Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Stemming the Tide: LSU holds off ’Bama
Goals in sight after finally beating ’Bama
Louisiana State running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire dives over Alabama tackle Raekwon Davis (99) and inside linebacker Markail Benton (36) to score a first-half touchdown in the top-ranked Tigers’ 46-41 victory over No. 2 Alabama on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Joe Burrow sprinted toward the Louisiana State fans to celebrate a monumental victory, and moments later was hoisted on the shoulders of two beefy teammates.
They carried him only partway across the field. The ride isn’t finished for Burrow and No. 1 LSU, but the quarterback’s masterful performance Saturday in a 46-41 victory over nemesis and second-ranked Alabama marked a huge step toward the Tigers’ championship goals.
Burrow passed for 393 yards and three touchdowns, answered challenge after challenge and helped end the eight-year string of futility against the Crimson Tide that started with the national title game in January 2012. Now, the Tigers’ sights are set on another shot at Southeastern Conference and national championships.
LSU coach Ed Orgeron said that for the first time he told his players pre-Alabama, “You’re the better team.”
“We’ve finally got the tools that we need to beat those guys,” Orgeron said. “To have a championship team, you’ve got to have a championship quarterback.”
The Tigers (9-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 2 CFP) are no longer second fiddle in the SEC Wes. And Burrow stamped himself as the Heisman Trophy front-runner with a gutty performance when he answered every challenge from ‘Bama. And the challenges were plentiful. “I knew they were going to come back,” Burrow said. “That’s Alabama on the other side, dynasty. I was really happy with the way we responded.”
The Crimson Tide (8-1, 5-1, No. 3 CFP) rallied from a 33-13 halftime deficit to three times pull within a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The showdown lived up to its billing as a duel between two high-powered offenses and star quarterbacks with President Donald Trump attending.
Tua Tagovailoa launched an 85yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith with 1:21 left after the Tigers’ own scoring march. Justin Jefferson recovered the onside kick and LSU ran out the clock, finally triumphant over their SEC West nemesis.
“We’re not done yet,” Burrow said. “It’s Game 9. We’ve got three more regular-season ones and the SEC championship. This was never our goal. We’ve got bigger goals than this.”