Cole Tracy field goal gives LSU 22-21 win at Auburn

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Cole Tracy kicked a 42-yard field goal on the final play of the game to give LSU a 22-21 victory against Auburn in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

HOW THEY SCORED

First Quarter

LSU 7, Auburn 0

Score: Clyde Edwards-Helaire 1-yard run. Tracy kick. Time Remaining: 9:59. Drive: 34 yards in 9 plays. Time of Possession: 4:22. Key Play: On third-and-11, Joe Burrow completed a 15-yard pass to Justin Jefferson for a first down at Auburn’s 8.

Second Quarter

LSU 10, Auburn 0

Score: Tracy 33-yard field goal. Time Remaining: 8:37. Drive: 75 yards in 10 plays. Time of Possession: 4:42. Key Play: On first-and-ten, Javaris Davis was called for pass interference against Derrick Dillon to give LSU a first down at Auburn’s 18.

LSU 10, Auburn 7

Score: JaTarvious Whitlow 7-yard run. Anders Carlson kick. Time Remaining: 5:06. Drive: 75 yards in 10 plays. Time of Possession: 3:31. Key Play: Kary Vincent was called for pass interference against Nate Craig-Myers to give Auburn a first down at LSU’s 7.

Auburn 14, LSU 10

Score: Shaun Shivers 7-yard run. Carlson kick. Time Remaining: 1:31. Drive: 66 yards in 9 plays. Time of Possession: 2:38. Key Play: On second-and-ten, Shivers ran 13 yards for a first down at LSU’s 20.

Third Quarter

Auburn 21, LSU 10

Score: Darius Slayton 4-yard pass from Jarrett Stidham. Carlson kick. Time Remaining: 10:38. Drive: 55 yards in 7 plays. Time of Possession: 2:08. Key Play: On second-and-seven, Stidham completed a 33-yard pass to Asa Martin for a first down at LSU’s 4.

Auburn 21, LSU 13

Score: Tracy 27-yard field goal. Time Remaining: 3:58. Drive: 60 yards in 10 plays. Time of Possession: 4:10. Key Play: On first-and-ten, Burrow completed a 20-yard pass to Dee Anderson. K.J. Britt was also penalized for grabbing the face mask which gave LSU a first down at Auburn’s 33.

Fourth Quarter

Auburn 21, LSU 19

Score: Dillon 71-yard pass from Burrow. Pass failed. Time Remaining: 8:18. Drive: 71 yards in 1 play. Time of Possession: :12.

LSU 22, Auburn 21

Score: Tracy 42-yard field goal. Time Remaining: :00. Drive: 52 yards in 14 plays. Time of Possession: 5:38. Key Play: On second-and-ten, Jamel Dean was called for pass interference against Jefferson to give LSU a first down at Auburn’s 24.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME

Trailing by three points, LSU got possession at its 24-yard line with 5:38 remaining in the game. Burrow proceeded to take LSU into Tracy’s field goal range. There were four key plays on the drive – two completions by Burrow and two pass interference calls against Auburn defensive backs. On third-and-11, Jeremiah Dinson committed pass interference against Jonathan Giles for a first down at LSU’s 38. On third-and-seven, Burrow connected with Anderson for eight yards and a first down at LSU’s 49. Down to its last play, LSU had Burrow convert a fourth-and-seven with a nine-yard pass to Stephen Sullivan for a first down at Auburn’s 39. Then, LSU got into field goal range when Dean interfered with Jefferson to put the ball at Auburn’s 24.

LSU OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

For the third straight game, Burrow failed to complete more than 50 percent of his passes. However, he did just what was needed to lead a fourth-quarter drive for the game-winning field goal. He also threw a perfect pass to Dillon which resulted in a 71-yard touchdown pass that brought LSU within two points. Burrow completed 15 of 34 passes for a season-high 249 yards and one touchdown. For the third consecutive game, the LSU offense did not commit a turnover.

LSU DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Safety Grant Delpit set the tone early by intercepting a Stidham pass on the second play from scrimmage. Delpit’s interception led a touchdown which put LSU in front 7-0. Delpit finished with a career-high ten tackles. He had one tackle behind the line of scrimmage. Delpit also registered one pass breakup.     

KEY TEAM STATISTICS

Passing yards: LSU 249, Auburn 198

Yards per completion: LSU 16.6, Auburn 12.4

Total offense: LSU 370, Auburn 328

Time of Possession: LSU 35:04, Auburn 24:56

Third-down conversions: LSU 8-of-20, Auburn 4-of-12

Turnovers: LSU 0, Auburn 2

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS

LSU

Nick Brossette: 19 carries, 69 yards

Joe Burrow: 34 attempts, 15 completions, 249 yards, 1 touchdown

Justin Jefferson: 5 catches, 97 yards

Grant Delpit: 10 tackles

Michael Divinity: 6 tackles, 1½ tackles-for-loss

AUBURN

JaTarvious Whitlow: 22 carries, 104 yards, 1 touchdown

Jarrett Stidham: 28 attempts, 16 completions, 198 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions

Darius Slayton: 3 catches, 33 yards, 1 touchdown

Ryan Davis: 3 catches, 23 yards

Chandler Cox: 3 catches, 20 yards

Deshawn Davis: 13 tackles, 4 tackles-for-loss, 2 quarterback-hurries

Marlon Davidson: 6 tackles, 1½ tackles-for-loss

Jamel Dean: 2 tackles, 2 pass breakups

NOTES

Andre Anthony and Divinity were the starting outside linebackers for LSU. Left guard Garrett Brumfield left the game in the second quarter with an apparent shoulder injury. True freshman Chasen Hines replaced Brumfield, who came back in the third quarter. Jefferson, Glen Logan, Divinity, Vincent and Kristian Fulton all left the game due to injuries. Jefferson and Fulton returned to the lineup. . .Safety John Battle was ejected for targeting in the second half. Battle will be ineligible for the first half of next week’s game against Louisiana Tech. . .The victory was the first on the road against a top-ten team for LSU in seven seasons. LSU defeated No. 2 Alabama 9-6 in Tuscaloosa in 2011. LSU won that game on a field goal on the last play of overtime – a 25-yarder by Drew Alleman. . .The only other walk-off field goal by a LSU kicker since 1980 occurred in 2006 when Colt David made a 26-yarder in overtime against Ole Miss. . .The last time LSU won a game on the final play of regulation took place in 2010. Stevan Ridley ran for a touchdown on the last play to defeat Tennessee 16-14. . . LSU has won its first three games for the tenth time in the last 12 seasons. The Tigers were 2-1 in both 2016 and 2017. . .Auburn is 2-1. . The paid attendance was 86,787.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM

Coach Ed Orgeron’s comments: “A lot of things went well. A lot of things did not go well. But, we are 3-0 and that’s why we went on the plane – to be 3-0. I talked to the team that there was going to be adversity today. We had to fight through the adversity and we did that. We made some plays. We made some conversions. The defense made stops when they needed to. We had confidence in Cole Tracy. There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to make the field goal. The long pass to Derrick Dillon gave us a chance to win. Joe Burrow is a champion. He’s our quarterback.”

UP NEXT

LSU will play host to Louisiana Tech in a non-conference game at Tiger Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Central. The game will be available on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. The Bulldogs (2-0), who have defeated South Alabama and Southern, had an open date this week.