Warning, this will be long! 140 key warriors, you have been given notice! What a game! Top 3 for me as far as total experience. Best college football game I have ever attended. Still have no voice at all. Lots to say, so let's get to it.
Crowd/Atmosphere
Crowd was late arriving, and started slowly, but became more involved as the game wore on. I had tickets in section Q, about the 20 yard line. The LSU section was 2 sections over in S, but there were LSU fans all around me. Thankfully, none of them were obnoxious and they did not say anything outwardly about my standing and hollering on every play (body language and looks were there though). Going to call out a couple of "groups" here. A. East Side folks: If you are going to sell your tickets and watch on the big screen, sell them to other Rebel fans!!! We have a ticket exchange here. B. West Side (Section E in particular): Lots of empty seats in your section, especially towards the top. Just saying. C. South Endzone Club folks: OM made a lot of heavy lifts, including moving the students out of the SEZ (where they were a definite factor) and into the sun so you guys and your big checkbooks could hobknob down there. At least come to the game and sit in the seats! It looks bad having that many empty premium seats. Again, just saying.
As the game wore on, the crowd, played more and more of a role. In the 1st half, it caused LSU to have to use 2 timeouts, which ended up being an issue on LSU's last possession of the 1st half. In the 4th quarter, the crowd was instrumental in causing communication problems for LSU. On LSU's last 2 drives, it was as loud as I remember VHS ever being, including the fabled 2003 game with LSU, as it caused several false starts for the TIgers on their last-ditch effort to pull it out. We had a bona fide home-field advantage! It was glorious!
Officiating
I currently officiate high school football while retired (for now) from high school coaching. That said, when/if I return to coaching, I will have a different perspective on how officials approach their craft. Those guys, in my association at least, take their job very seriously. Missing a call, or getting a rule wrong is something that we go to great lengths to avoid. I no longer believe that there is a conspiracy against the smaller schools in the SEC, like Ole Miss (not at the game official level, anyway). I DO BELIEVE there is a personal unconscious bias in how games are officiated. For example, HOW do you miss... ON REVIEW... the TD catch being unsecured with a foot in that gave LSU a 49-40 lead!? HOW? I thought LSU false started on the goal line where they snuck it in to go up 35-31. LSU had 6 penalties for 35 yards. That breaks down to 5 procedure penalties (2 on the final play) and 1...1 HOLDING CALL! I have rewatched this game 3 times, slowing it down, rewinding, etc... and I can definitively say the LSU was holding our guys at a level that would make Gus Malzahn when he was at Auburn PROUD! Our stat line: 11 penalties for 121 yards. 5,,, 5 HOLDING CALLS! Timing of those calls was and could have been critical, as well. Both of our FG drives were stalled by critical, timely holding penalties. We overcame a questionable holding call on Cayden Lee at the end of the 3rd to score and cut the gap to 42-40. We overcame a TERRIBLE holding call on Caden Prieskorn (RGIII said he "blocked too well") to score to cut the score to 49-47. What do you do about it? Not much we can do, but keep chirping about it and keep documenting what happens. Bottom line, all I (or any fan, I think) wants is for neither team to gain an advantage due to officiating. Wouldn't hurt if more Ole Miss graduates got into officiating too, just saying.
Hidden Critical Plays
1st Quarter
1. Ole Miss has 4th and goal from the LSU 4 on the first drive. CLK decides to go for it ( I was screaming to kick a FG). Ole Miss lines up in Empty set with Judkins to the left and motions him across the formation. The LSU defender trailing him gets caught up in the traffic (a well-designed pick play) and Judkins is wide open. TD. Interesting side note, LSU's Harold Perkins was NOT on the field.
2. LSU has 3rd and 8 from OM 25. Daniels is scrambling for a 1st down and is absolutely ROCKED by Daijahn Anthony, fumbles, and we recover (Washington, I believe). HUGE play! The play saved an LSU score and led to the next drive where Bentley took the ball 43 yards to the house for a 14-0 lead, narrowly avoiding a TFL by Perkins. The play was a 14-point swing.
