What started as a solid first half quickly developed into a struggle on both sides of the ball for LSU. 
LSU won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, but the offense only had to wait two plays to start. On the second play of the game, sophomore safety Grant Delpit intercepted Auburn’s Heisman hopeful Jarrett Stidham to leave the LSU offense at the Auburn 34-yard line.
Quarterback Joe Burrow started the drive with a flat pass to sophomore receiver Justin Jefferson for six yards. After an incompletion, Burrow completed a slant to junior Jonathan Giles for the first down. Another 15 yard completion to Jefferson would put LSU at first and goal at the Auburn 8-yard line. Burrow ran the ball to the 1-yard line.
Then junior running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire lined up in the wildcat for a 1-yard touchdown run to put LSU up 7-0 with 9:59 left in the first quarter. 
Penalties cost the Tigers the rest of the half. In two other possessions, LSU had two flags for 13 yards, and eight for 76 yards in the half, but they were all in pivotal moments. Junior Devin White stuffed an Auburn run on 4th-and-1, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for 8 yards gave LSU the start at its own 9-yard line. 
Another 5-yard penalty, a false start on sophomore offensive lineman Austin Deculus, would push LSU back to the Auburn 40. After a 5-yard run from Burrow, senior kicker Cole Tracy missed his first field goal of the season from 48 yards. 
Another deep pass from Burrow to Jefferson for 33 yards on the first drive of the second quarter put LSU in Auburn territory quickly. A 15-yard pass interference penalty on Auburn’s Javaris Davis put LSU in the red zone, but the offense was unable to get into the end zone. 
Tracy bounced back and made a 33-yarder to put LSU up 10-0 with 8:37 left in the half. 
Auburn finally got on the board with a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Running back JaTarvious Whitlow ran for a 7-yard touchdown to put Auburn behind 10-7 with 5:06 remaining in the half. 
LSU went three-and-out the following drive, giving Auburn more than four minutes to do something with the ball. 
The LSU defense almost forced a three-and-out, but a roughing the passer penalty on junior edge rusher Andre Anthony gave the home Tigers 15 yards and a first down.
Auburn running back Shaun Shivers ran the down the left side, into the end zone for another 7-yard touchdown to put Auburn up 14-10 at halftime.