The first half could not have gone too much worse for Auburn. The visiting Tigers lost a wide receiver to an injury, had a punt nearly fumbled away by the punter and LSU has dominated en route to a 21-0 halftime lead. LSU running back Jeremy Hill has rushed for a career high 153 rushing yards and two touchdowns. It has helped that LSU has a significant advantage in the trenches going in their favor right now.
While the LSU o-line has been opening up highway-sized lanes for Hill, the defensive line has been consistent in bringing pressure ton Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall and slowing down any momentum in the running game. Perhaps surprisingly, LSU has yet to sack Marshall, while Auburn has recorded two sacks of Zach Mettenberger. Auburn is just 1-for-8 on third down conversions as well.
In the first quarter, Auburn wide receiver Jaylon Denson slipped and fell to the soggy field. He would not get up until trainers attended to him, wrapped his leg in an inflatable brace and lifted him to a cart to be removed from the field.
LSU is looking very solid and if they can continue to pound Auburn the way they did in the first half, these Tigers should start to get even more people talking about them as a legitimate threat to Alabama’s SEC and BCS throne.