2nd Quarter
1. This is actually 3 plays in the same drive after LSU had cut OM lead to 21-14. OM has 3rd and 7 from its own 25. Dart scrambles to his right and finds Prieskorn for a 1st down. A punt there would have been huge for LSU. LSU's Perkins was NOT on the field (you will see a theme develop here). Next set of downs, 3rd and 4, Dart hits Harris for 1st down. Harris caught the ball short of the line to gain and fought for 1st down. Again, LSU's Perkins was NOT on the field. Same drive, 3rd and 11 from LSU 15. Dart hits a wide-open Wade on the crossing route for TD. 28-14. LSU had a defender who did not get the right call and he was playing zone while everyone else was man. Perkins was on the field for this play, rushing the passer.
2. LSU has cut the lead to 28-21. OM has 3rd and 6 from its own 29. Dart beats LSU blitz and hits Harris on a curl route that he takes to the OM 15. A punt here would have possibly changed the whole flow of the game. We ended up settling for a FG due to a holding call. Again, Perkins was NOT on the field.
3rd Quarter
1. This is actually 2 plays in the same drive. LSU has taken a 35-31 lead. OM has 3rd and 10 from its own 37. Dart hits Prieskorn over the middle for a 1st down. Later, after a holding call, we have 2nd and 16 at the LSU 34. Dart is being sacked by Perkins, being held up by Pettus. He gives the ball to Judkins who turns a 10-yard loss, which would have put us out of FG range, as the wind was in our face, into a 3 yard gain. We settle for a FG after the holding call puts us behind the chains. 35-34.
2. This is actually 3 plays. 42-34 LSU late 3rd. OM has 3rd down 11 from OM 38. Dart hits Prieskorn (see another trend here yet) for 12 yards and a 1st down. Later, 4th and 2 from LSU 42. Judkins takes the direct snap and, after being hit behind the line, barely gets the 1st down. Perkins was NOT on the field AGAIN! After a very questionable holding call on Lee, 1st and 20 from 49. Dart scrambles for 20 yards and a 1st down. We double-teamed Perkins on the play. Score early 4th to cut it to 42-40. (I was not in favor of going for 2 here, more on that in final thoughts)
4th Quarter
1. LSU is up 49-40 after the bad call on TD for them. OM has a 3rd and 11 from the 34. A punt here is most likely the ballgame. Dart hits Harris on an out route about 3 yards short of the line to gain. Harris breaks a tackle and runs to the LSU 31. Later in the same drive, we overcome the TERRIBLE holding call on Prieskorn to score and cut the lead to 49-47.
2. 49-47 LSU. 3:40 left. LSU has a 3rd and 5 from OM 48. Nabers goes in motion to the right. Daniels rolls right and... for some reason, does not hit a wide-open Nabers on the designed pick play. OM recovers quickly, and Sistrunk and company get the sack. LSU has to punt to give us a chance to win it.
3. 49-47 LSU, 1:08 left. OM has 2nd and 8 from OM 46. Dart throws a beautiful back shoulder ball to Harris, who makes a great catch at the 30 to put us in FG range. Everyone knew what was coming. RGIII even circled the matchup pre-snap for the TV viewers. It was a beautiful ball play. We score to win 2 plays later. 55-49. (I didn't like the 2-point try here either, but it worked out).
Final Random Thoughts
1. OL was challenged to step up, and they did BIG TIME! We had more leads and misdirection (Prieskorn is critical here. Dude can block! On the game-winning TD, LSU's DBs wanted NO PART of him!) Shout out to Bentley. He has proved to be a solid 2nd option. He has a nice burst. Plays with passion. Judkins looked like himself,..finally. I also liked putting the QB under center and tossing it to Judkins to get him going downhill. I would look for plays to be built off that in future games.
