LSU went on the road and lost a shootout at Ole Miss as the Tigers fell 55-49. With the loss, LSU falls to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the Southeastern Conference, and is now likely out of contention for the College Football Playoff.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Ole Miss opened the game with a 14-play, 75-yard drive which was capped with a four-yard touchdown pass to Quinshon Judkins.
After the two teams traded punts on the next two possessions, Ole Miss added to its lead after hitting Jayden Daniels hard enough to dislodge the ball for a fumble.
The Rebels went 71 yards in just three plays and finished it off with a 43-yard touchdown run by Ulysses Bentley IV.
LSU got on the scoreboard with 1:25 left in the first quarter when Jayden Daniels connected with Brian Thomas Jr. for a 20-yard touchdown.
Ole Miss responded by going 75 yards on just four plays as Dart found Jordan Watkins for a 63-yard touchdown. At the end of the first, Ole Miss led 21-7.
The offensive fireworks continued in the second quarter.
LSU got on the scoring started with a Logan Diggs one-yard touchdown run but then Ole Miss responded with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Dart to Dayton Wade.
LSU wasn’t done as Daniels found Thomas Jr. again — this time from 11 yards out. The Tigers’ defense bent but did not break on the Rebels’ next drive when it forced Ole Miss to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Caden Davis.
With less than two minutes left before halftime, LSU’s offense got to work as Daniels led the Tigers on a five-play, 75-yard drive which was finished off with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Kyren Lacy.
At the break, LSU trailed 31-28.
The Tigers opened up the second half taking its first lead of the game with an eight-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. Daniels sealed the deal with a one-yard touchdown run.
LSU’s defense allowed Ole Miss to put together a 45-yard drive but it forced the Rebels to again settle for a Davis field goal — this time from 48 yards out.
LSU’s offense scored its second touchdown to start the second half with a 12-yard run by Diggs.
After being held to two field goals on its previous two drives, the Rebels found the end zone with a 13-play, 75-yard drive capped with an 11-yard touchdown run by Judkins. Ole Miss went for the two-point conversion but LSU’s defense denied them to keep it 42-40.
Ole Miss forced LSU to go three-and-out and got the ball back after the punt at its own 34. The Rebels moved the ball only 21 yards Dart’s fourth-down pass was incomplete giving the Tigers the ball back at their 45-yard line.
LSU took advantage of the field as Daniels hit Thomas Jr. for a 34-yard touchdown. With 8:34 left to go in the fourth, the Tigers led the Rebels 49-40. Ole Miss produced a 10-play, 65-yard drive and capped it with a Dart one-yard touchdown run.
LSU got the ball back with a two-point lead but was unable to run out the clock as Ole Miss sacked Daniels on third down which forced a punt.
After the punt and a penalty, Ole Miss started the drive from their 12-yard line. The Rebels needed only eight plays to go 88 yards, as Dart completed passes of 24 yards to Tre Harris, a 17-yard pass to Bentley, and then a 13-yard touchdown pass to Harris — the former Comeaux High star.
Ole Miss went for two and picked it up with a run by Judkins. With 39 seconds left, LSU trailed 55-49.
The Tigers began the drive with a 42-yard pass from Daniels to Chris Hilton. After two incompletions, Daniels ran the ball for two yards but Ole Miss was called for a personal foul which gave the Tigers another 15.
LSU was then called for a false start and then Daniels threw an incomplete pass. The Tigers took a timeout with five seconds left and the ball at the Ole Miss 21. LSU was then called for another false start backing them up to the 26-yard line.
Daniels’ final pass was incomplete and the game was over.
BIG NUMBER: 1,343
The two teams put together quite the offensive show in Oxford, as they combined for 1,343 total offensive yards in the shootout. LSU’s offense put up 637 yards, including 414 through the air, while Ole Miss put up 706 yards, with 389 of that coming through the air and 317 yards on the ground.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: JAYDEN DANIELS & TRE HARRIS
LSU’s Jayden Daniels put on another show as he completed 27-of-36 passes for 414 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 99 yards and another rushing score. Ole Miss Tre Harris had a breakout game for the Rebels, as the former Comeaux High star caught eight passes for 153 yards and the go-ahead touchdown.
UP NEXT: LSU (4-2, 3-1) is back on the road next Saturday when it travels to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers. Pregame begins at 9 a.m. and kickoff is set for 11 a.m. and can be heard on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.