Tag: Bo Pelini

What’s being said after LSU’s thriller against Ole Miss?

LSU’s regular-season finale victory over Ole Miss offered hope for 2021. Also, Texas A&M fans are upset with the College Football Playoff.

As the dust settles on what was the 2020 LSU football season, there will be plenty of moments to question how things could have been improved ahead of time. But after a wild shootout victory with some late-game heroics to deliver a win, the future really does look to have some reasons to be optimistic for the 2021 season in Baton Rouge.

After 53-48 victory over Ole Miss, the optimistic spin for the future as LSU enters the offseason was easy to point out. Freshman quarterback Max Johnson turned in his best performance of the season and improved to 2-0 as the starting quarterback for the Tigers, and freshman wide receiver Kayshon Boutte broke the school record for the most receiving yards in a single game. The record-setting catch also delivered the game-winning touchdown against the high-powered Ole Miss Rebels.

Instant Reaction: LSU closes out season with fireworks and optimism for 2021

We certainly were not the only ones to suggest this game offered a reason for hope next year. Glenn Guilbeau echoed our sentiments in his reaction column for The Lafayette Daily Advertiser. Guilbeau’s postgame report card had some similar reactions to LSU’s performance as our own report card too.

Report Card: LSU offense aces final exam of the 2020 season

It helps that this win came the same week LSU put the finishing touches on one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, which suggests the talent and depth on the Tigers’ roster is going to be just fine moving forward after a challenging 2020 season. Of course, the concerns about the defense continue to be a serious issue LSU will have to address this offseason. The calls for defensive coordinator Bo Pelini to be removed from his position surfaced once more during the game.

But, on the brighter side, the up-and-down follow-up to a national championship season managed to end on a winning note.

LSU misses out on CollegeFootball Playoff

Despite ending the season o na two-game winning streak and being the reigning national champions, LSU fell short of a return trip to the College Football layoff. I know. You’re shocked, right?

All kidding aside, LSU will be staying home for the bowl season while serving its self-imposed bowl ban (and awaiting any follow-up from the NCAA in the meantime). But on Sunday, the College Football Playoff selection committee made its final decision on this year’s four-team field. This year’s field includes some familiar names to the playoff era.

The Alabama Crimson Tide took the No. 1 seed in the playoff after winning the SEC championship on Saturday with a win over Florida. The Tide will face No. 4 seed and ACC runner-up Notre Dame in the “Don’t Call it the Rose Bowl” Rose Bowl Game, which has been transplanted to Arlington, Texas due to not being able to host fans at the game in Pasadena.

ACC champion and No. 2 seed Clemson will get a rematch with Big Ten champion Ohio State, the No. 3 seed, in the Sugar Bowl.

Ohio State and Notre Dame making the playoff despite only playing six games (Ohio State) or getting blown out in the ACC Championship Game (Notre Dame) did not sit well with fans of the Texas A&M Aggies.

Is it possible LSU damaged Texas A&M’s playoff chances? From a 20-7 victory over the Tigers that may have lacked the necessary style points for the Aggies to LSU knocking Texas A&M’s best win (Florida) into two-loss territory, it may be an interesting case to study.

Did LSU play a role in keeping Texas A&M out of the College Football Playoff?

If you are looking for a bowl tracker, Fighting Irish Wire has an updated one you can bookmark.

Five observations: LSU has ingredients to bounce back in 2021

LSU won a thriller to close out its 2020 season in style. There were some good developments for LSU coming out of the Ole Miss game.

LSU may have had their ups and downs this season, but the Tigers found a way to end the 2020 campaign on a winning note. A wild shootout of a victory over Ole Miss offered a bit of hope for things to come and featured some of the shortcomings on defense that have plagued them all season. Here are five quick reactions from LSU’s performance against Ole Miss, a breath-taking 53-48 victory over the Rebels.

Kayshon Boutte sets the single-game receiving record

LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte has been the player to step up the most in the final few game of the season. Following the decision to opt out by LSU’s leading wide receiver, Terrace Marshall Jr., it was Boutte who emerged with authority to be LSU’s go-to receiver. Following back-to-back 100-yard games against Alabama and Florida, Boutte ended the season by breaking the LSU single-game receiving record. And he did it with the game-winning touchdown.

