https://lsu.rivals.com/news/reaction-lsu-wins-a-sec-type-of-game
LSU pulled off its eight win of the season over Auburn 23-20 in a hard fought game. The Tigers amassed over 500 yards of total offense, but only were able to capitalize with 23 points.
The defense played one of its better games of the year holding the Auburn offense to under 300 yards with quarterback Bo Nix only completing 15 of his 35 passes on the day.
Here are some quick takeaways following the Tigers third top 10 win of the season.
Ballet dancers can kick:
A wise man once told me to be careful who I pick on, because even ballet dancers can kick the heck out of you. Well, maybe he didn't say heck, but you get the point.
LSU played at one speed all year long and the scoreboard looks similar at the end of every contest with the Tigers racking up a boatload of points. Pass heavy football teams are often considered to be "finesse teams" and they often struggle when having to play a physical style of SEC football. LSU's finesse offense was tested today and they responded by becoming a physical running team in the second half, with 508 yards of total offense on the books.
The LSU defense responded by matching the offense's physicality, stifling the Auburn offense outside of a couple busted assignments that led to two big run plays. It was the eight win of the season, but it was the first slugfest LSU has been in.
Not Randy, but hey:
LSU has a trio of receivers that draw a lot of attention, but tight end Thaddeus Moss is proving to be as valuable as any of them. The sure-handed, non-flashy, but efficient transfer has shown up when his number has been called this year, becoming one of Burrow's favorite targets.
He has been exceptionally good as a dump off option when things do not open up downfield and he reels in everything thrown his way. Burrow and the LSU staff seem content taking what defenses are giving them, especially against tougher competition, and Moss has benefited from that approach. He has been stellar this year and played a big role in this ballgame.
Stingley shows up when it counts:
LSU cornerback Derek Stingley routinely matches up with the opponent's top receivers, which was the case again this Saturday against Auburn. Stingley made the biggest defense play of the day--again--when he reeled in an impressive interception on a 50-50 ball deep in LSU territory late in the first half.
He fumbled a punt deep in LSU territory early in the game, but he atoned once again, similar to how he did in the Florida game. He now has four interceptions on the year and is more than living up to the hype. We also had him with 3 pass break ups.
Auburn's D-Line is the real deal:
The LSU offensive line struggled in pass protection when tasked with blocking Auburn's four man rush. Surely they hoped to play better, but it is kind of hard to block the best defensive line in the country. Defensive linemen Marlon Davidson and Derrick Brown are future first round picks and they had a major impact on this game. The hype was well deserved and LSU got out with a win against the best defensive line they will face all year.
He's back:
Kristian Fulton dealt with a couple of nagging injuries to start the season and his play suffered a bit as a result. He has since fully recovered and has been playing some of his best football of late. He missed a few tackles on Saturday, but his coverage was stellar throughout the game, mirroring what he has done in the last few contests. The Tigers will need both Fulton and Stingley to show up big against Alabama in two weeks.
Aranda made the adjustments:
Outside of two big Auburn runs on blown gap assignments by LSU defenders, the LSU defense was really strong on Saturday. Gus Malzahn had some nicely designed plays that caught LSU off guard early on, but the defense was rather stout for most of the day. Aranda is limited due to the Tigers lack of dynamic pass rushers, which is really difficult for defensive coordinators to deal with. This was the defense's best overall performance this season.
Edwards-Helaire IS the feature back:
Yes, LSU has some talented freshmen. No, they shouldn't be getting more touches right now. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is the feature back at LSU and is a great fit for this spread attack. He is tremendous at breaking tackles and making defenders miss, resulting in a lot of big plays for the LSU offense. His ability to do this in tight quarters will make for one heck of a highlight reel.
The running game is rolling right now adding another huge element to the Tigers' offense. Edwards-Helaire's 51 yards receiving and 187 yards from scrimmage on were both career highs. And oh yeah, he did that against one of the best defensive fronts in the country.
Chase wears numero uno:
There's a reason Ja'Marr Chase wears No. 1 for LSU. The Tigers have a plethora of options, including one of the SEC's best in Justin Jefferson, but Chase wears No.1 and Jefferson No. 2, which is where they fall in the pecking order for LSU receivers.
Chase's ability to make plays downfield and ability to work underneath and run after the catch make him a complete receiver. There are more isolation plays designed for Chase than any receiver on the roster and it has been obvious why. Chase is already one of the top receivers in all of college football and will leave as one of the best to ever where a LSU uniform. He is that good.
