LSU defense clamps down for win over No. 2 Georgia

Fourth-down decisions by Orgeron also key in Tigers’ upset

BATON ROUGE, La. — Joe Burrow passed for 200 yards and had two short touchdown runs and LSU’s defense staggered Georgia’s normally prolific offense Saturday for a 36-16 upset in the Southeastern Conference..

The victory for the 13thranked Tigers over the No. 2 Bulldogs came on the strength of five fourth-down decisions by LSU coach Ed Orgeron.

LSU converted four times it ran an offensive play on fourth and short, sustaining three drives that produced a total of 13 points.

“We were going to be as aggressive as we can,” Orgeron said. “We were going to take shots and go for it and play to win the game the whole time. We were going for it as hard as we can today. We were throwing out the kitchen sink, man. We were giving them everything we had, and we did it.”

In another instance, Orgeron called timeout and punted on fourth and 2 after the offense initially remained on the field. That decision pinned Georgia at its 4, and Kristian Fulton’s interception of Jake Fromm’s pass shortly afterward set up another of Cole Tracy’s five field goals.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 133 yards for LSU (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference), and Justin Jefferson caught six passes for 108 yards, including a 41-yarder rifled over the middle and between converging defenders. That reception set up Burrow’s second TD in the fourth quarter.

“We’re an up-and-coming football team. We’ve still got a long ways to go, but we want to lead LSU to a championship,” Orgeron said.

Nick Brossette added a short touchdown in the final minutes after Burrow’s 59yard scamper. Fans rushed the field, ignoring pleas not to do so from the public address announcer, as the game ended.

Orgeron largely deflected credited when asked about his role in the outcome, but his players made it clear out they felt about him.

“The best way we can defend our head coach, who we love, is by winning football games,” senior tight end Foster Moreau said.

Fromm had by far his worst game for Georgia (6-1, 4-1), completing 16 of 34 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

He said that LSU’s defense gave him new and exotic presnap formations.

“They did a good job with some third-down crazy stuff, some one-hit-wonder stuff. But we kind of got ourselves in a mess with the thirdand-longs,” Fromm said. “I don’t know. We made some plays. I think they made more plays. We just really couldn’t string them all together.”

LSU’s defense registered three sacks and the combination of pressure and coverage seemed to get Georgia’s offense out of synch, with a number of passes sailing to no one.

Bob Andres The Associated Press LSU’s Joe Burrow threw for 200 yards and ran for two TDs in beating No. 2 Georgia.