Boutte is the sixth player in LSU history with three consecutive 100-yard games and the first to eclipse the rare 300-yard receiving mark.

Max Johnson makes his case going into the offseason

Quarterback Max Johnson got his second start for LSU to close out the regular season. Whether it is a coincidence or not, LSU is 2-09 in games started by Johnson. Johnson ended his season by passing for 435 yards and three touchdowns, becoming just the fourth player in LSU history to throw for 400 or more yards in a game (and doing so for the seventh time in program history). That is a heck of a way to finish a season as LSU looks to bounce back next season. The quarterback situation will be fascinating to watch this offseason.

Instant Reaction: LSU closes out season with fireworks and optimism for 2021

Points off turnovers!

LSU had plenty of opportunities to put points on the scoreboard off of Ole Miss turnovers. The Rebels had six turnovers in the game, and LSU made them pay for them. LSU scored 27 points off the first five turnovers and ran off the clock in the final moments. That’s a full team effort.

LSU still has to fix the defense

the turnovers were great, but LSU still gave up an excessive amount of offensive yards and points. The struggles of the defense have been consistent concerns all season long for LSU. And given how much is being invested in defensive coordinator Boi Pelini, it is fair to expect improvements next season as long as LSU continues on with Pelini. Pelini likely is not going anywhere so it all comes down to finding ways to improve with what should hopefully be a more equipped roster in 2021. If things continue this porous trend in 2021, Pelini could be on the way out.

Ending the season at .500 can feel like a win

This was a roller-coaster season for LSU with plenty of pitfalls along the way. Finishing at .500 a season after hoisting the national championship trophy is still a big step back, but 2020 has been known to throw plenty of curveballs. Are there reasons for LSU’s setbacks this season? Absolutely. Roster turnover from graduation, opt-outs, the NFL draft and more took a toll on the depth of the LSU Tigers, not to mention some coaching changes on the staff. This was not the same team it was a year ago, but they finished the season showing fight and grit. And with that, two wins to break even.

As bad as this season was, it wasn’t a losing season. There is reason to take pride in that given the circumstances of this particular season. There is work to be done, and head coach Ed Orgeron doesn’t need to be reminded of that. In fact, he may even embrace the opportunity to get back to work planning and preparing for next season.

See you again in 2021, LSU football.

With LSU serving a self-imposed bowl ban, LSU’s 2020 season is now officially in the books. The next time LSU is scheduled to play a game will be Sept. 4, 2021 with a road game at UCLA. Here’s hoping things are in a better place to allow for that game to go on as currently scheduled.

Instant Reaction: LSU closes out season with fireworks and optimism for 2021

The 2020 season finale offered a little bit of everything from LSU as the Tigers won a thriller against Ole Miss.

Well, that was certainly exhilarating!

LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was the highlight of the night as LSU defeated Ole Miss, 53-48, as he set an LSU record on a game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter of a 53-48 victory over Ole Miss to close out the 2020 season in a steady rainstorm in Baton Rouge.

Although LSU’s season comes to a disappointing end a year after winning it all, the Tigers offered a perfect balance of why there should be optimism for the 2021 season and a reminder of the pitfalls that cost them on the field in 2020.

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The offense had one of its finest performances of the season. Quarterback Max Johnson passed for 435 yards and three touchdowns, with Boutte breaking the single-game school record with 308 receiving yards.

Boutte became the first receiver in LSU history with 300 receiving yards, passing Josh Reed against Alabama in 2001 (293 yards). The running game also had an effective night when needed. A week after putting 37 points on the scoreboard against Florida, LSU hit the 40-point mark for the fourth time this season.

More importantly, LSU’s offense took advantage of opportunities created by the defense. LSU forced five turnovers against the Rebels, and the Tigers scored 27 points off of those turnovers (including a pick-six on defense). But one of those turnovers gave LSU the football inside the red zone, and LSU was limited to a field goal just before halftime.

