No. 13 LSU used the late-night magic of Tiger Stadium to beat No. 9 Ole Miss 29-26 in overtime Saturday. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier hit receiver Kyren Lacy for a 25-yard touchdown on the Tigers’ first offensive play of the extra period to close out the Rebels, who never trailed during regulation.
Hampered by a nonexistent rushing attack, LSU turned to Nussmeier and asked him to play the role of hero. Despite completing just 22 of 51 passes, the gunslinging redshirt junior led a memorable game-tying game in the final 3:14.
In that series, he converted a fourth-and-6 with a 14-yard pass to Mason Taylor, a third-and-10 with a 19-yard pass to Taylor, and a fourth-and-5 with a 23-yard touchdown run. hits Aaron Anderson. Nussmeier’s connection with Anderson came with just 27 seconds remaining and left third-year coach Brian Kelly with a tough decision to make.
Instead of attempting a 2-point conversion for the win, Kelly opted for a PAT, which tied the game at 23. The decision could have been interpreted as a sign of confidence in a previously shaky defense. It turned out to be the right choice.
Although still flawed, the Tigers looked better on that side of the ball after a bye. Ole Miss did not reach the end zone after halftime and scored -15 yards during its overtime possession. The Rebels were forced to settle for a career-long 57-yard field goal from Caden Davis in the first series of overtime.
Rebels coach Lane Kiffin was seen exhaling on the sideline as the bomb of a kick went over the crossbar. However, his relief turned to dismay moments later when Nussmeier hit Lacy for the game-winning score, sparking a Death Valley field storm and dashing the CFP’s hopes of rebels on life support.
LSU back in the CFP mix
The win revitalizes LSU’s College Football Playoff hopes, which took a major blow in Week 1 when the Tigers lost 27-20 to USC in Las Vegas. LSU then struggled to fend off FCS foe Nicholls in Week 2 before posting a 36-33 victory at South Carolina in Week 3. The wins over lowly UCLA and Southern Alabama didn’t provide much reassurance before last week’s bye.
Although there were still plenty of flaws with LSU in its stunning win over Ole Miss, the Tigers gave themselves time to continue to iron them out. A loss would have all but ended their College Football Playoff hopes, but the victory legitimizes them. No one in the SEC looks particularly dominant outside of Texas, and LSU positioned itself Saturday among a chasing group of one-loss SEC teams that includes Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Missouri.
Gloomy outlook for Ole Miss
Ole Miss was among the one-loss SEC teams clinging to CFP aspirations entering the week. But the Rebels face a dark path back into the CFP discussion after falling to 5-2 (1-2 SEC). There are only five games left on Ole Miss’ schedule, and only one of them — a Nov. 9 home game against Georgia — offers the Rebels an opportunity to make any type of national statement. Given how light Ole Miss’s schedule is, even a 5-0 result might not be enough for the Rebels to earn one of the CFP’s seven at-large bids.
It’s been a complete season for Ole Miss, which has stocked up on talent into the transfer portal and built its defense with the goal of competing at the highest level. But the Rebels will have to dig deep for a perfect finish and hope for help from others if they are to have any chance of realizing those expectations.