The LSU Tigers were bottled up more than they’d been all season. But that didn’t stop them from entering the win column. A steadfast effort kept them afloat on Saturday, as they defeated the Auburn Tigers 23-20 to improve to 8-0 on the season.
The second-ranked Tigers beat the ninth-ranked Tigers despite feeling the pressure all day long. They were shut out in the first quarter, the first time all season that had even occurred. Eventually, they would push ahead, as Terrace Marshall Jr. scored on a 20-yard receiving touchdown from Joe Burrow to give them a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter.
Nine minutes and change later, Bo Nix snuck in (with a little nudge) to put Auburn back in front. Cade York booted a 20-yard field goal to tie the game up at 10 to go into the break. And LSU faced a 13-10 deficit early on in the third quarter after Anders Carlson hit his second field goal of the day.
But LSU would soon climb back in front. Clyde Edwards-Helaire capped a four-play, 45-yard drive with a six-yard rushing touchdown. And near the start of the fourth quarter, Burrow got in the end zone on a seven-yard scamper to give them a 23-13 edge.
Seth Williams’ five-yard touchdown reception with 2:32 left in the game gave Auburn some life. But when they saw the onside kick go by the wayside, they also saw their chances of winning suffer the same fate.
Edwards-Helaire led the way for LSU with 136 yards rushing yards on 5.2 yards per carry. The Tigers picked up 187 total yards on the ground, outpacing Auburn by 57 yards. Granted that’s because they were hit with -20 “team” rushing yards and -16 yards by Nix, but that’s always tough to read. What wasn’t was the effort Auburn got from D.J. Williams. The freshman picked up 130 yards on just 13 carries for a robust 10 YPC. That’s quite the effort to say the least, win or loss.
Nix struggled in passing, going 15-for-35 with just 157 yards to account for. He threw a touchdown to Williams but also threw a brutal pick to freshman standout Derek Stingley Jr. as well. It was a disappointing day for him and Auburn on the whole, as they came awfully close to uprooting LSU but could not get it done.
LSU now gets a BYE before the much-anticipated matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Auburn, meanwhile, will turn their attention to the Ole Miss Rebels, as they’ll look to get back on track.