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But that leads to one of the negatives to take from this game. LSU forced six turnovers, scored 27 points off of those turnovers, and still needed a late touchdown and a final forced turnover to secure the win.

How does that happen? How CAN it happen? Do you pin the blame on the offense for not doing enough? After one of its finer offensive performances of the season, that is a difficult sell.

Instead, the blame will once again be shouldered on the defense, starting with defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. The LSU defense was shredded for over 500 yards of offense, including 307 yards on the ground. But, for one night at least, the defense can celebrate with the rest of the team.

Everybody did something to contribute to a win to close out the year, and officially avoid going down in the record books with a losing record. Say what you will about the 2020 season for the LSU Tigers, but it finished on a winning note.

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Bring on 2021.

What does LSU football’s bowl game history look like over the past 20 years?

Five reasons for concern as LSU prepares for Ole Miss

LSU’s defense will have their hands full with this week’s opponent. Ole Miss has had plenty of success on offense in 2020.

LSU closes up its season this weekend with one more big test for the defense. Ole Miss has had one of the SEC’s top offenses this season. With the kind of season Ole Miss has been having with the football, LSU’s defense will once again be faced with plenty of concerns this week.

Ole Miss and the SEC’s top offense

Stop us if you have heard this before, but LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini and the Tigers defense has a tough matchup on its hands this week. After playing Alabama and Florida in back-to-back games, LSU now faces the Ole Miss offense molded by head coach Lane Kiffin. The Rebels come into the game with the top-ranked offense in the SEC with an average of 563.0 yards per game. The pace will be quick too.

Ole Miss leads the SEC in rushing yards per game (206.5) and has the conference’s second-best passing offense with 356.5 yards per game. This is a team that scored 35 points on Florida in the season opener and 48 points against Alabama a few weeks later. Ole Miss has the offense, but the defense is where LSU needs to generate some of its own success.

LSU Football 2021 National Signing Day Commitment Tracker

Ole Miss QB Matt Corrall among the SEC’s best

Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral is the one running the offense and putting up big numbers in the process. In a conference that is highlighted by Heisman Trophy campaigns for Alabama quarterback Mac Jones and Florida quarterback Kyle Trask, the Rebels’ quarterback is nestled quite nicely among the two in the SEC passing stats. Corral is second in the SEC in passing yards per game (343.0) with 24 touchdowns (with nine interceptions). Corral has a completion percentage of 72.9 coming into this week’s game and he is on pace for a 3,000-yard season. He could very well pass the 3,000-yard mark for the season this weekend (2,744 yards in eight games coming into the week).

Stopping the bleeding in the red zone

FOr all the scorn LSU’s defense has taken this season, one area they have performed admirably is inside the red zone. Opponents have a red zone touchdown percentage of 55.26 percent this season, which is the third-lowest among SEC schools (only Alabama and Mississippi State have a better number). For all the offense Ole Miss has thrived on this season, the success in the red zone on offense has room for improvement. The Rebels have scored 33 touchdowns on 51 red zone trips, a red zone touchdown percentage of 64.71 percent (eighth-best in the SEC).

Odds are good Ole Miss will have a handful of trips inside the red zone. If LSU can limit Ole Miss to more field goals than touchdowns, that would be a major step toward a possible win.

PHOTOS: A look at the history of the SEC Championship Game

Keeping the Ole Miss special teams tied down

If there is an area where LSU can create an advantage, it absolutely must be with special teams. Simply put, Ole Miss is not a threat on special teams returns. The Rebels have had just one kickoff return of at least 30 yards this season and zero punt returns traveling at least 20 yards. Ole Miss has just three punt returns for nine yards this season. Considering Zach Von Rosenberg is among the SEC’s top punters, LSU may have some opportunities to punt to win.

Containing explosive plays

Perhaps the reason Ole Miss isn’t concerned about getting big returns on special teams is that they can gain big yards on offense at will. Ole Miss has an explosive offense with the third-most plays of 10+, 20+, and 30+ yards among SEC schools. The only schools with more have been Alabama and Florida, and they have had the benefit of playing two extra games compared to the Rebels so far.

