Rapid reaction: Danny Etling saves best LSU performance for Senior Day win over Texas A&M
By Paul Harvey
Published:
The LSU Tigers and QB Danny Etling poured it on in the second half to run away from Texas A&M.
The game could not have started off any sloppier for either offense. LSU FB J.D. Moore fumbled on the first play of the game and set up the Aggies with great field position. Unfortunately for A&M, that drive would not last long. Aggies QB Nick Starkel threw an interception on the third play of that drive to give the ball right back to LSU.
The Tigers would turn that turnover into a field goal while scoring the first 20 points of the night. A touchdown pass from Etling and rushing touchdown from RB Darrel Williams helped the Tigers build a big first half lead. It appeared LSU may run away with the game before A&M mounted a drive before halftime.
Starkel settled in and led a quick eight-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a short touchdown run from Aggies RB Trayveon Williams. A&M would open the third quarter with another quick touchdown drive that closed the scoring gap to a one-possession game.
The Aggies would answer another Tigers touchdown to make the score 27-21 before LSU really began opening the game up. Etling threw another touchdown pass, this time to Moore, to increase the lead to 13 points before a defensive stop gave the ball back to the Tigers offense. A 77-yard run by Williams set LSU up in the red zone, and Etling capped the drive off with his third touchdown pass of the night, this one a six-yard strike to D.J. Chark. The Tigers added a two-point conversion to push the score to 42-21 with just over 13 minutes left in the game.
In the end, the LSU defense and rushing attack were able to put the game to bed in the fourth. A&M did its best to hang around and be competitive in the contest, but LSU simply looked deeper and more talented on both sides of the ball. The Tigers finished off the win with a final score of 45-21.
Danny Etling may have had an up-and-down season with the Tigers, but the senior QB had an impressive showing against the Aggies. Etling completed 19 of 30 passes for 347 yards and 3 TDs with multiple big plays through the air in the game. The 347 yards marked the most he had while with LSU, surpassing the 324 yards he had against A&M last season.
In the Tigers backfield, RBs Derrius Guice and Williams both went over 100 yards in the contest. Williams ran for 106 yards and a TD on just 12 carries while catching one pass for 56 yards. Guice ran for 127 yards and a TD on 28 carries. As a team, LSU ran for 252 yards against the Aggies.
For A&M, Starkel did his best to try and keep the Aggies in the game. He completed 16 of 30 passes for 227 yards, 2 TDs, and 3 interceptions, but the Tigers defense proved to be too much in the second half. A&M WR Christian Kirk also turned in a solid performance with seven catches for 78 yards and a TD while dealing with tight coverage all night long.
LSU will finish the regular season with a 9-3 record while Texas A&M finishes at 7-5.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
