2016 Game 4 LSU

All week long we've heard what a big game this is.  Auburn needs a win in the worst way against one of our biggest historical rivals.  Gus Malzahn needs a win for job security.  Funny things happen in this series.  What will happen tonight?  The game kick off at 5 on ESPN at Jordan-Hare.  LSU is a 3.5 point favorite.  Will our defense continue to play well?  Will our offense show up?  Not likely on the latter. I'll be shocked if our offense sustains any kind of momentum and rhythm.   I'll be very surprised if we win this game.

FIRST QUARTER

The Tigers receive but go three and out as Tony Stevens drops a 3rd and 1 pass that would have been a first down.
After one first down LSU is punting though their big running back looks tough.
AU begins their second possession at their 40.
First play there's a loss of ten on a sack.  2nd and 20 right off the bat.
We cannot overcome the loss on first down and punt on 4th and 1 from the 49.
That's 2 straight three and outs.  Kyle Davis should have had the first but he juked instead of going straight ahead and was tackled a hard short.  Tony Stevens should have caught a first down pass on the first possession and Davis should have the first down on the second one.
LSU will start after the punt at their 13.  We should have gone for the first down near midfield.
LSU goes three and out again.
Auburn gets the ball back at the 49 where they had 4th and 1 before.
First down pass to the 34 to Stevens.
Alas, as usual, we move to 4th down and a long FG attempt.
One of our many offensive problems is negative plays.  A failed statue-of-liberty play on that series for example.
Daniel Carlson drills a 51-yd field goal.  Thank goodness for our place kicker!

Auburn 3 LSU 0

LSU gets a long run all the way to our 10 with a 52 yard run and they punch it in.  Their alternate running back pops thru a crease and away he goes.   Their power running game is superior to our defensive front.  LSU answer our score like good teams do.

Auburn 3 LSU 7

In the first quarter I see LSU winning this game easily.
Our offense needs to answer but we have not done this so far this season.
The Tigers drive to a 2nd and 7 at the LSU 35.

SECOND QUARTER

Pettway runs us down to the 13 on consecutive runs.
Pettway again to the 9 for a first and goal.
We move to third and goal at the 4.
White goes down on a sack at the 13 as he rolls to his left and holds the ball too long.
Once again Carlson is good.
First and goal at the 9 and we have to again kick the three.
We have to score touchdowns on first and goals.

Auburn 6 LSU 7

First play from the 25 Fournette runs all the way to the AU 40.  That was too easy.
Their drive is sustained by an unfortunate targeting call against Tre Williams.  Our announcers disagree.  Bad call!
Two straight losses including a Lawson sack pushes them to a 51 yard missed field goal!
Despite the bad officiating we stop them.
From the 34 two Pettway runs leads to a first down at the 44.
First down pass to the 18 to Slayton.
We move to third 4 at the 12.
End zone pass incomplete to Stevens.  He should have caught it Stan White says.
Carlson makes the 29-yd. field goal.  If you can't the 6 you have to at least get the 3.

Auburn 9 LSU 7

5:14 to go in the half.
After one first down LSU is punting at their 45.
Auburn starts at their 19.
What will our offense do from their with 3:10 to go.
A long pass completion to Johnson at the LSU 41.
Johnson runs to the LSU 28.
First down behind Kerryon Johnson at the 5.
We move to third and goal at the one foot line as KJ is just short on second down.
On 4th and goal from the one Johnson is stopped short.  Too bad.  We should have tried the outside instead of four times between the tackles.  Easy to say from here.  :)
If KJ had leaped he might have made it but he lowered his head instead.
The half ends.
We dominate the second quarter and lead but it should be a bigger lead.

THIRD QUARTER

LSU receives and after one first down they punt to our 14.
The Tigers drive handsomely.
First down at the LSU 20.
A clear helmet to helmet hit on White is reviewed and not called.
Our annoucers are laughing because it was CLEARLY helmet to helmet hit.  Unbelievable.
The drive ends as usual with a Daniel Carlson field goal.  Too bad once again.

Auburn 12 LSU 7

LSU goes marching down the field.
Those field goals rather than touchdowns are going to kill us.
LSU is first down at the 12.
Fournette runs to the 8.
After a loss on Fournette LSU is forced to a 29 yard attempt.
The kick is good.

Auburn 12 LSU 10

5:36 to go in the quarter.
On our ensuing possession White fumbles on the 16 and LSU gets the ball.
First turnover of the game.  The last thing we needed: a turnover.
LSU overs to third and 3 at the 8 and a timeout.
Our defense holds them to a short field goal.

Auburn 12 LSU 13

Once again our failures in the Red Zone are costing us big.
Can our offense answer?  Not likely.
Two Pettway runs between the tackles and we move to third and 5.
We have to do something other than running between the tackles.
First down pass to the 42 to Kyle Davis.
We move to another third and 5.
The quarter ends.

FOURTH QUARTER

Check down pass to Johnson and AU is first down at the 29.
Same song, different verse.
Carlson is good again this time from 37 yards.

Auburn 15 LSU 13

That's 5 field goals and no touchdowns.  I find it hard to believe we will win this game without finding the end zone before it's over.
12.36 to go in the football game.
First play and LSU runs to our 41.
FUMBLE!!!  on a bad attempted handoff,
Auburn recovers at their 31.
Two incomplete passes and there's a TO third and 10 at our 31.
Alas, we have to punt.
LSU fair catches at their 30.
Well, like I've said, sooner or later we will have to find the end zone to win this game.
LSU has Fournette.  I would hand it to him every play.
A chop block on the first play moves them back to the 15.
2nd and 25 as Holsey almost intercepts.
Short completion to 3rd and 18.
9:40 to go.
LSU will have to punt from their 29.
Good defense after we get the fumble and go three and out.
Auburn starts at their 37.
We are too predictable on offense.
First down to the LSU on a completion to Ryan Davis.
Competion to Ryan Davis to the 36.
Kerryon Johnson runs to the 20.
BUT again Carlson is called on again and is true from 29 yards.

Auburn 18 LSU 13

That is 6 field goals for Mr. Carlson.
LSU will have to score a touchdown to win this game.
It will be up to our defense to hold a 4 point lead.
This is scary stuff, but what do you expect from Auburn and LSU?
2;56 to go.  LSU begins as usual on their 25.
First down to the 37.
First down to our 47.
2nd and 8 from the AU 45 and a timeout with 1:43 left.
3rd down and 8.
1:38 to go.
Their qb scrambles for the first down to our 28.  Bad play for us.
Completion to the 18.
Third and one with 58 seconds to go.
First down to the 14.  Oh, my!
44 seconds to go.
What can our defense do?
2 and 10 with 28 seconds to go.
Lawson sacks their QB at the 20.
Third down with 24 seconds to go at the 20.
LSU uses its last timeout.
WHAT AN ENDING!
With one second to go the clock expires before LSU can get their last snap off.  The refs let the play go forward anyway.   Their pass is complete for the touchdown called on the field BUT on review it was CLEAR that the game ended before they got the snap off.  Clearly!  I would have blown a gasket if the refs had let that touchdown stand.
Thanks to Daniel Carlson.  Thanks to our defense.
It was an old-fashioned type of game but we win and that is all that matters.
I am happy for our players. I am happy for Kevin Steele. He has our defense playing well.   Weird things have always happened in this series.  It's the nature I guess of Auburn-LSU.