After suffering a 31-24 road loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores, the LSU Tigers returned home for a week nine matchup with the Texas A&M Aggies. LSU went into the half ahead by four and quickly found themselves getting dominated in the second half, losing 49-25 and falling to 5-3 on the season. This game marked the first time the Tigers lost at home to the Aggies since the 1994 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
LSU got the ball first and had to punt after five plays. Texas A&M, on its first possession, scored on a long run by Marcel Reed. The Aggie quarterback had nothing but daylight up the middle and went 41 yards to the house to put the Tigers behind by seven through the first five minutes of the game.
Garrett Nussmeier responded with a touchdown drive of their own, going 74 yards in eight plays. Nussmeier completed six passes, including a five-yard touchdown to Trey’Dez Green on a fade into the endzone. A pass interference call against Dezz Ricks helped set up the score and tie the ball game with 5:38 left in the opening quarter.
The Aggies reclaimed the lead late in the first with a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Reed moved the chains with a 14-yard run and completed multiple downfield passes. The final throw featured Reed stepping up in the pocket and delivering a strike to KC Concepcion for the 15-yard score.
Texas A&M set up 1st & 10 from their 16-yard line and moved to the 27 with an 11-yard pass by Reed to Mario Craver. It was a disaster after that for the Aggies as the center snapped the ball past Reed for an 11-yard loss. Then, PJ Woodland nearly came down with an interception, and the Bayou Bandits pressured Reed into a throwaway and forced a punt. Special Teamer Jhase Thomas blocked Tyler White’s kick, and the ball rolled out of the endzone for a safety.
LSU couldn’t do anything with the ball and punted back to A&M after a three-and-out. Reed completed a pair of 20+ yard passes, including a 47-yarder where Reed threw across the field, over an LSU defender’s head, and connected with Ashton Bethel-Roman to set up 1st & GOAL from the four-yard line. On third down, AJ Haulcy intercepted Reed’s pass in the endzone and returned the football to the 25-yard line.
A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Solomon Williams extended LSU’s drive post-turnover. Nussmeier flipped the field on the next play by connecting with Barion Brown deep for a gain of 41 yards. Harlem Berry carried the ball the rest of the way, scoring a seven-yard touchdown in the process. Damian Ramos’ PAT attempt was no good, but the Tigers held a one-point lead with 3:09 to go in the second quarter.
LSU’s defense was opportunistic for a second straight drive; this time, Harold Perkins hauled in an interception after Mansoor Delane batted the ball in the air. Off the turnover, Caden Durham ran down the Tiger sideline for a 28-yard pickup to the A&M 16. LSU would settle for a 30-yard field goal by Ramos and go into the half up 18-14.
The Aggies wasted no time reclaiming the lead coming out of the break. A&M began at its 44-yard line after a 43-yard kick return by Terry Bussey. They methodically moved the ball down the field, driving 56 yards in nine plays. Reed capped it off with a five-yard scramble into the endzone to put his team ahead by three.
It didn’t stop there as the Aggie defense forced a three-and-out punt by LSU, and Concepcion returned the ball 79 yards to the house. The Tigers were down 28-18 with 8:47 to go in the third.
Texas A&M nearly gave the ball back to LSU on a muffed punt, but recovered the loose ball at midfield. Jamarion Morrow ended the drive quickly with a 24-yard touchdown catch to put the Aggies ahead by three scores with four minutes before the final quarter.
It then became an unbearable deficit early in the fourth when A&M drove 33 yards in six plays and tight end Nate Boerkircher scored from one yard out on a fullback dive. The Bayou Bengals found themselves down 42-18 with 14:15 left.
LSU decided to go for it on 4th & 4, and Green was tackled one yard short for the turnover on downs. That set up Texas A&M at the Tiger 29-yard line. The Aggies reached the endzone five plays later with an 11-yard score by Morrow, putting 49 on the board for the visiting team.
Head coach Brian Kelly took out Nussmeier and put Michael Van Buren Jr in at quarterback. The sophomore signal caller led the offense down the field as Kyle Parker came down with a 12-yard touchdown catch with a minute to go.
A&M bled the rest of the clock and secured the historic home loss for LSU. The Tigers fell to 5-3, falling to the Aggies 49-25.
BIG NUMBER: 21
Everything broke loose in the third quarter. In those 15 minutes of game time, Texas A&M outscored LSU 21-0 as Marcel Reed passed and rushed for a touchdown, and KC Concepcion took a punt 79 yards to the house. The Aggies also outgained the Tigers in the quarter, 137 yards to nine.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Marcel Reed
Reed was lethal in the air and on the ground Saturday night. The Aggie starting quarterback completed 12 passes for 202 yards and touchdowns, then rushed for another 108 yards on 13 carries and two more scores, and LSU fell at home 49-25.
UP NEXT: The LSU Tigers will have the next week off before traveling to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to play the Crimson Tide. Kickoff from Bryant-Denny Stadium will be between 5:00-7:00 PM Central Time on Saturday, November 8th. The action can be heard on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.