SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 9, 2014
No. 4 Alabama 20, No. 15 LSU 13 (OT): Blake Sims threw two touchdown passes, including the game-winner in overtime, as the visiting Crimson Tide rallied to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Sims finished just 20-of-45 for 209 yards but led Alabama (8-1, 5-1 SEC) on its longest drive of the game to set up the field goal that forced overtime and threw a 6-yard TD pass to DeAndrew White in overtime. Amari Cooper caught eight passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Anthony Jennings was just 8-of-26 for 76 yards with a touchdown and an interception and went 0-for-4 on the Tigers' possession in overtime. The rally spoiled a stellar defensive effort from LSU (7-3, 3-3), as Lamar Louis forced a T.J. Yeldon fumble that Kendell Beckwith recovered on the Alabama 6-yard line to set up a 39-yard Colby Delahoussaye field goal that gave the Tigers a 13-10 lead with 50 seconds left.
The Tigers forced punts on Alabama's first four possessions and cashed in a short field for a 14-yard TD pass from Jennings to Malachi Dupre for a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. The Crimson Tide pulled even with 5:40 left in the second when Cooper took a short pass from Sims and spun out of a tackle to go 23 yards for a touchdown.
After missing from 27 yards earlier in the quarter, Adam Griffith connected for a 39-yard field goal with nine seconds left in the half to give Alabama a 10-7 halftime advantage, but LSU opened the third quarter with a 12-play drive ending with a 35-yard Delahoussaye field goal to tie it. After Delahoussaye's second field goal, Sims led the Crimson Tide down the field to set up Griffith's 27-yard field goal to tie it and hit tight end Brandon Greene over the middle on the first play in overtime to set up the winning touchdown pass.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cooper (10) is one receiving touchdown shy of tying his own school record set as a freshman in 2012. … Alabama, which entered the week ranked second nationally with a 55.7 percent third-down conversion rate, was 8-of-20 on third down. … LSU and Alabama have gone to overtime four times since 2005 with each team winning two of those contests.