After a bad stretch of play during the season where they lost three straight games, LSU has now gotten back to regularity, winning back-to-back games, as they defeated Western Kentucky 13-10.
For a night game in Death Valley, it didn’t have nearly the amount of electricity that these games would usually call for, perhaps because it was senior night and there were times when sentimental moments overshadowed the overall game that took place.
QB Garrett Nussmeier received a warm ovation from the crowd during his senior announcement. Still, for a guy who had the best odds to win the Heisman award coming into the season, the experience has to feel a bit tainted, not being able to run out of the tunnel in shoulder pads and a helmet for his final home game.
But it wasn’t all sad vibes on senior night, as all three Weeks brothers shared the field at the same time.
“It was honestly surreal, like it’s something I can’t even describe the feeling of,” LB West Weeks said. “I wish I could see my mom and dad’s face, just to see how proud they are. But looking over and seeing my two younger brothers, that’s something I will never forget.”
But even with all of the Senior Night spectacle, there was still a football game to be played, and one that every fan in the building expected LSU to win, despite how it looked.
The key to this win, just as all others from this season, was the defense. It started out a little shaky with Western Kentucky leading 3-0 until just 2:30 remaining in the 1st half before an 11-yard TD reception by Trey’Dez Green finally broke the seal for LSU.
It was up to this point where the defense decided it was going to take the reins and not let Western Kentucky win the ballgame.
“I’m proud of our effort, and we came in at halftime, and they had three points, and we said if they don’t score again, they can’t win the ballgame,” LB West Weeks said. “That was our whole mindset for the second half, and we went out there and did that.”
Every group has its star, and the star of the defensive group tonight was the true freshman, DJ Pickett, who played like a senior on senior night, recording a sack, TFL and an interception to make his impact felt not only to
“He was our MVP,” Interim Coach Frank Wilson. “I thought he played lights out… He is an elite player–exactly what we desired for him to be for us, what Corey thought he was when he recruited him, when we recruited him, I think he’s going to be a spectacular player.”
But even with the football game at hand, there is still an elephant in the room that is this LSU football program and that is the head coaching situation. However, interim coach Frank Wilson is not too worried about the changes that may come.
“The head coach, the associate head coach, whatever that’s going to be, that’s going to be,” Interim Coach Wilson said. “I’m living in the moment, I’m where my feet are and I’m taking one day at a time and just rolling with it.”
LSU improves to 7-4 with the win over Western Kentucky and will travel to Norman, Oklahoma next Saturday for a matchup against no. 8 Oklahoma for the final game of the regular season
