Running Tigers top Aggies
COLLEGE STATION — The Texas A&M rush defense, or lack of one, proved to be a fatal flaw Thursday night against LSU.
It’s why the Tigers were able to sneak out of Kyle Field with a 23-17 victory in front of 105,812 fans.
A&M’s fate wasn’t officially sealed until LSU’s Jalen Collins intercepted Kyle Allen’s pass at the Tigers 14 with 1:21 to play. The crowd booed, thinking LSU should have been called for an offsides penalty. The Tigers then took a knee on successive plays to secure their victory.
“The game shouldn’t have come down with us needing a win that late,” A&M cornerback Deshazor Everett said. “You can’t just point fingers at (the officials).”
A&M, which started the season with such promise, dropped to 7-5, 3-5 in SEC action. The Aggies also failed to win a league game at home
for the first time since 1970. They’ll wait 10 days to learn their bowl destination.
LSU, which hadn’t won a game in a month, upped its record to 8-4, 4-4 in SEC. Thanks to Thursday night’s victory, LSU has won at least eight games for 15 straight seasons.
The Aggies still were fuming about the lack of an offsides call against LSU in their postgame news conference. Coach Kevin Sumlin said he asked the officials why offsides wasn’t called.
“They said they didn’t call it,” Sumlin said of the explanation.
But when the Aggies scrutinize game film and ponder why they lost the game, they’ll figure out the lack of a yellow flag had little to do with the outcome. They only need to look at the inept play of their rush defense and question why their offense went more than two quarters without a first down.
LSU’s Leonard Fournette ran for a career-high 146 yards on 19 carries, with a touchdown. Tigers quarterback Anthony Jennings ran for 127, which also was a career best. As a team, LSU rushed for 384 yards. It’s the most the Tigers have gained against an SEC opponent since 1997.
Because of their ability to run the ball, LSU enjoyed 41 minutes, 13 seconds of possession to A&M’s 18:47.
A poor rush defense has become a negative trend for A&M. It’s the third straight game an opponent has run for more than 300 yards. And it’s the third straight contest that at least one opposing runner has posted a career high.
In their past four SEC games, dating to a 59-0 loss to Alabama, the A&M defense has been mauled for 1,368 yards on the ground.
“They knew our schemes and took advantage of it when they could,” Everett said.
LSU built a 20-7 lead in the second half before Aggies offense came to life.
Josh Lambo kicked a 34-yard field goal. Allen then led A&M on a 77-yard, eight-play touchdown drive, which ended with Speedy Noil’s 27-yard catch.
They were at midfield when Allen thought he saw an LSU lineman jump. As he’s instructed, he threw toward the end zone. Collins jumped to intercept it.
“We didn’t make enough plays to win,” Sumlin said, “but we did not quit.”