He’s paid, and paid well, to know that just a second of hesitation from anyone on the field or on the sidelines wearing purple and gold would spell the difference between finishing first and finishing second.
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That time it worked out for LSU, and surely many Auburn fans were having flashbacks to this game Saturday night, but lightning would not strike twice in this case. Key lowered his helmet into the back of quarterback Sean White, but was only flagged for reviewing the passer.
“My daughters said something about me wearing a visor and needing to put on a hat because I’m going bald, so I’m going to wear a hat from here on out”, Malzahn said.
“I didn’t see anybody blink”, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.
The game officials knew this one was over before Etling connected with Chark in heroic fashion, and Auburn coach Gus Malzahn also knew it as LSU went wild in the end zone jumping on one another, thinking they had won, 19-18. Carl Lawson had a big sack to slow LSU, moving the Bengal Tigers back from the 14 to the 20.
But upon review, the officials determined the snap never got off in time.
“That was about the most intense moment that I’ve ever had in my life”, Davis said as he began to chuckle. The third time was a charm against a nationally-ranked team. Chark made the catch and artfully kept his feet in bounds as the LSU bench erupted with the victory.
“It’s been a tough week, and it’s just a tribute to our leadership”.
LSU quarterback Danny Etling, the kid out of nowhere as in 1-11 Purdue in 2013, looked like San Francisco’s Joe Montana on January 10, 1982, in the NFC Championship Game as he rolled right and found his Dwight Clark in the end zone.
Etling finished 15-of-27 passing for 118 yards with a touchdown. I thought he made some good throws.
White completed five passes of 20 or more yards Saturday.
In the first few weeks of the season, Auburn’s strong defensive performances were undercut by an incoherent offense, leading to a 1-2 start.
After four straight three-and-outs between both teams, Auburn opened scoring with a 51-yard field goal from Daniel Carson.
In the third quarter of the game against LSU, Auburn kicker Daniel Carlson boomed the ball past the end zone on a kickoff – and right into a girl’s face.
“He’s a huge weapon. We just have to keep pushing”.
Kyle Shurmur’s 5-yard pass to Nathan Marcus on the first possession of overtime gave Vanderbilt (2-2) its first lead of the game, and Tommy Openshaw added the point after for the Commodores. That padded his school record.
He was paid, and paid well, to watch 55 seconds turn to 33 seconds after Malachi Dupre’s first down set up LSU’s last series of downs.
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The Tigers outgained Auburn 220 yards to 154, but suffered a critical fumble by Etling in the fourth quarter after LSU had driven to the Auburn 30 with Auburn clinging to a 15-13 lead.