2. Dayton Wade has emerged as a SOLDIER! He made a couple of big catches and he can block too. He made a huge block to spring Bentley on the last drive 1 play before the game-winner.
3. I thought CLK and staff had a solid game plan, especially (captain obvious here) on offense. They made some decisions that I would not have made, like going for it on 4th down on the first drive and going for 2 at 42-40 and 53-49, but that is why they get paid to make those decisions and I get paid nothing to question them and write about it here.
4. Why was I against those decisions? Well, my thought process on the 1st drive was simple, the 1st points are the toughest points. Get the points, get on the board.
On the 2-point play at 42-40, failure to get the play puts you in the distinct possibility of the game becoming a 2-score game. That is precisely what happened. I thought we should have kept it a one-score game and went for 2 only when we HAD to. Thankfully, it worked out for OM.
On the 2-point play at 53-49. My thought process was that LSU already had to score a TD. Going up by 6 was no different than being up by 5. I mean, they aren't going to miss their PAT. Going for 2 opens up a possibility of a turnover that can be returned for 2 points by the defense, which would have made the score 53-51 with 39 seconds remaining. A FG beats you in that scenario.
5. LSU is the best team we have played. Yes, you read that right. They may not lose again. They have several early-round players on offense. Daniels is the best QB we will play. They have 4 receivers that can go! Chris Hilton is the WR who caught the crossing route and took it 42 yards on the final drive to give them a chance to win. He is their 4TH or 5TH OPTION! (His hand also came down out of bounds about the 40, yet he was marked out at the 33. ANOTHER miss by the officials) Mason Taylor is the best TE in the conference. Bottom line, Our defense was outmatched all over the field. Harold Perkins is incredibly talented. He would be on the field much more on my team. Their DL is solid. Their DBs aren't bad athletes, they look to be poorly coached and didn't seem to communicate well with each other (misalignments and wrong coverages).
6. Our defense, as I stated in the last bullet, was simply overmatched. This was a tough physical game, on both sides. Both teams brought the wood. I thought they played with passion and energy. JJ Pegues is special. He was doubled much of the night, and still made 4 tackles and was disruptive. Stone and Gordon played well, as did Ivey and Ukwu. Those guys were held unmercifully all night and only got 1 call. Sistrunk only played 27 snaps (according to Chase) and still recorded 5 tackles and 2 sacks. I suspect (lack of) speed is the reason he doesn't get more snaps. Suntarine Perkins is going to be a beast! LSU had to account for him. Cedric Johnson played his best game of the season. He was in the backfield several times. Saunders Jr, Washington, Prince, Walton, Anthony, etc. ALL played about as well as they could play, given the task they were asked to do. Anthony made 2 big hits ( I guess the 2nd one was a penalty...) on Daniels, setting the tone. Jean-Baptiste made some plays as well, though I don't understand why we didn't have more DBs in the game at the end (maybe we don't have anymore).
7. I don't like CBK for LSU. I didn't get a good vibe from him when I heard him speak at a couple of coaching clinics, and he comes off as an entitled, whiny person. I could say more about some stories that are out there, but... I am glad we gave him an L.
8. We have to (players, coaches, mainly,..but us fans included) get over this huge, emotional win and not lose focus on the next task, Arkansas. They have ruined too may OM seasons. They will be playing to save their own season. If healthy, KJ will play like his life depends on it against us. I had not originally planned to go to this game, but I am all in. I will be there on Saturday night. As I said last week, I will be there early, I will be loud, I will be fired up. LFG! BEAT ARKANSAS! That is all.
Bonus Thought: We won this game despite being overmatched in numerous positions on the field from a genetic, athletic standpoint. Games like Saturday Night will definitely weigh on recruits when making a decision about where to cast their lot. However, at the end of the day, when it comes time to sign on the dotted line, Jerry McGuire will be talking about showing the money. If...IF you want to make a difference and do your part to make sure we have the best possible team out there, JOIN THE GROVE COLLECTIVE! I am a person of small means, but I wore my Founding Member Grove Collective Button proudly Saturday night! We should have 10,000 members by the end of the season. That should be the goal.