PHOTOS: A look at LSU’s SEC Championship Game history

Five observations from LSU’s big upset of the Florida Gators

LSU fans should have a glimmer of hope for what could be coming in 2021 after LSU upset No. 6 Florida on Saturday night in Gainesville.

LSU embraced the role of spoiler on Saturday night in Gainesville, Florida. The unranked Tigers were a heavy underdog against the No. 6 Florida Gators but returned home with a thrilling 37-34 victory courtesy of a late Cade York 57-yard field goal followed by a missed Florida field goal attempt to tie the game in the closing seconds.

There were some ups and downs, as has been the case for LSU all season long. Here are some key takeaways from the game.

Where was this LSU defense this season?

Admittedly, this is a somewhat bizarre question to ask following a game that saw the opposing quarterback throw for 474 yards and the defense give up 609 yards of offense. But with as depleted a unit as LSU’s defense has been and considering the opponent lining up against them, this was absolutely a night to be proud of for the LSU defense. That is because they created turnovers, with three in the first half against one of the nation’s best quarterbacks in Kyle Trask.

Instant Reaction: LSU creates foggy path to playoff for Florida after upset in The Swamp

Secondary steps up in big way

LSU started the game knowing it would be without one starter with Derek Stingley Jr. being ruled out. Before the end of the first quarter, another starter was lost when cornerback Cordale Flott was ejected for targeting. That meant LSU’s secondary had to dig deep into the reserves, and it turned out to be just fine.

Eli Ricks had an interception return for a touchdown and Jay Ward came down with one of the most ridiculous interceptions of the year. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelinicould have played things a little higher late in the game with the Gators looking to tie it up and force overtime, but LSU got some good moments from their younger cornerbacks against one of the nation’s best passing offenses.

No more QB shuffle for Tigers?

Freshman quarterback Max Johnson made his first start for the LSU Tiger son Saturday, getting the nod over TJ Finley for the first time. Johnson may still have some room for improvement, and Florida brought some good pressure at times, but Johnson was effective enough to keep the starting job for one more week. Johnson passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Against a team like Florida, turnovers could have been costly. LSU’s young quarterback did not appear to be nervous making his first career start on the road against a top 10 team.

Did LSU dent Kyle Trask’s Heisman chances?

Absolutely… probably.

Florida quarterback Kyle Trask was among the top favorites for the Heisman Trophy this season. A week after getting torched by another top candidate, Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, LSU’s defense found ways to make some plays against the Gators’ quarterback. LSU forced three first-half turnovers against Trask with two interceptions and a fumble, but Trask recovered in the second half. He also made some Florida history in the process.

Florida losing for a second time could hurt Trask’s Heisman chances, but a victory next week in the SEC Championship (against Alabama and Mac Jones) would certainly be a terrific way to erase the results of this game. But Trask did throw for 474 yards and account for four touchdowns, and he engineered a late drive that put Florida in position to tie the game in the closing seconds. It’s hard to knock Trask down the Heisman pecking order too much after this showing, especially on a week when Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence were not in action to capitalize on any stumbles by Trask.

WATCH: LSU gets the luckiest bounce for INT vs Florida

Should we begin bracing for an LSU rebound in 2021?

History would suggest LSU has a pretty solid chance to have a winning record again in 2021. Although the SEC isn’t getting any easier, LSU saw some big moments from some younger players who could have some meaningful roles as early as next year. Max Johnson will need to follow up on some of his solid play to make a case for the starting quarterback job next season, and the secondary had a few players step up to make some big plays on the road.

LSU will get one more chance to grab a win next weekend when they host Ole Miss. Next week’s game will be the final game of the college football season for the LSU Tigers, due to a self-imposed one-year bowl ban implemented earlier this week.

What does LSU football’s bowl game history look like over the past 20 years?

Instant Reaction: LSU creates foggy path to playoff for Florida after upset in The Swamp

LSU’s victory over the Gators not only showed a glimmer of hope for 2021, but created a much tougher road to the playoff for Florida.

