The LSU Tigers lost momentum early in the second half, but never relinquished the lead throughout the Texas Bowl handily defeating Texas Tech (7-6) 56-27.
The Tigers opened things up with a quick drive down the field highlighted by a big run by Leonard Fournette that led to him running it in for a TD to put LSU up 7-0.
But Texas Tech was able to respond with a nine play drive that went 90 yards that was capped off with a 46 yard pass from Patrick Mahomes to Jakeem Grant, but a failed two point conversion helped LSU retain a 7-6 lead.
LSU wasted no time in responding with DJ Chark flying down the field with a 79 yard run to extend the lead late in the first quarter.
Fournette got in the endzone for the second time, this time with a pass from Brandon Harris to further increase their lead.
But the Red Raiders shifted the momentum with another 90-yard drive that ended with Mahomes connecting with Grant for the second time to cut away at the Tigers lead late in the second quarter.
The momentum continued to turn Texas Tech’s way when Harris through his sixth interception in five games that led to Mahomes connecting with Davis on a 31-yard pass to cut LSU’s lead down to one point.
But the Tigers weren’t about to give the lead away when Fournette got through a big hole and took it to the house from 43 yards out to put some breathing room between themselves and Texas Tech.
The Tigers began to pull away again with Rickey Jefferson picking off Mahomes at the goal line. Harris and the LSU offense struck quickly with deep passes and it ended with Fournette getting his fourth touchdown of the night.
After letting Fournette run it in three times, Harris decided to keep it himself to get extend their lead even more late in the third quarter. But Texas Tech responded with a strike down the field that ended with Mahomes connecting with Grant for the third time.
But LSU wanted to put the game away and handed it to Fournette for his fifth TD of the game to go up 49-27. And the dagger was put in with Darrell Williams running it with four minutes left in regulation.
The Tigers will end the season with a 9-3 record.
-Clint Domingue