2020 Gumbo Final - Book - Page 61
Roll Tide
Who?
Story: Jacob Beck
Photo: Mitchell Scaglione
Design: Chloe Bryars
T
Tigers beat Alabama 46-41 ending a six
year winning streak for the crimson tide
he Tigers received big contributions from its
linebacking corps, with sophomore K’Lavon
Chaisson having his best game of the season
with 10 total tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss and
one quarterback hit. Juniors Jacob Phillips and
Patrick Queen had seven tackles each, while
Queen had a timely interception in the second
quarter that led to an LSU touchdown just before
halftime.
The Tigers managed only one sack for the
game, but pressured Alabama quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa a number of times with five
quarterback hits. The defense forced the
Heisman hopeful to complete just over 50% of
his passes. The 34 offensive points Alabama
scored was their second lowest total of the
season other than it’s 35-13 victory over
Tennessee in which Tagovailoa went down with
an early injury.
The first half defensive performance is one
that, while not historic, was in some ways
unbelievable considering the way Alabama has
been able to score this season. The 13 points
that the Crimson Tide scored in the first half was
their lowest first half total on the season, and
ended up being just enough as the Tide got
going offensively in the second half.
Veteran leadership played a huge part in the
lead-up to the game and during it, as senior
defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence held the
motivation to not lose in his final game against
Alabama after losing in his past three seasons.
Lawrence finished with four total tackles, 0.5
sack and two pass breakups, one coming at
a key moment on the Tide’s first drive when
Tagovailoa had an open Najee Harris in the flat
but Lawrence knocked the pass down.
“There was a lot of motivation for Rashard and
he did a great job of leadership,” said LSU coach
Ed Orgeron. “So did K’Lavon Chaisson. I thought
Tyler Shelvin played great in the middle, but
that’s what it takes when it comes to a team
(Alabama) like this.”
Junior safety JaCoby Stevens was another
integral part of the Tigers’ defensive effort,
contributing seven total tackles, 1.5 tackles for
loss, and one quarterback hit. Stevens felt the
sting of an Alabama loss in his first two seasons,
and knew just how much this victory meant for
LSU.
“This was for the whole state of Louisiana,”
Stevens said. “I know everybody from the state
of Louisiana was tired of losing to Alabama.
Alabama was joking that Louisiana is little
brother. We’re not. This win is for the entire state
of Louisiana.”
LSU senior
quarterback Joe
Burrow (9) and
football coach Ed
Orgeron celebrate
after the Tigers’ 46-41
victory over Alabama
in Bryant-Denny
Stadium on Saturday,
Nov. 9, 2019
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