first full game back after injury, senior wide receiver Early Doucet made a catch in triple coverage to capture some momentum just minutes into the third quarter, and Byrd added a 58-yard reception while dragging Auburn defenders several yards to the 9-yard line to set up junior kicker Colt David’s second field goal.
David – who had missed five field goals in the previous four games, including an 0-for-2 performance against Florida – was a perfect 3-for-3 on the night, with all three field goals coming in the second half.
“Give [LSU] credit,” said Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville. “They made the plays, and the quarterback made the throws.”
Tuberville is familiar with this type of battle with LSU.
The previous three times the teams met were decided by a combined eight points – including LSU’s thrilling 20-17 overtime victory in Tiger Stadium in 2005.
Saturday’s 30-24 final was the largest margin of victory in this series since 2003 and the highest-scoring duel between LSU and Auburn in a decade.
“From here on out, I’m wishing [LSU] luck,” Jerraud Powers, Auburn’s sophomore defensive back, said. “It was a heck of a ball game.”
—Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]