Crowd/Atmosphere
Crowd was late arriving, and started slowly, but became more involved as the game wore on. I had tickets in section Q, about the 20 yard line. The LSU section was 2 sections over in S, but there were LSU fans all around me. Thankfully, none of them were obnoxious and they did not say anything outwardly about my standing and hollering on every play (body language and looks were there though). Going to call out a couple of "groups" here. A. East Side folks: If you are going to sell your tickets and watch on the big screen, sell them to other Rebel fans!!! We have a ticket exchange here. B. West Side (Section E in particular): Lots of empty seats in your section, especially towards the top. Just saying. C. South Endzone Club folks: OM made a lot of heavy lifts, including moving the students out of the SEZ (where they were a definite factor) and into the sun so you guys and your big checkbooks could hobknob down there. At least come to the game and sit in the seats! It looks bad having that many empty premium seats. Again, just saying.
As the game wore on, the crowd, played more and more of a role. In the 1st half, it caused LSU to have to use 2 timeouts, which ended up being an issue on LSU's last possession of the 1st half. In the 4th quarter, the crowd was instrumental in causing communication problems for LSU. On LSU's last 2 drives, it was as loud as I remember VHS ever being, including the fabled 2003 game with LSU, as it caused several false starts for the TIgers on their last-ditch effort to pull it out. We had a bona fide home-field advantage! It was glorious!
Officiating
I currently officiate high school football while retired (for now) from high school coaching. That said, when/if I return to coaching, I will have a different perspective on how officials approach their craft. Those guys, in my association at least, take their job very seriously. Missing a call, or getting a rule wrong is something that we go to great lengths to avoid. I no longer believe that there is a conspiracy against the smaller schools in the SEC, like Ole Miss (not at the game official level, anyway). I DO BELIEVE there is a personal unconscious bias in how games are officiated. For example, HOW do you miss... ON REVIEW... the TD catch being unsecured with a foot in that gave LSU a 49-40 lead!? HOW? I thought LSU false started on the goal line where they snuck it in to go up 35-31. LSU had 6 penalties for 35 yards. That breaks down to 5 procedure penalties (2 on the final play) and 1...1 HOLDING CALL! I have rewatched this game 3 times, slowing it down, rewinding, etc... and I can definitively say the LSU was holding our guys at a level that would make Gus Malzahn when he was at Auburn PROUD! Our stat line: 11 penalties for 121 yards. 5,,, 5 HOLDING CALLS! Timing of those calls was and could have been critical, as well. Both of our FG drives were stalled by critical, timely holding penalties. We overcame a questionable holding call on Cayden Lee at the end of the 3rd to score and cut the gap to 42-40. We overcame a TERRIBLE holding call on Caden Prieskorn (RGIII said he "blocked too well") to score to cut the score to 49-47. What do you do about it? Not much we can do, but keep chirping about it and keep documenting what happens. Bottom line, all I (or any fan, I think) wants is for neither team to gain an advantage due to officiating. Wouldn't hurt if more Ole Miss graduates got into officiating too, just saying.
Hidden Critical Plays
1st Quarter
1. Ole Miss has 4th and goal from the LSU 4 on the first drive. CLK decides to go for it ( I was screaming to kick a FG). Ole Miss lines up in Empty set with Judkins to the left and motions him across the formation. The LSU defender trailing him gets caught up in the traffic (a well-designed pick play) and Judkins is wide open. TD. Interesting side note, LSU's Harold Perkins was NOT on the field.
2. LSU has 3rd and 8 from OM 25. Daniels is scrambling for a 1st down and is absolutely ROCKED by Daijahn Anthony, fumbles, and we recover (Washington, I believe). HUGE play! The play saved an LSU score and led to the next drive where Bentley took the ball 43 yards to the house for a 14-0 lead, narrowly avoiding a TFL by Perkins. The play was a 14-point swing.
