By Hunt Palmer
THE STORY: This game was a story of two halves. UCLA played LSU dead even through 30 minutes. LSU beat the brakes off the Bruins in the last 30.
UCLA only managed 89 yards after intermission and didn’t score.
Much like last week, sunshine pumpers can draw their positives from the second half and final margin. Pessimists will dismiss those to point a sleepy first half against an opponent who had look so miserable through two games.
LSU kind of did what it does.
The Tigers threw the ball all over the yard, struggle in pass defense, rushed the passer and got it done. The exact same could be said for the games against Nicholls and South Carolina.
As far as the environment, it was poor. September day games in Baton Rouge border on dangerous. Reported more than 70 people received medical attention due to the heat, and the east side started thin and ended up nearly barren after halftime. Because of that, the crowd wasn’t really a factor, and the game didn’t “feel big”, so to say.
Ultimately, LSU controlled the game and beat an inferior opponent. Most expected LSU to smoke UCLA the way Indiana did. That didn’t happen. LSU’s issues at times in coverage make that tough to do.
THE PLAYS: After LSU took a quick 7-0 lead, UCLA answered the score by converting on two third downs and a fourth down on their opening possession. After converting fourth and two, Garbers hit tight end Jack Pederson on a seam route for a 20 yard score.
On the second play of the second quarter, Nussmeier made maybe his best throw of the day, a pinpoint delivery to sophomore Kyle Parker who reeled it in inside the five yard line and fell into the endzone for his first ever touchdown. That put the Tigers up 14-10.
With 6:54 to play in the second quarter, Bradyn Swinson made his first huge play of the day. He came flying off the edge and stripped Garbers. Sai’vion Jones fell on it in UCLA territory setting up a field goal that gave the Tigers a seven-point lead.
It looked like LSU had forced another turnover on UCLA’s next possession, but Keegan Jones was ruled down on a review. Greg Penn Jr. had stripped him. UCLA would later cash that good fortune in for a touchdown.
UCLA drew even on the first half’s penultimate play. On third and goal from the 11, Garbers extended the play, took a huge hit from Major Burns and fired a strike to Logan Loya for a touchdown.
Some penalties hurt worse than others. UCLA’s illegal block on Garrett DiGiorgio negated an 11-yard run down to the LSU 16 that would have set up first and 10 in a seven-point game. Instead, it was first and 20 from the 37. UCLA fumbled two plays later, losing 19 yards, to drop out of field goal range. The Bruins would have to punt.
Nursing a seven point lead, LSU faced third and 8 with about 12 minutes to play. Nussmeier found Mason Taylor on a quick out to move the sticks. The next play was a flip out to Caden Durham who turned it upfield and darted in for the 35-yard score. Without the big third down conversion, LSU may not go up two scores.
LSU got the pass rush turned up with a lead. A Jones sack set up third and 14 for UCLA. Garbers was flushed out of the pocket, again by Jones who drew a holding call. The Bruin quarterback rushed a throw that floated to Jardin Gilbert for an interception. That about sealed it.
THE STATS:
Five Sacks: LSU tallied five sacks of UCLA’s Garbers. Swinson and Jones were terrors coming off the edge. Two of those sacks forced fumbles. LSU recovered one, and the other knocked UCLA out of field goal range in a one-score game. LSU isn’t great at everything on defense, but the pass rush has been very good the last two weeks.
LSU’s Third Down Efficiency: The Tigers were 10-for-14 on third down, consistently keeping the chains moving. LSU’s average distance to go on third down was five yards. They converted all four tries under four yards. Short yardage has been an issue for this team, but that wasn’t the case on Saturday afternoon.
UCLA’s Rushing Yardage: The Bruins flat out couldn’t run the ball. Their backs carried 13 times for 65 yards. That’s five yards per carry, sure, but watching the game it told a different story. UCLA’s only punch was in the passing game, and once LSU was able to release the proverbial dogs on Garbers, it was lights out for the Bruin offense. In the second half, UCLA had just 89 total yards.
