It was a little too close for comfort for the LSU Tigers (3-1, 0-1 SEC) on Saturday when Syracuse (2-2) got within two points with a little more than five minutes left in the fourth quarter. However, LSU was able to hold off the Orange and come away with a 35-26 victory at Tiger Stadium.
LSU got on the board nine seconds into the ballgame after Greedy Williams intercepted Eric Dungey on the first play of the ballgame and got it to the one-yard line. Derrius Guice capitalized on the short field with a one-yard run to take the early lead. Syracuse responded later in the quarter with a 17-play drive that ended with Cole Murphy connecting with a 42-yard field goal to put them on the board.
Despite being under pressure for much of the game, Danny Etling was still able to sling it from time to time, including a 43-yard pass to make it 14-3 as both teams headed into the locker room.
Etling found paydirt on the first offensive play of the second half with a lob to Drake Davis for 87 yards to make it 21-3. Syracuse responded on the ensuing drive with a halfback pass from Devin Butler connecting with Ervin Phillips to make it 21-10.
Darrel Williams kept the Orange out of reach later in the third quarter with a 20 yard run. However, the Orange got lucky late in the third with a punt from Sterling Hofrichter rolled down to the one-yard line. The next play, Darrel Williams wound up not crossing the plane and was ruled a safety, making it 28-12.
Syracuse took advantage of this with a 10-play drive capped off by Eric Dungey taking it himself for 14 yards and the score to make it a nine-point ballgame.
At this point, freshman Myles Brennan was put into the ballgame and the Orange wound up capitalizing on the inexperience when Juwan Dowels got an interception at their own 20 yard line. That turned into a methodical 13-play drive that ended with Dungey finding Steve Ishmael on a go route to make it a two-point game.
However, the Tigers put the game out of reach with DJ Chark running it into the endzone from 20 yards out.
LSU will return to action next Saturday when they host the Troy Trojans (3-1) with kickoff set for 6 pm.
-Clint Domingue