2nd Quarter
1. This is actually 3 plays in the same drive after LSU had cut OM lead to 21-14. OM has 3rd and 7 from its own 25. Dart scrambles to his right and finds Prieskorn for a 1st down. A punt there would have been huge for LSU. LSU's Perkins was NOT on the field (you will see a theme develop here). Next set of downs, 3rd and 4, Dart hits Harris for 1st down. Harris caught the ball short of the line to gain and fought for 1st down. Again, LSU's Perkins was NOT on the field. Same drive, 3rd and 11 from LSU 15. Dart hits a wide-open Wade on the crossing route for TD. 28-14. LSU had a defender who did not get the right call and he was playing zone while everyone else was man. Perkins was on the field for this play, rushing the passer.
2. LSU has cut the lead to 28-21. OM has 3rd and 6 from its own 29. Dart beats LSU blitz and hits Harris on a curl route that he takes to the OM 15. A punt here would have possibly changed the whole flow of the game. We ended up settling for a FG due to a holding call. Again, Perkins was NOT on the field.
3rd Quarter
1. This is actually 2 plays in the same drive. LSU has taken a 35-31 lead. OM has 3rd and 10 from its own 37. Dart hits Prieskorn over the middle for a 1st down. Later, after a holding call, we have 2nd and 16 at the LSU 34. Dart is being sacked by Perkins, being held up by Pettus. He gives the ball to Judkins who turns a 10-yard loss, which would have put us out of FG range, as the wind was in our face, into a 3 yard gain. We settle for a FG after the holding call puts us behind the chains. 35-34.
2. This is actually 3 plays. 42-34 LSU late 3rd. OM has 3rd down 11 from OM 38. Dart hits Prieskorn (see another trend here yet) for 12 yards and a 1st down. Later, 4th and 2 from LSU 42. Judkins takes the direct snap and, after being hit behind the line, barely gets the 1st down. Perkins was NOT on the field AGAIN! After a very questionable holding call on Lee, 1st and 20 from 49. Dart scrambles for 20 yards and a 1st down. We double-teamed Perkins on the play. Score early 4th to cut it to 42-40. (I was not in favor of going for 2 here, more on that in final thoughts)
4th Quarter
1. LSU is up 49-40 after the bad call on TD for them. OM has a 3rd and 11 from the 34. A punt here is most likely the ballgame. Dart hits Harris on an out route about 3 yards short of the line to gain. Harris breaks a tackle and runs to the LSU 31. Later in the same drive, we overcome the TERRIBLE holding call on Prieskorn to score and cut the lead to 49-47.
2. 49-47 LSU. 3:40 left. LSU has a 3rd and 5 from OM 48. Nabers goes in motion to the right. Daniels rolls right and... for some reason, does not hit a wide-open Nabers on the designed pick play. OM recovers quickly, and Sistrunk and company get the sack. LSU has to punt to give us a chance to win it.
3. 49-47 LSU, 1:08 left. OM has 2nd and 8 from OM 46. Dart throws a beautiful back shoulder ball to Harris, who makes a great catch at the 30 to put us in FG range. Everyone knew what was coming. RGIII even circled the matchup pre-snap for the TV viewers. It was a beautiful ball play. We score to win 2 plays later. 55-49. (I didn't like the 2-point try here either, but it worked out).
Final Random Thoughts
1. OL was challenged to step up, and they did BIG TIME! We had more leads and misdirection (Prieskorn is critical here. Dude can block! On the game-winning TD, LSU's DBs wanted NO PART of him!) Shout out to Bentley. He has proved to be a solid 2nd option. He has a nice burst. Plays with passion. Judkins looked like himself,..finally. I also liked putting the QB under center and tossing it to Judkins to get him going downhill. I would look for plays to be built off that in future games.
2. Dayton Wade has emerged as a SOLDIER! He made a couple of big catches and he can block too. He made a huge block to spring Bentley on the last drive 1 play before the game-winner.
