No. 2 LSU downs No. 9 Auburn
While LSU’s prolific, uptempo spread offense rolled up 508 yards, the unit didn’t approach its 50.1-point scoring average against an Auburn defense that thwarted LSU drives into its territory with a pair of fourth-down stops and an interception.
“They fought their guts out and our defense played unbelievable,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “We had opportunities and we didn’t seize the moment. We just didn’t get it done offensively.”
LSU had not previously scored fewer than 36 points in a game, but Auburn’s defensive front put pressure on Burrow, sacking him three times.
Still, Burrow didn’t flinch when he was leveled along the sideline after a 14-yard scramble on third-and-12 in the first half. He completed five of his next six throws, ending with a 20-yard touchdown on a fade to Terrace Marshall Jr.
Burrow completed 32 of 42 passes. His top target was Ja’Marr Chase, who caught eight passes for 123 yards.
“We showed toughness today. It was not a pretty win by any means,” Burrow said. “SEC games aren’t going to be pretty. When you can come out on top of a top-10 team and feel like you could have played better, it’s always a good thing.”
Bo Nix completed 15 of 35 passes for 157 yards and one late touchdown to Seth Williams that gave Auburn the opportunity to set up a meaningful onside kick.
D.J. Williams rushed for 130 yards for Auburn, which looked primed to go ahead by a touchdown in the third quarter when Williams sprinted into the open field from his own 20.
Safety Grant Delpit forced Williams out of bounds just inside the 10, and Auburn couldn’t parlay the 70-yard run into a touchdown, settling for a field goal to make it 13-10.
That lead lasted until five minutes remained in the third quarter, in part because Burrow’s screen to Chase was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the Auburn 2. Later in the quarter, Burrow’s pass intended for Chase was intercepted by Roger McCreary at the Auburn 2.
LSU hadn’t trailed that late in a game all season, but LSU finally pushed in front by going back to a running game that had struggled most of the first three quarters. Edwards-Helaire ran four straight times for 45 yards, capped by his 6-yard score to put LSU in front 1613.
Burrow’s 7-yard rushing TD, capping another runheavy drive, widened the lead to 23-13.
THE TAKEAWAY
Auburn: Nix looked more prepared to play in a hostile environment than he did at Florida two weeks earlier. The freshman made his share of plays, but wasn’t quite consistent enough for Auburn to keep pace with a more seasoned and prolific LSU offense down the stretch.
LSU: Defensively, the game was encouraging for LSU, which sacked Nix three times, held his completion percentage below 50 percent.
“When our defense plays like that, nobody is going to beat us,” Burrow said.
But the offense has stalled in the red zone a half dozen times in the past two games. LSU has gotten away with it so far, but that might not cut it in Tuscaloosa.