LSU Responds in a Big Way Against No. 23 Texas A&M in Death Valley
Photo By: Bayou State Media Staff: Nicholas Castillo
BATON ROUGE, La. LSU returned to Tiger Stadium Saturday night looking for a response after its first loss of the season.
The Tigers gave one.
No. 10 LSU defeated No. 23 Texas A&M 35 to 6, improving to 3 and 1 overall and 1 and 1 in SEC play with one of its most complete performances of the season.
LSU finished with 506 total yards while holding Texas A&M to 197. The Tigers averaged 7.7 yards per play, produced two 100 yard receivers and did not allow the Aggies to reach the end zone.
One week after a difficult road loss to Ole Miss, LSU looked much more comfortable on both sides of the football.
LSU Sets the Tone Early
The Tigers did not score on their opening possession, but it did not take long for the offense to settle in.
LSU's second drive covered 82 yards and featured two of the plays that would become themes throughout the night.
Jackson Harris caught a 15 yard pass over the middle before Dilin Jones broke free for 36 yards on the ground.
Jones finished the drive with a one yard touchdown run, giving LSU a 7 to 0 lead in the first quarter.
Texas A&M managed to put together a long drive in the second quarter and moved deep into LSU territory, but the Tigers kept the Aggies out of the end zone.
A field goal cut LSU's lead to 7 to 3.
That defensive stand became important because LSU answered before halftime.
Sam Leavitt connected with Harris for a 16 yard touchdown with just under two minutes remaining in the second quarter, giving the Tigers a 14 to 3 advantage heading into the break.
LSU had the lead.
The third quarter turned it into complete control.
LSU Breaks the Game Open After Halftime
The Tigers came out of the locker room and quickly changed the direction of the game.
LSU's defense forced a short Texas A&M possession to begin the second half, giving the offense another opportunity.
Leavitt made the Aggies pay.
Facing fourth down near midfield, he found Harris open down the field for a 57 yard touchdown.
The play gave LSU a 21 to 3 lead and pushed Harris over the 100 yard receiving mark for the night.
The Tigers continued building momentum.
After the defense came up with another stop, Landen Clark finished a short scoring drive with a four yard rushing touchdown.
Texas A&M responded with another field goal, but LSU answered again before the third quarter ended.
Clark scored his second rushing touchdown of the period from two yards out, giving LSU a 35 to 6 lead.
In one quarter, LSU scored 21 points and turned an 11 point halftime advantage into a 29 point lead.
That stretch became the defining portion of the game.
Leavitt Finds His Rhythm
Leavitt delivered his most productive passing performance since LSU's season opener.
He completed 17 of 23 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns.
Both scores went to Harris.
Leavitt was at his best when LSU created opportunities downfield. The Tigers did not need to rely on short completions and long drives to move the football.
They created chunk plays.
Harris finished with six receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns, averaging more than 27 yards per catch.
His 57 yard touchdown in the third quarter was the biggest play of the night, but he was productive throughout the game.
Winston Watkins Jr. gave LSU another dangerous option.
Watkins finished with five receptions for 107 yards, including catches of 35 and 36 yards during LSU's scoring drive before halftime.
Together, Harris and Watkins accounted for 270 receiving yards.
That production helped LSU stretch the Texas A&M defense vertically and created space for the rest of the offense.
LSU Shows More Balance on the Ground
The passing game produced the biggest numbers, but LSU's rushing attack also played an important role.
Jones finished with 63 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries.
His 36 yard run during LSU's first touchdown drive helped jump start the offense.
Harlem Berry added 58 yards on seven carries, averaging more than eight yards per attempt.
Clark contributed 41 rushing yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.
LSU finished with 506 total yards on 66 offensive plays, showing an ability to create production in several different ways.
That balance was one of the biggest differences from the previous week's loss.
Against Ole Miss, LSU had to fight its way back into the game after falling behind early.
Against Texas A&M, the Tigers controlled the pace and never trailed.
Defense Keeps Texas A&M Out of the End Zone
LSU's offense produced plenty of highlights, but the defense was just as important.
Texas A&M finished the night with only 197 total yards and 3.3 yards per play.
The Aggies never scored a touchdown.
Their only points came on two field goals.
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed finished 10 of 26 for 106 yards and one interception.
LSU consistently made it difficult for the Aggies to create sustained drives, especially once they reached scoring territory.
One of the biggest defensive plays came early in the fourth quarter.
Tamarcus Cooley intercepted Reed near the Texas A&M 19 yard line, giving LSU possession deep in Aggies territory.
Texas A&M threw another interception later in the fourth, giving LSU two takeaways for the night.
The Tigers did not need points from either turnover.
By then, the defense had already done enough.
Harris and Watkins Give LSU a Dangerous Combination
Perhaps one of the most encouraging developments for LSU was the production from its receiving group.
Having one receiver reach 100 yards can change a game.
LSU had two.
Harris and Watkins gave Leavitt two legitimate downfield options and consistently created separation against Texas A&M's secondary.
Harris was the more productive of the two statistically, but Watkins' ability to generate big gains was equally important.
LSU entered the night looking for more consistency through the passing game after Leavitt finished with 158 passing yards against Ole Miss.
Against Texas A&M, the Tigers nearly doubled that total.
That difference helped LSU avoid becoming one dimensional and gave the offense more ways to attack the field.
The Numbers Tell the Story
LSU finished with 506 total yards compared with 197 for Texas A&M.
The Tigers averaged 7.7 yards per play while the Aggies averaged 3.3.
LSU ran 66 offensive plays and possessed the ball for just over 30 minutes.
The Tigers were also cleaner in several important areas.
LSU was penalized five times for 35 yards compared with seven penalties for 44 yards by Texas A&M.
The Tigers committed one turnover while forcing two.
More importantly, LSU consistently turned its possessions into scoring opportunities while keeping Texas A&M from doing the same.
A Response LSU Needed
Saturday night was about more than moving to 3 and 1.
It was about how LSU responded.
The Tigers entered the game one week removed from a 32 to 24 loss to Ole Miss in which they had to erase a 17 point halftime deficit just to give themselves a chance late.
Against Texas A&M, LSU never put itself in that position.
The Tigers took the lead in the first quarter.
They carried an 11 point advantage into halftime.
Then they scored 21 points in the third quarter and effectively put the game away.
The passing game produced two 100 yard receivers.
The rushing attack produced three different players with at least 40 yards.
The defense held a ranked SEC opponent without a touchdown.
It was the kind of balanced response LSU needed after its first setback of the year.
What Comes Next
LSU now turns its attention to McNeese, which visits Tiger Stadium next Saturday for a 6:45 p.m. kickoff.
The Tigers still have plenty of season ahead of them, but Saturday gave them something important to build on.
LSU did not need a comeback.
It did not need a last minute stop.
It took control early, created separation after halftime and finished the job.
Final: No. 10 LSU 35, No. 23 Texas A&M 6
LSU Statistical Leaders
Sam Leavitt: 17 of 23, 312 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns
Jackson Harris: 6 receptions, 163 yards, 2 touchdowns
Winston Watkins Jr.: 5 receptions, 107 yards
Dilin Jones: 14 carries, 63 yards, 1 touchdown
Harlem Berry: 7 carries, 58 yards
Landen Clark: 9 carries, 41 yards, 2 touchdowns
LSU team totals: 506 total yards, 7.7 yards per play, 35 points, 2 forced interceptions
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