It may be safe to assume nobody saw this one coming. LSU (4-5, 45 SEC) pulled off the upset of the day with a 37-34 win over No. 6 Florida (8-2, 8-2 SEC), proving to be a potentially devastating pothole on Florida’s path to an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Aided by a poorly-timed penalty by Florida for throwing an LSU player’s shoe after a defensive stop, LSU knocked off the Gators with a 55-yard field goal off the foot of Cade York in a dense fog.

Florida had a chance to tie the game and send it into overtime, but a last-second 51-yard field goal attempt by Gators kicker Evan McPherson nudged wide left to secure the win for LSU.

LSU played arguably its best game of the season. Allowing 31 points at first glance doesn’t seem all that appealing, but this is an LSU defense that has been scorned all year long, and it was going up against one of the most potent offenses in the nation. And they did so a week after being beat-up by Alabama at home. Florida quarterback Kyle Trask may not have had reliable tight end Kyle Pitts to rely on, but LSU’s secondary took hit after hit and still managed to make plays when it needed them.

LSU was without cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (ruled out) and Cordale Flott, LSU’s other starting cornerback, was ejected in the first quarter for targeting. That’s why it was even more impressive to see Eli Ricks return a Trask interception for a touchdown and the secondary get an epic lucky bounce for an interception with Florida approaching the end zone.

WATCH: LSU CB Eli Ricks returns Florida QB Kyle Trask INT for go-ahead TD

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron also made a decision to start freshman quarterback Max Johnson on the road, and Johnson managed to lead the offense for the entire game without being replaced for any amount of time. Johnson threw three touchdowns and passed for 236 yards in the win. Kayshon Boutte led LSU with 108 receiving yards and scored one of the three touchdowns through the air. Jaray Jenkins and Tre Bradford (with the eventual game-winner in the fourth quarter) recorded the others on a foggy night in Gainesville.

Two trends have carried throughout the course of the relatively brief history of the College Football Playoff. First, no SEC champion has ever been left out of the four-team playoff field. Second, no two-loss team has ever been invited to the playoff. Florida will now hope that only one of those trends will continue. With two losses, it would appear Florida’s path to its first appearance in the College Football Playoff has been blocked.

Even if Alabama loses, the currently No. 1 Crimson Tide could still be in a pretty stable spot to receive a playoff invite even if they lose next weekend to the Gators in the SEC Championship Game. Ohio State has been granted a chance to play in the Big Ten championship game next week, which figures to help Ohio Strate’s playoff case if they remain undefeated.

And the ACC could be grabbing at least one spot between Notre Dame and Clemson. And a Clemson victory over Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game could send two ACC teams to the College Football Playoff for the first time, and the second time a conference places two schools in the playoff (the SEC being the other, of course).

This may actually be great news for Texas A&M, who defeated Florida head-to-head and has one fewer loss after having this weekend’s game canceled.

But the bottom line is Florida will get one more chance to prove to the selection committee they are worthy of at least being considered for a spot in the playoff. As for LSU, a glimpse into the future may have been on display.

WATCH: LSU gets the luckiest bounce for INT vs Florida

LSU’s schedule will conclude next weekend with a home game against Ole Miss. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT as the Tigers have a chance to end this roller-coaster season with a .500 record.

What does LSU football’s bowl game history look like over the past 20 years?

Report Card: Grading LSU after lopsided loss to Alabama

The LSU defense was ripped to shreds by Alabama, and the Tigers struggled to keep up the pace on offense in a blowout loss on Saturday.

The grades are in, and they aren’t particularly flattering for a second week in a row for LSU football.

The Tigers suffered their second-straight loss in SEC West play with a 55-17 setback against Alabama on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. The most lopsided loss for the Tigers against the Crimson Tide in series history ensured there were some negative reactions to what unfolded in primetime on national television.

Here is the report card for LSU after the 55-17 loss to top-ranked Alabama.

Quarterbacks: C

TJ Finley remained the starting quarterback for LSU, but Max Johnson also saw some playing time against the Crimson Tide. Finley completed half of his 28 pass attempts for 144 yards and a touchdown, and he avoided throwing any costly interceptions.