3. I thought CLK and staff had a solid game plan, especially (captain obvious here) on offense. They made some decisions that I would not have made, like going for it on 4th down on the first drive and going for 2 at 42-40 and 53-49, but that is why they get paid to make those decisions and I get paid nothing to question them and write about it here.
4. Why was I against those decisions? Well, my thought process on the 1st drive was simple, the 1st points are the toughest points. Get the points, get on the board.
On the 2-point play at 42-40, failure to get the play puts you in the distinct possibility of the game becoming a 2-score game. That is precisely what happened. I thought we should have kept it a one-score game and went for 2 only when we HAD to. Thankfully, it worked out for OM.
On the 2-point play at 53-49. My thought process was that LSU already had to score a TD. Going up by 6 was no different than being up by 5. I mean, they aren't going to miss their PAT. Going for 2 opens up a possibility of a turnover that can be returned for 2 points by the defense, which would have made the score 53-51 with 39 seconds remaining. A FG beats you in that scenario.
5. LSU is the best team we have played. Yes, you read that right. They may not lose again. They have several early-round players on offense. Daniels is the best QB we will play. They have 4 receivers that can go! Chris Hilton is the WR who caught the crossing route and took it 42 yards on the final drive to give them a chance to win. He is their 4TH or 5TH OPTION! (His hand also came down out of bounds about the 40, yet he was marked out at the 33. ANOTHER miss by the officials) Mason Taylor is the best TE in the conference. Bottom line, Our defense was outmatched all over the field. Harold Perkins is incredibly talented. He would be on the field much more on my team. Their DL is solid. Their DBs aren't bad athletes, they look to be poorly coached and didn't seem to communicate well with each other (misalignments and wrong coverages).
6. Our defense, as I stated in the last bullet, was simply overmatched. This was a tough physical game, on both sides. Both teams brought the wood. I thought they played with passion and energy. JJ Pegues is special. He was doubled much of the night, and still made 4 tackles and was disruptive. Stone and Gordon played well, as did Ivey and Ukwu. Those guys were held unmercifully all night and only got 1 call. Sistrunk only played 27 snaps (according to Chase) and still recorded 5 tackles and 2 sacks. I suspect (lack of) speed is the reason he doesn't get more snaps. Suntarine Perkins is going to be a beast! LSU had to account for him. Cedric Johnson played his best game of the season. He was in the backfield several times. Saunders Jr, Washington, Prince, Walton, Anthony, etc. ALL played about as well as they could play, given the task they were asked to do. Anthony made 2 big hits ( I guess the 2nd one was a penalty...) on Daniels, setting the tone. Jean-Baptiste made some plays as well, though I don't understand why we didn't have more DBs in the game at the end (maybe we don't have anymore).
7. I don't like CBK for LSU. I didn't get a good vibe from him when I heard him speak at a couple of coaching clinics, and he comes off as an entitled, whiny person. I could say more about some stories that are out there, but... I am glad we gave him an L.
8. We have to (players, coaches, mainly,..but us fans included) get over this huge, emotional win and not lose focus on the next task, Arkansas. They have ruined too may OM seasons. They will be playing to save their own season. If healthy, KJ will play like his life depends on it against us. I had not originally planned to go to this game, but I am all in. I will be there on Saturday night. As I said last week, I will be there early, I will be loud, I will be fired up. LFG! BEAT ARKANSAS! That is all.
Bonus Thought: We won this game despite being overmatched in numerous positions on the field from a genetic, athletic standpoint. Games like Saturday Night will definitely weigh on recruits when making a decision about where to cast their lot. However, at the end of the day, when it comes time to sign on the dotted line, Jerry McGuire will be talking about showing the money. If...IF you want to make a difference and do your part to make sure we have the best possible team out there, JOIN THE GROVE COLLECTIVE! I am a person of small means, but I wore my Founding Member Grove Collective Button proudly Saturday night! We should have 10,000 members by the end of the season. That should be the goal.
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