The Texas A&M Aggies played host to LSU on Thanksgiving night in search of their first win over the Tigers since joining the SEC West. The Aggies had lost each of their first two matchups against LSU since becoming an official member of the SEC, even with the magic of Johnny Football on their side.
LSU vs. Texas A&M final score: 3 things we learned from Tigers’ narrow 23-17 win
The Tigers end an 8-4 season on a high note, while the Aggies fall to 7-5.
Scott Halleran/Getty Images
It didn’t look like there would be any magic for A&M this night, as the Tigers manhandled the Aggies for 3.5 quarters and held a 20-10 lead with LSU in the red zone with 10 minutes to play. However, LSU was forced to settle for a 39-yard field-goal attempt, which Trent Domingue missed, leaving the door open for the Aggies.
After Kyle Allen hit Speedy Noil for a 27-yard score, that trimmed the Tigers' lead to just 20-17, and it looked like the Tigers were letting this one slip away.
However, the Tigers would answers by driving down the field after big run by Leonard Fournette, and LSU got a 43-yard field goal to take a 23-17 lead. On A&M’s final drive, LSU safety Jalen Collins intercepted an Allen pass amid a questionable call to seal the win for the Tigers.
LSU accepted it should run the ball all the time
One of Les Miles' biggest shortcoming as a head coach has been his inability to consistently find a decent starting QB. That's been the case this year, as both Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris have been shaky.
Want to give Harris a shot? pic.twitter.com/M6NVy7rruA
— Michael Shamburger (@mshamburger1) November 28, 2014 Instead of going back and forth between Harris and Jennings or allowing Jennings to throw the game away, Miles has instead opted to all but abandon the pass and just run the ball on nearly every down. That was the case against Texas A&M, as the Tigers ran the ball a whopping 57 times.
There was no reason to stop, as LSU gashed the Aggies for 384 yards on 57 carries (6.7 yards per rush).
Leonard Fournette is a beast
Just ask Howard Matthews:
The freshman phenom bulldozed Aggie defenders on his way to 146 on just 19 carries, including a 46-yard run in the fourth quarter that set LSU up for a field goal that was the final score of the game.
After not reaching 100 yards in his first four college games, Fournette has now reached that mark four times this season. In those eight games he didn’t reach that mark, Fournette had just an average of 13.3 carries. When Fournette gets the rock, he usually comes up big for the Tigers.
LSU may have a kicker controversy
There didn’t appear to be much separation between the two teams coming into this matchup, and this could have been a game in which both teams needed points from their kickers.
LSU's Colby Delahoussaye has often come up big this year, highlighted by his 50-yard game-winner at Florida to lift the Tigers to a 30-27 win. However, for all of the big kicks he's made, Delahoussaye has missed some gimmies, including a 22-yarder in the first quarter vs. Texas A&M.
That led Miles to pull Delahoussaye out if the game and replace him with Trent Domingue, who hit his first two field goals, but missed a 43-yarder in the fourth quarter that would have given LSU a 23-10 lead.
After Texas A&M scored to pull to trim the lead to 20-17, Miles went back to Delahoussaye to kick a 43-yarder with under three minutes left, and he converted it.
It appears as though Miles isn’t exactly confident in either kicker, but Delahoussaye made another clutch kick that should give him a little more leeway.
See More:
