It was a story of two halves for LSU on Saturday night time towards Texas A&M.
The Tigers dominated the primary half and regarded like they had been on the best way to a press release win on the street. However TAMU fully reversed the script within the second half, outscoring them 31-6 because it in the end pulled away to win 38-23 and hand coach Brian Kelly’s staff its first SEC loss in addition to a extreme blow to its Faculty Soccer Playoff hopes.
LSU captured the early momentum on the street, taking a 3-0 lead earlier than a fumble from star Aggies working again Le’Veon Moss deep in their very own territory set it up with glorious discipline place. The Tigers’ offense cashed in with a wonderful throw and catch from Garrett Nussmeier to Mason Taylor to increase the result in 10-0.
Nonetheless, Texas A&M responded with a powerful drive to get on the board as Moss made up for the fumble with a landing to get on the board.
LSU had an opportunity to push its lead again as much as 10, however a dropped landing from Chris Hilton Jr., who mistimed his try to high-point a ball within the endzone in his first goal of the season, introduced out the sphere purpose unit. From 48 yards out, Damian Ramos missed simply to the best because the Tigers wasted a scoring alternative.
Nonetheless, they wouldn’t waste their subsequent possession. After beginning on the 10, Nussmeier discovered Aaron Anderson on a fast slant, and he did the remaining as he hit a niche and located paydirt 75 yards later, outrunning your complete Aggie secondary.
LSU had the momentum coming into the second half however missed some alternatives. Ramos missed one other lengthy discipline purpose earlier than halftime, and early within the third quarter, Garrett Nussmeier threw an unpleasant interception to set the Aggies up with glorious discipline place.
After a 6 of 18 begin for Conner Weigman, Mike Elko opted for a quarterback change to the extra cellular Marcel Reed, and so they rapidly capitalized and lower the deficit to 3. LSU had an opportunity to reply on the following drive, however extra particular groups mishaps price it as an early snap ruined the timing on Ramos’ kick, which couldn’t even be tried.
TAMU responded with a fast landing drive led and capped off by Reed, giving it its first lead of the sport. Issues went from unhealthy to worse as Nussmeier, who was glorious within the first half, tossed his second interception to provide the Aggies nice discipline place once more. Although a penalty took a landing off the board, Texas A&M in the end discovered the top zone to increase the result in 11.
With their backs towards the wall, the Tigers needed to reply. Nussmeier made a number of gutsy throws to guide them down the sphere, and after a landing move to Trey’Dez Inexperienced was dominated brief on the one, Nussmeier did it himself on a sneak to chop the deficit again to 1 rating. Nonetheless, the two-point conversion try to chop it to 3 was no good, and LSU nonetheless confronted a five-point deficit.
Nonetheless, it in the end didn’t matter. As soon as Reed entered the sport, the Tiger protection couldn’t get off the sphere. On the next drive, Reed related with Noah Thomas for a 54-yard achieve, and Moss rapidly scored once more to push the result in 12, the most important lead of the sport to that time for both staff.
The offense bought the ball again, however a well-read test down was intercepted, Nussmeier’s third of the sport, and whereas Texas A&M couldn’t fairly ship the dagger, it hit a discipline purpose to push the result in 15 and make issues troublesome for the Tigers.
LSU turned the ball over on downs, formally ending any hope of a comeback. After dominating the primary half, Nussmeier was simply 11 of 24 within the second alongside along with his three turnovers. He was additionally sacked twice and confronted essentially the most strain he has all season, although he nonetheless managed 405 yards on 50 makes an attempt with 50% completion.
Nussmeier needed to prepared the ground on offense as there was no floor sport to talk of. LSU totaled simply 24 yards on 23 carries.
Defensively, it was a disastrous second half. The Tigers allowed 229 yards within the remaining two quarters and 376 general. The Aggies ran for 242 yards and 5 touchdowns, with Reed accounting for 62 of these yards and three of these touchdowns.
It’s an unpleasant loss for an LSU staff that appeared to have turned the nook in current weeks. Now, it’ll have the week off to refocus earlier than internet hosting Alabama in what has change into a must-win sport.
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