Jayden Daniels Shines as LSU Knocks Off No. 6 Alabama 32-31 in Instant Classic
LSU has arrived in Year 1 of the Brian Kelly era. After catapulting their status to a Top 10 ranking and taking down No. 6 Alabama 32-31 on Saturday night, it’s beginning to come together for this program.
The Tigers hadn’t defeated the Crimson Tide at home in over 12 years, but it all came together this time around. What more could you ask for? An instant classic that saw LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels cement his legacy gives the Tigers sole possession of the SEC West.
It’s simple now. You win out and you punch your ticket to Atlanta to play in the SEC title game.
But Saturday night was a dream for this LSU program. Daniels put together yet another masterclass performance to lift this team to victory. He completed 22-of-32 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 112 yards and another score.
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A defensive battle all night long, this game came down to the final buzzer after Alabama kicked a field goal to force overtime. After the Crimson Tide punched in a score on their first possession to take a seven-point lead, the unthinkable happened.
On the first play for the Tigers, Jayden Daniels took matters into his own hands, running to the right side of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown run. Then the movie-like ending occurred.
Rather than kick the field goal to go to a second overtime, Brian Kelly proved it’s win-now mode for this program. The Tigers elected to go for two and win the game. And they did just that.
Daniels rolled to his right and connected with freshman tight end Mason Taylor who punched in the conversion to win the game for LSU. It was truly the unimaginable.
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Fans stormed the field, Taylor was seen crying on his mother’s shoulder and even Brian Kelly was seen emotional in the postgame interviews. Saturday night wasn’t just a football game. It was the Tigers proving they aren’t just on their way. They’ve already arrived.
It was the play of freshman Harold Perkins on defense that stole the show all night. His ability to contain Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young and force pressure on most throws had the Crimson Tide lost.
LSU is now in the driver’s seat to win the SEC West and punch their ticket to the SEC title game in Atlanta. What many believed would be a rebuilding year has suddenly turned into an opportunity for the Tigers to shock the world and do the unthinkable.
