Published August 17, 2012 - 1:23pm
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SDS is counting down the 10 most memorable games of 2011. This countdown will not include any bowl games, the SEC Championship, nor the national championship because they would obviously take precedence. Let’s stick to the regular season. After all, it is the best regular season in all of sports.
Game 1: LSU vs. Oregon – Week 1
Finally, we have reached the No. 1 game of the 2011 season between LSU and Oregon. Whether you are an LSU fan or just an SEC fan, everyone enjoyed this beat down.
The whole country was watching with high anticipation to see someone take down the mighty SEC. Oregon was talking much trash before kickoff, saying they were going to avenge their loss to Auburn the year before.
Jarrett Lee was starting in place of the suspended Jordan “Boots” Jefferson.
Oregon led the first quarter 6-3 before Tyrann Mathieu stripped the Oregon punt returner and scored a touchdown to make it 9-6.
The teams then traded blows until halftime when LSU took the lead into the locker room at 16-13.
The third quarter was the turning point, as Ducks’ RB DeAnthony Thomas fumbled twice on consecutive touches, and LSU scored twice in the quarter to make it 30-13 headed into the fourth, killing any and all Oregon momentum.
The Tigers then put the football game away on a Michael Ford 16-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers up 40-20.
LSU’s defensive line dominated the smaller Ducks the entire night. At one point, LSU DE Barkevious Mingo ran down Oregon RB LaMichael James from behind in the backfield. That key play summed up the entire night for the Ducks.
The Tigers were just too physical and fast for Oregon, and they took advantage of four Oregon turnovers.
“Those are self-inflicted wounds,” coach Chip Kelly said. “The drops, the turnovers and the penalties are the things that really killed us. Against a team like that, you’re not going to win the game.”
Les Miles was proud of his team.
“I asked them to put to the perimeter all the things that could be considered distractions,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “I enjoyed Jarrett Lee’s gutty effort. I liked how the offense did the things they needed to do.”
The SEC wins, again.
Final Score: No. 4 LSU 40, No. 3 Oregon 27
It was over when: LSU scored back-to-back TDs in the third quarter when Oregon’s DeAnthony Thomas fumbled
Notable play:Tyrann Mathieu stripped Oregon punt returner for LSU’s first TD of the game
Notable stats:RB Spencer Ware ran for 99 yards and one touchdown, RB Michael Ford ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns, and LSU held the Oregon rushing attack to only 95 yards on the day
For some reason the image of the Oregon vs. LSU game is that LSU pushed Oregon around. On offense Oregon had more total yards, passed for almost 150 more yards, had a higher completion percentage and Thomas had a better PER than Lee. On defense Oregon had more than twice as many QB sacks and tackles for negative yards than LSU. Turnovers doomed Oregon, Oregon lost by 13, but it was a three point game in the third quarter prior to three costly fumbles. I imagine if Oregon hadn’t given LSU 27 points on 4 turnovers. Oregon lost to a better team but, held LSU to some of it’s lowest stats totals of the year and the team that was supposedly pushed around had the better offensive and defensive statistics for the game and Oregon’s statistics were comparable to Alabama’s stellar defense effort against LSU.