TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Third-ranked Alabama scored all 20 of its points in a five-minute and one second period at the end of the second quarter and start of the third period and outlasted a game LSU team that couldn't overcome two costly turnovers during that time span as the Crimson Tide kept its College Football Playoff dreams alive with a 20-14 win over 29-point underdog LSU Saturday night.
"I knew they were going to play well by the way we practiced," said head coach Ed Orgeron of his team's effort. "Our guys came to win."
Surprise! LSU was supposed to be a sacrificial lamb on Alabama's way to a possible shot at the College Football Playoff and instead they pushed the Crimson Tide to the limit, failing to score a touchdown with first and goal inside of the 10-yard line just over midway through the fourth quarter. A touchdown and conversion could have given the Tigers the lead and made things tough on an Alabama team that struggled to move the ball consistently the entire night.
LSU held the vaunted Alabama running game to 6 yards rushing on 26 carries. Bryce Young did any of the damage on offense that Bama was able to get. He was poised and hit on 24 of 37 passes for 302 yards.
LSU had one last big chance after sacking Bama QB Bryce Young and causing a fumble at the Tide 39 with 3:25 to go, but a one-yard run and three passes under duress all fell harmlessly.
A Hail Mary on the game's final play was no good.
"The defense did a great job. We got a lot of stops in the second half when it was a one score game," said Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
The Tigers came out playing hard and holding Alabama scoreless until there were just under three minutes to go in the first half - something few, if any teams have done over the last several years.
The Tigers seemed to have some fortune to start the game when an Alabama field goal went off the lower cross bar and LSU responded with a 68-yard scoring drive that included a fake punt on 4th and 4 at the Alabama 48 The drive ended with a Max Johnson to Brian Thomas Jr. for an eight-yard score to make it 7-0 LSU.
That's the way it stayed until Alabama went on a 12-play, 77-yard drive late in the second quarter. The drive ended with a Brian Robinson 2-yard run to tie it at 7.
LSU had an opportunity with the ball and just under three minutes to go before half, and they would also receive the ball to start the second half, a situation coaches relish.
But things went awry. Max Johnson was picked off on a tipped pass that set up Alabama at the LSU 39.
Bama motored right in for a touchdown, capping it with an 8-yard throw from Young to John Metchie, the Tide's latest receiving phenom.
That made it 14-7 at the half.
LSU had it in the second half and were moving into Alabama territory when Tyrion Price-Davis was stripped at the Alabama 42.
Two plays later, Young connected on a 58-yard scoring toss from Young to Jameson Williams. Alabama missed the extra point and that concluded the scoring for the night for Alabama.
LSU had opportunities late in the fourth, but Alabama put too much pressure on Johnson and three tries from the Bama 8 and three from the Bama 38 all weren't close.
Johnson who was pressured most of the night was 16 of 32 passing for only 160 yards along with two touchdowns and the one interception.
