By Bud L. Ellis
Close losses to each of the top two ranked teams in the nation can be disappointing to accept.
But LSU losing to unranked Ole Miss as time ran out with the ball on the Rebels’ 6? That’s one that will take a while for the Tigers to get over, LSU losing 25-23 as all chaos broke loose on the Tigers’ sidelines in the final minute.
LSU’s coaching staff couldn’t decide what plays to call in the critical final minutes. The Tigers lost valuable time trying to call timeout, and couldn’t get lined up at the 6 before time expired.
It’s a bitter defeat for a program that only had lost close decision to top-ranked Florida and second-ranked Alabama. LSU, which was seeking to finish with just the two losses, held a 17-9 lead against the Rebels midway through the second quarter. Then Ole Miss scored 16 unanswered points to build a 25-17 lead.
LSU pulled within 25-23 on a Jordan Jefferson 25-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randal with 1:17 left. But the two-point conversion attempt failed.
The Tigers recovered the onside kick and moved downfield, but poorly managed the clock and ran out of time.
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Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 12:07 pm by bud
Tags: Alabama, Florida, Jordan Jefferson, LSU, Ole Miss, Rueben Randal, Southeastern Conference
The No. 9 LSU Tigers came up a little bit short in a 24-15 loss to the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Tigers looked to be in pretty good position early in the game until an injury to quarterback Jordan Jefferson.
After the injury to Jefferson, the Tigers stood no chance of moving the football against the stingy Alabama defense.
LSU actually held a four-point lead at halftime and extended it to five entering the fourth quarter, but Alabama scored 14 unanswered points to end the game.
The loss eliminates LSU from SEC championship contention as well as dashes any remaining hopes of a run to the national championship.
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 11:55 am by steve
By Bud L. Ellis
They won’t spend the first Saturday in December playing for the SEC championship, but there still is plenty at stake for the LSU Tigers in 2009.
The Tigers fought hard in Saturday’s SEC West showdown in Tuscaloosa, but couldn’t hold onto a slim lead early in the fourth quarter and fell to Alabama, 24-15.
Now that it’ll be the Crimson Tide playing Florida for the conference championship inside the Georgia Dome Dec. 5 — with the winner likely moving into the BCS title game — the Tigers are left to look ahead.
It’s not as gloomy as things appear.
LSU’s only losses this season are to the Gators and Tide, the top two teams in the nation. At 7-2 on the season and ranked No. 9, the Tigers still have a shot at a 10-win season and a good bowl game.
But work remains to be done. This week’s contest against Louisiana Tech doesn’t figure to be much more than a tune-up for the Tigers, but conference games at Ole Miss and at home against Arkansas will be challenging.
If the Tigers are up to those challenges, though, LSU will end the regular season at 10-2, and will be an attractive pick for one of the SEC-aligned bowl games. It’s likely the loser of the SEC title game will land in the Sugar Bowl, but there are plenty of nice options for an LSU team that can run the table from here on out.
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Monday, November 9, 2009 at 9:51 am by bud
Tags: Alabama, Arkansas, BCS, Florida, Louisiana Tech, LSU, Ole Miss, Southeastern Conference, Sugar Bowl