LSU pulled off its eight win of the season over Auburn 23-20 in a hard fought game. The Tigers amassed over 500 yards of total offense, but only were able to capitalize with 23 points.
The defense played one of its better games of the year holding the Auburn offense to under 300 yards with quarterback Bo Nix only completing 15 of his 35 passes on the day.
Here are some quick takeaways following the Tigers third top 10 win of the season.
Ballet dancers can kick:
A wise man once told me to be careful who I pick on, because even ballet dancers can kick the heck out of you. Well, maybe he didn't say heck, but you get the point.
LSU played at one speed all year long and the scoreboard looks similar at the end of every contest with the Tigers racking up a boatload of points. Pass heavy football teams are often considered to be "finesse teams" and they often struggle when having to play a physical style of SEC football. LSU's finesse offense was tested today and they responded by becoming a physical running team in the second half, with 508 yards of total offense on the books.
The LSU defense responded by matching the offense's physicality, stifling the Auburn offense outside of a couple busted assignments that led to two big run plays. It was the eight win of the season, but it was the first slugfest LSU has been in.
Not Randy, but hey:
LSU has a trio of receivers that draw a lot of attention, but tight end Thaddeus Moss is proving to be as valuable as any of them. The sure-handed, non-flashy, but efficient transfer has shown up when his number has been called this year, becoming one of Burrow's favorite targets.
He has been exceptionally good as a dump off option when things do not open up downfield and he reels in everything thrown his way. Burrow and the LSU staff seem content taking what defenses are giving them, especially against tougher competition, and Moss has benefited from that approach. He has been stellar this year and played a big role in this ballgame.
Stingley shows up when it counts:
LSU cornerback Derek Stingley routinely matches up with the opponent's top receivers, which was the case again this Saturday against Auburn. Stingley made the biggest defense play of the day--again--when he reeled in an impressive interception on a 50-50 ball deep in LSU territory late in the first half.
He fumbled a punt deep in LSU territory early in the game, but he atoned once again, similar to how he did in the Florida game. He now has four interceptions on the year and is more than living up to the hype. We also had him with 3 pass break ups.
Auburn's D-Line is the real deal:
The LSU offensive line struggled in pass protection when tasked with blocking Auburn's four man rush. Surely they hoped to play better, but it is kind of hard to block the best defensive line in the country. Defensive linemen Marlon Davidson and Derrick Brown are future first round picks and they had a major impact on this game. The hype was well deserved and LSU got out with a win against the best defensive line they will face all year.
He's back:
Kristian Fulton dealt with a couple of nagging injuries to start the season and his play suffered a bit as a result. He has since fully recovered and has been playing some of his best football of late. He missed a few tackles on Saturday, but his coverage was stellar throughout the game, mirroring what he has done in the last few contests. The Tigers will need both Fulton and Stingley to show up big against Alabama in two weeks.
Aranda made the adjustments:
Outside of two big Auburn runs on blown gap assignments by LSU defenders, the LSU defense was really strong on Saturday. Gus Malzahn had some nicely designed plays that caught LSU off guard early on, but the defense was rather stout for most of the day. Aranda is limited due to the Tigers lack of dynamic pass rushers, which is really difficult for defensive coordinators to deal with. This was the defense's best overall performance this season.
Edwards-Helaire IS the feature back:
Yes, LSU has some talented freshmen. No, they shouldn't be getting more touches right now. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is the feature back at LSU and is a great fit for this spread attack. He is tremendous at breaking tackles and making defenders miss, resulting in a lot of big plays for the LSU offense. His ability to do this in tight quarters will make for one heck of a highlight reel.
The running game is rolling right now adding another huge element to the Tigers' offense. Edwards-Helaire's 51 yards receiving and 187 yards from scrimmage on were both career highs. And oh yeah, he did that against one of the best defensive fronts in the country.
Chase wears numero uno:
There's a reason Ja'Marr Chase wears No. 1 for LSU. The Tigers have a plethora of options, including one of the SEC's best in Justin Jefferson, but Chase wears No.1 and Jefferson No. 2, which is where they fall in the pecking order for LSU receivers.
Chase's ability to make plays downfield and ability to work underneath and run after the catch make him a complete receiver. There are more isolation plays designed for Chase than any receiver on the roster and it has been obvious why. Chase is already one of the top receivers in all of college football and will leave as one of the best to ever where a LSU uniform. He is that good.
