Auburn, AL (Best E Casino) - Jarrett Lee threw for 182 yards on 11-of-22 passing for two touchdowns and one interception, as sixth-ranked LSU pulled out a 26-21 win over No. 10 Auburn in a crucial SEC Western Division contest.
Brandon LaFell caught four passes for 92 yards and the go-ahead score with 1:03 left in the game for LSU (3-0, 1-0 SEC). The game marked the 12th time in the past 19 games in this series that the outcome was decided by seven points or less.
Chris Mitchell and Demetrius Byrd each had a touchdown catch while Charles Scott ran for 132 yards on 21 attempts for LSU. Quarterback Andrew Hatch completed 2-of-6 passes for 16 yards before leaving in the third quarter with a concussion.
Chris Todd threw for 250 yards and a touchdown while completing 17-of-32 passes, but was intercepted twice as Auburn (3-1, 1-1) failed to take advantage of its home turf. Prior to this outcome, the home team in this series had won eight consecutive games dating back to 2000.
Ben Tate ran for 45 yards on 19 carries and had one TD for Auburn, while Tim Hawthorne caught two passes for 87 yards. Rodgeriqus Smith had five catches for 73 yards and Robert Dunn had four receptions -- one of them a touchdown -- for 60 yards.
Auburn held a 21-20 lead with 6:40 remaining in the contest and, after an LSU punt, had the chance to extend its advantage. But the home team also had to punt, leading to what became the game-winning drive.
LSU took the ball on its own 46-yard line with four minutes left in the contest. Lee completed passes to Jared Mitchell of seven and nine yards, and a three-yard gain from Scott gave his team a first down at the Auburn 29. LSU took the ball down to the 18-yard line before Lee found LaFell for a touchdown.
LaFell lined up in the slot and made a hard cut to the right sideline and turned back to Lee, who kept the ball low and to the outside, away from the Auburn defender. LaFell made the catch, turned back upfield and raced into the end zone. LSU tried for a two-point conversion but failed, and the score remained 26-21 with just over a minute remaining.
Auburn, though, had a chance to win -- it took the ball at its own 36 armed with all three timeouts. Todd completed a short pass to Tate, and a roughing- the-passer penalty on LSU defensive end Rahim Alem brought the ball to the LSU 47.
However, the gain was negated when Alem sacked Todd back at the Auburn 38 to create a 2nd-and-25 with 45 ticks left, after the home team called a timeout. Todd tried a couple of deep throws, both incomplete, before he connected with Smith at the LSU 39. But Smith was tackled a few yards short of the first down as LSU took over and ran out the clock to seal the win.
The victory for LSU was the product of a second-half turnaround -- the school managed just three points in the first half, and trailed 14-3 at intermission. The visitors took the ball at their own 27-yard line with just more than nine minutes left in the stanza, and advanced to the LSU 45 on a five-yard gain by Hatch.
But on the play he was hit hard by Auburn defenders and looked dazed upon getting up. He staggered a bit looking to the sideline for signals, and eventually left the game with a concussion.
Lee came in and had immediate impact, finding Richard Dickson for 16 yards to bring the ball across midfield to the Auburn 39. LSU faced third down from there, but Lee connected with Chris Mitchell over the middle for a touchdown, which brought the visitors within 14-10.
LSU then made a bold move with an onside kick attempt, and recovered the ball -- though had to punt. But after Auburn drove all the way to the LSU 32, on 4th-and-1, Todd's pass was intercepted by Chris Hawkins at the 11-yard line.
LSU almost immediately turned that into points, as it took just four plays to reach the end zone. Scott ran for 11 yards before Lee found LaFell for a 33- yard gain down the left sideline. Lee's next pass went to LaFell again for 23 yards to the Auburn 22, and running back Keiland Williams completed a TD pass to Byrd down the right sideline.
The last play of the third quarter, it gave LSU a 17-14 edge. That advantage went up to 20-14 on a 32-yard field goal by Colt David with 8:27 left in the game.
But on the ensuing drive, Auburn displayed quick-strike ability of its own. On second down from the Auburn 26, Todd found Hawthorne wide open on the right side of the field and made the throw near midfield. Hawthorne made the catch and raced down to the LSU 16. Then, facing a 3rd-and-9, Todd threw another pass on-target to Dunn on the left side of the end zone.
Dunn managed to get a few feet of space between himself and his defender and made the reception in stride for the TD, which put Auburn up 21-20 with 6:40 left in the game.
Despite the frantic and high-scoring nature of the second half, neither team got on the scoreboard until David kicked through a 46-yarder with just over two minutes left in the first quarter. A one-yard run by Tate capped an eight- play, 69-yard drive in the second quarter that gave Auburn a 7-3 edge. The home team took a 14-3 lead at halftime thanks to Gabe McKenzie.
The Auburn defender anticipated an LSU screen play and easily intercepted a soft throw by Lee, then raced 24 yards into the end zone with 1:31 on the clock.
Game Notes
LSU holds a narrow 23-19-1 edge all-time in the series...It was the sixth consecutive year the teams have both been ranked going into the matchup...Auburn hadn't allowed a point in first half this season.
