LSU made a statement. The Tigers came out of Bryant-Denny Stadium with a 46-41 win, establishing themselves as the clear cut best team in the country. I give Alabama credit for making plays to get back in the game, but LSU controlled the game more than the final score would indicate. The Crimson Tide had no answers for Joe Burrow, who threw for 393 yards and 3 touchdowns. I mentioned in my last post that Clyde Edwards-Helaire was underrated; that’s no longer the case. Clyde was unstoppable against the Alabama defense, finishing with 103 yards rushing and 77 yards receiving. The offensive line held their own after getting embarrassed last year. The defense repeatedly made critical plays to get off the field on 3rd and 4th down. To put it simply, Alabama did not have many answers on either side of the ball for this Tiger team. Several Tigers made plays we’ll remember for years, so I won’t attempt to single out an MVP. However, I will give props to a few players along with their contributions to ending the long, frustrating, gut-wrenching, agonizing streak.

Offense

Kevin Faulk, Justin Vincent, Alley Broussard, Jeremy Hill, Leonard Fournette, Derrius Guice…Clyde Edwards-Helaire? Nobody expected the 5’7” 3 star recruit to become the next star running back at LSU. Nonetheless, when you look past his size you see star traits. He has vision, quick feet, power, pass blocking ability, pass catching ability, and HEART. On 3rd down after 3rd down, he wouldn’t be denied. What more could you ask for from a running back?

What is there left to say about Joe Burrow? No matter what Bama tried, Joe knew where to go with the ball. Love him or hate him, Nick Saban is one of the greatest college coaches ever, particularly on defense. Burrow had 457 total yards against Saban’s defense Saturday, cementing his place as the 2019 Heisman trophy winner. Burrow’s most impressive attribute is his mental toughness, which is contagious to his teammates. By the time the next play starts, the last play is forgotten. This is a quality you can not teach; this is what makes him the best QB in the country. Enjoy him while you can. This is the best QB in LSU history.

Ja’Marr Chase is a physical freak. Strong and explosive, the sophomore receiver had only 6 catches for 140 yards. He made a future NFL cornerback look like a Louisiana College backup on the first quarter touchdown against Trevon Diggs. Some players exhibit a different type of athleticism that stands out, even when they don’t play a lot. I saw it with Odell, Deion Jones, Michael Clayton, and Jamal Adams. We saw it in Chase last year. We’re witnessing the first WR off the board in the 2021 draft. Enjoy.

Defense

Rashard Lawrence set the tone early. A TD drive on the first possession of the game would’ve given the Tide confidence, and we could have been looking at a different game. Lawrence tips what would’ve been a TD pass, Tua goes on to fumble, and that was the last time Alabama would have a chance to take the lead in this game. Not to mention, he also had 4 tackles, a sack, and another tipped pass. This was a great game for the Sr. in his last chance to beat Alabama.

K’Lavon Chaisson is a complete player. Fans would like to see higher sack numbers, but Chaisson is effective against the pass AND the run. Even when he doesn’t get sacks, he disrupts plays. Chaisson finished with 10 tackles, many of them coming on crucial 3rd downs.

We didn’t hear Kristian Fulton’s name a lot Saturday, and if you’re a defensive back, that’s a good thing. Fulton gave up 1 catch on 2 targets and to go along with a questionable holding call. That’s as lockdown as it gets. I was also impressed with Cordale Flott, but Fulton lined up against Jerry Jeudy often, which makes his play even more impressive.

Coming into this game, I was bothered by the fact that I felt the playoff committee would put Bama in even with a loss. Today, I don’t care. I have doubts that their resumé (or lack thereof) will warrant them a spot in the final four. Even if they do get in, LSU is the better team. This wasn’t a fluke, luck, scheme, or tricks. The Tigers are better. This win came down to Jimmy’s and Joe’s, not X’s and O’s. I’ve noticed fans of the other side saying “It’s about time.” They’re right. It’s about time that we understand that this is a new era of LSU football. Aggressive. Offensive. Innovative. WE COMIN! GEAUX TIGERS!!!