Alabama did not make things easy for Finley at times by getting pressure in the backfield and forcing Finley to lose 12 yards on six official rushing attempts. He was sacked four times.

Johnson, who saw more playing time as the game was all but officially declared, was slightly more efficient with his passing, but probably not by enough to suggest head coach Ed Orgeron should consider starting him over Finley next week against the Florida Gators.

Instant reaction: LSU rolled by No. 1 Alabama

Next: Running Backs Continue reading “Report Card: Grading LSU after lopsided loss to Alabama”

Five takeaways from LSU’s blowout loss to Alabama

LSU’s defense was an embarrassment against one of the top offenses in the country, but there were a couple of positive spins to observe too.

LSU had a rough outing on their home field on Saturday night against No. 1 Alabama. The Crimson Tide scored the third-largest blowout in series history against LSU with a 55-17 win against the Tigers, thus clinching their spot in the SEC Championship Game. But was it as bad as the score would indicate for LSU?

Well, yeah. It was pretty bad. Here are five observations from the game as LSU begins to come down the final stretch of its 2020 season.

How much blame goes to Bo Pelini?

Alabama scored touchdowns on each of their first five offensive possessions in the first half. Giving up 35 points on your first five defensive series is troubling for any team. This is especially the case for one of the highest-paid defensive coordinator who has come under plenty of fire as the season has progressed. It will be easy to pile on defensive coordinator Bo Pelini this week following this performance against Alabama, but considering the Crimson Tide do this to every opponent, should Pelini be taking any more criticism than he typically has this year?

Yes, probably.

Alabama has an absolutely loaded offense. There is no mistake about that. And LSU’s defense does not have the kind of depth it typically does for a variety of reasons. But this is still LSU, and the defense was an embarrassment from the start of the game against the team that typically stands in LSU’s way in the division. On your home field. This was not a good look for Pelini.

TJ Finley avoided crucial mistakes

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron chewed into young starting quarterback TJ Finley last week following an ill-advised pass that wound up going for a Texas A&M touchdown in the second half. Againats Alabama, Finley remained the starting quarterback and he avoided making similar mistakes. Finley didn’t have an overly impressive night in the box score, but he didn’t make the kind of mistake that would lead to an easy Alabama score (as if Alabama needed the help). And perhaps if LSU decided to let Finley pick up an early first down on the first offensive series of the game, things could have turned out at least a little bit different.

John Emery Jr. brought some juice to the running game

LSU’s rushing attack was virtually non-existent a week ago against a stingy Texas A&M defense. The running game wasn’t able to be a major factor against Alabama as the game got away from LSU early, but there were some positive moments from running back John Emery Jr. Emery Jr. led the Tigers with 79 rushing yards and a touchdown. He did so on seven rushing attempts, averaging 11.3 yards per rushing attempt. But 54 of those yards came on one play.

DeVonta Smith enjoyed a return to Louisiana

It always stings when one of the top high school players in Louisiana decides to head to Alabama. On Saturday night, wid receiver DeVonta Smith returned to the state to pour some salt on the recruiting wound. Smith caught eight passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns for quite a night to add to his personal highlight reel.

And you can’t quite blame LSU for not preparing to face Smith. Head coach Ed Orgeron said it was stressed in the defensive game plan. It just didn’t work.

Alabama is just in a class of their own

As much as LSU would like to think they are on the same level as Alabama, especially after last season, the reality is they just are not. Alabama has won nine out of the last 10 meetings in the series. Six of Alabama’s last seven wins against LSU have been decided by double-digits. The 2019 result was certainly the exception to the rule during LSU’s historic season.

This 2020 matchup will be tough to prove the gap is closing between the two programs. In fact, it could do more damage in suggesting the gap has widened in favor of Alabama more than it ever has before.

There is something to be said about getting your first taste of a big game like this one. And if LSU got all of the lumps out of the way for its youngest players against Alabama, LSU can only hope that leads to a much more competitive game when these teams are scheduled to square off again in 2021.

What does LSU football’s bowl game history look like over the past 20 years?

