THE STORY
LSU’s soft spots showed up again Saturday. It cost the Tigers a third loss. And it was an ugly one.
No. 5 Alabama played relatively mistake-free aside from a few costly penalties and was victorious, 31-13, over LSU in a Southeastern Conference game in Tiger Stadium.
No. 14 LSU (6-3, 3-3) struggled to run the ball without creative wrinkles. That led to red zone-struggles and drive-stopping attempts. The Tigers were 0-for-4 on fourth downs and produced 10 red zone points on four attempts.
The loss severely damages LSU’s playoff hopes considering its the third defeat and just how convincing it was on the scoreboard.
The Tigers completely dominated the yard stick, but that’s not worth the stat sheet it’s printed on.
Situational football was a disaster for LSU. The Tigers missed on four fourth downs, two when the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage. One was a fourth-a-four from the Alabama 9-yard-line in the second quarter. One came in the fourth quarter on fourth and three from the Alabama 36.
First year coach Lane Kiffin’s curious decision to go for a fourth-and-10 from LSU’s 25 with 8:00 left down 11 backfired when quarterback Sam Leavitt was sacked and Alabama scored three plays later to ice the game.
Scott Starzyk also missed a 57-yard field goal that produced a short field that quarterback Keelon Russell and Alabama used to score their first touchdown.
The Tigers managed to put up 209 yards of offense without a punt in the first half. They scored three points.
Alabama (7-2, 5-2) led start to finish on Saturday afternoon and won their 13th out of 15 against LSU. The Tide has won seven of nine games in Tiger Stadium and will cruise into the College Football Playoff at 10-2 considering the upcoming schedule.
LSU welcomes Texas (7-2, 4-2) to Death Valley in seven days and will play playing for its life. A better effort than Saturday’s will be required.
THE STATS
TOTAL OFFENSE: 457-285 LSU
LSU rushed 33 times for 77 yards
LSU was 0-4 on fourth downs
Alabama scored 21 points on three red zone possessions. LSU scored 10 on four.
Sam Leavitt: 35-for-47 (74%), 380 yards, 0 TD, INT
Keelon Russell: 17-for-24, 206 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
First Downs; 27-13 LSU
Alabama was 3-for-11 on third down
LSU ran 81 plays. Alabama ran 53.
THE PLAYS
A pair of penalties slowed Alabama’s opening drive that resulted in a 43-yard field goal from Conor Talty. Alabama, 3-0.
LSU drove down to the Alabama five and had to settle for three. Tied at three with 4:46 left in the first.
Stazyk missed wide left from 57 yards to open the second quarter.
Alabama went the 62 yards from there capped by Ryan Coleman-Williams one-yard run on a misdirection handoff. Alabama, 10-3 .
LSU went for fourth-and-four from the Alabama 9. The ball was batted down at the line, and Alabama took over on downs with 3:31 to play before the half. It was an 11-play, 66-yard drive that resulted in nothing.
Leavitt was intercepted with half a minute left to play in the first half. It was brough back to the LSU 48 by Luke Metz.
LSU’s first drive of the second half produced points, three of them. Starzyk was good from 41 to make it 10-6 Alabama.
After the Tigers forced a punt, the offense drove 90 yards for LSU’s first touchdown, a five-yard plunge on a toss to Dillin Jones. 13-10 LSU,.
Alabama immediately answered with a quick touchdown drive spurred by a 57-yard Rico Scott catch on the first play. Josh Ford was wide open in the end zone four plays later. Alabama led 17-13 entering the fourth.
With fourth-and-three from the Alabama 36-yard line, LSU went. It was, again, tipped at the line of scrimmage. Alabama took over with 12:48 left.
LSU couldn’t get a yard on third-and-one and punted to Ryan Coleman-Williams who set Alabama up at the LSU 25. Russell to Cedarian Morgan one play later made it 24-13 Alabama with 9:44 left.
Kiffin elected to go for fourth-and-10 from the LSU 25. Leavitt was sacked with 8:00 to play.
Russell hit Kaleb Edwards for a score to put the game on ice. 31-13 Tide.
Alabama stuffed another fourth-down-and-three inside its own 10 with 3:48 left. Trey’Dez Green caught a slip screen and was dropped.
Tre Wilson muffed a punt with 2:41 to play. Alabama fell on it at the LSU 32.
