Field Level Media
Sep 22, 2018
Senior running back Nick Brossette scored on three short touchdown runs, including a 2-yard dive with 8:06 left, to blunt a 21-point Louisiana Tech rally and lead the No. 6 LSU Tigers to a 38-21 victory over the Bulldogs Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.
Brossette scored on a pair of 1-yard runs as LSU burst to a 24-0 first-half lead. After Louisiana Tech closed within 24-21, Brossette extended LSU's lead to 31-21 with his 2-yard score.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (20 carries for 136 yards) iced the game with a 1-yard dive, his second rushing score of the game, to put LSU up 38-21 with 2:23 left.
Tech quarterback J'Mar Smith, who completed 27 of 50 passes for 331 yards and three scores and an interception, threw a pair of touchdown passes in the second half to cut the margin to three points.
The first came on a fourth-and-goal gamble from the LSU 1-yard line, when Smith found wide receiver Bobby Holly on the right edge, cutting the deficit to 24-14 early in the third quarter.
Then Smith found Adrian Hardy (10 catches, 181 yards, two touchdown catches) for a 42-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to cut it to 24-21.
LSU (4-0) extended its lead to 31-21 with a 12-play, 70-yard drive, the big plays coming on Joe Burrow's 28-yard sideline throw to Dee Anderson and a pass interference call on third down against L'Jarius Sneed in the end zone that gave LSU a first-and-goal from the 2.
LSU turned two first-half turnovers into short touchdowns to take a 24-7 halftime lead. After Brossette opened the scoring with a 1-yard run, LSU got the ball back when cornerback Kristian Fulton forced a fumble that linebacker Devin White picked up and returned 29 yards to the Louisiana Tech 3. Brossette got his second 1-yard touchdown three plays later to put the Tigers up 14-0.
LSU extended its lead to 17-0 on Cole Tracy's 24-yard field goal and then set up another touchdown with a batted-ball interception by safety Ed Paris at the Louisiana Tech 28. On the next play, Edwards-Helaire made it 24-0 with a 28-yard burst around left end.
The Bulldogs (2-1) drove 75 yards to narrow the deficit to 24-7 on Hardy's 20-yard touchdown reception from Smith with 4:23 left in the half.
--Field Level Media