Instant reaction: LSU rolled by No. 1 Alabama

LSU’s defense had no ways to solve Alabama’s offense, led by Mac Jones and wide receiver DeVonta Smith, Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

If Alabama was out for revenge, then they got it with authority. No. 1 Alabama (9-0, 9-0 SEC) was in complete control of LSU (3-5, 3-5 SEC) on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. A year after losing to LSU in Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s offense was ready to clobber LSU in Baton rouge. They did just that with a 55-17 victory to remain in the driver’s seat to the SEC championship and a possible national championship.

Alabama quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Mac Jones was precise and efficient. Jones came out of the game early in the fourth quarter to end his night completing 20-of-28 for 385 yards and four touchdowns. Alabama receiver and Louisiana native DeVonta Smith had a monster game with eight receptions for 231 yards and three touchdowns, including a one-handed grab for a score late in the first half to push Alabama’s halftime lead to 45-14.

LSU’s defense showed some improvement in the last couple of games, but defensive coordinator Bo Pelini could not find any answers for the Alabama offense from the jump. Alabama scored touchdowns on each of their first five possessions and scored points on each of their first-half possessions with one field goal working its way into breaking up Alabama’s perfect touchdown streak.

If there was a turning point in the game, it came at the end of LSU’s first offensive series. After Alabama opened the game with a 75-yard touchdown drive, LSU worked its way into the red zone. On fourth down with one yard to go from the Alabama 15-yard line, Ed Orgeron opted to go for the first down rather than attempt to put some points on the scoreboard. But Alabama swallowed up Tyrion Davis-Price for a stop and five plays later the Crimson Tide took a 14-0 lead. The Alabama defense forced a three-and-out on LSU’s ensuing possession and the Alabama offense took a commanding 21-0 lead. The game was never in doubt.

Alabama’s 55 points scored is a new high for either team in the long-standing history of this rivalry. The previous record had been 46 points, scored by LSU a year ago. This was also the third-largest margin of victory for Alabama over LSU in the series. Alabama largest margins of victory over LSU are by 44 points (1922, 47-3) and 42 points (1925; 42-0). What a difference a year can make.

LSU quarterback TJ Finley completed 14-of-28 for 143 yards and a touchdown. The big play of the night for the LSU offense came on a pass from Finley to Kayshon Boutte, who dropped the football before crossing the goal line. Jontre Kirklin made what was ruled an immediate recovery for the score, letting Boutte off the hook this time.

Alabama’s win over LSU clinched the SEC West Division for Nick Saban and the Crismon Tide. Alabama will now face the Florida Gators, who clinched the SEC East Division title earlier in the day with a win over Tennessee.

LSU, on the other hand, fell to 3-5 on the season with just two games remaining on the regular-season schedule. Next week will see LSU face the Gators in a game that was rescheduled from a postponement earlier this season. A loss would clinch a losing record for LSU in 2020. LSU has not had a losing season since 1999, the final season under former head coach Gerry DiNardo. LSU made a coaching change after that 1999 season, hiring none other than Saban.

What does LSU football’s bowl game history look like over the past 20 years?

Report Card: Grading LSU’s win against Arkansas

LSU looked confident in all areas of the game in a road victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday.

After a couple of weeks off for one reason or another, LSU got back in the win column on Saturday with a 27-24 win at Arkansas. The win featured a fourth-quarter rally and a defensive stand to protect the lead.

The win evened LSU’s record at 3-3 as a season of ups and downs continued. Overall, this was a fairly positive game without much reason to criticize any particular group. This was a stark contrast from our last report card following LSU’s blowout loss to Auburn.

Let’s dig into this latest progress report on the Tigers.

Quarterback: B

TJ Finley started his third game for the Tigers, and he was much closer to his South Carolina performance than his dreadful outing against Auburn. That was very good news for LSU. Finley passed for 271 yards and two touchdowns without an interception thrown. The ability to protect the football was essential in a tight game like this, and seeing him look much more comfortable was an encouraging sign after Auburn really roughed him up a few weeks ago.

Finley also added 15 rushing yards to the game, but the ground game was in good hands as well.

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