Two of the best defenses in the country set the tone early Saturday afternoon on the Plains before No. 7 Auburn started to get going late and managed to secure a 14-10 lead at halftime following two unanswered scoring drives.
The Tigers -- the home version -- could not have scripted a worse opening series as quarterback Jarrett Stidham’s was picked on his first pass of the game. The budding Heisman Trophy candidate eventually finished the half with 113 yards through the air but he didn’t have a ton of time to throw on each dropback and it took until late in the second quarter before he and his teammates started to find a rhythm.
One pass, one interception.
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 15, 2018
What a start for @LSUFootball. pic.twitter.com/Gx2Nkn5Ost
Of course, it didn’t help that Auburn also had trouble opening up running lanes and getting things going on the ground in the first quarter either. The team upped the tempo as the half went on but every carry was a fight as freshman JaTarvious Whitlow was the early star and leading rusher with 54 yards and a touchdown. Fellow freshman Shaun Shivers also flashed potential and used one of his three carries to find the end zone just before the break too.
LSU’s offense wasn’t that much better but they wasted no time capitalizing on the early turnover, converting three third downs on the opening drive before Clyde Edwards-Helaire punched it into the end zone from a yard out. Quarterback Joe Burrow started strong but trailed off as the game wore on, throwing for 111 yards on 7-of-16 passing while getting sacked once.
Tailback Nick Brossette chipped in with 46 hard-fought yards rushing as well.
There’s still a half to play in Tigers vs. Tigers for early SEC West superiority and it will be fascinating to see what kind of halftime adjustments both coaches make in this one. Whoever can get their offense going figures to win this one but that will not be easy at all given how both defenses are playing right now.