LSU vs. Auburn: Game Grades, Analysis for Tigers vs. Tigers

The Auburn Tigers came away with the 18-13 win over the LSU Tigers, but it didn't come without a little drama. With one second remaining, LSU's Danny Etling found D.J. Chark in the back of the end zone as time ran out. However, after review, the officials determined that the ball was snapped after the game clock had expired, sealing the Auburn victory. 

That isn't why LSU lost this game, though. The Tigers had another disappointing night offensively, finishing with just 118 yards through the air. Danny Etling finished the game 15-of-27 passing with one touchdown. He didn't play terrible, but the Tigers were unable to find any offense outside of a few big plays by Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice. 

Speaking of Fournette, a lot of credit has to be given to Auburn's defense for the job it did. Considering he gashed them for 228 yards a year ago, Auburn's defense did a great job of holding him to 101 yards on Saturday night. 

Head coach Gus Malzahn stuck with quarterback Sean White in this game, and that decision paid off. White finished 19-of-26 passing for 234 yards, and he averaged 9.0 yards per attempt. The Tigers moved the ball well, but the red zone offense carried its struggles into this game. Daniel Carlson got a lot of work because of that, and he scored all 18 of Auburn's points, going 6-of-6 kicking. 

Next week Auburn will take on Louisiana-Monroe at home, and LSU will return home to face Missouri. You can find the full box score for the game here, courtesy of NCAA.com. 

The Tigers finished with 338 total yards, but just 118 of those yards came through the air. Etling managed the game pretty well, but the Tigers weren't able to get the ball down the field. Outside of Fournette (101 yards) and Guice (62 yards), this offense needed someone else to step up. 

Fournette ran it well, but the Tigers were unable to move the ball through the air once Auburn loaded the box. The offense receives a "C" because of the lack of a vertical passing attack. 

Grade: C 

This looked like a completely different Auburn offense from last week, and White looked much more comfortable in this game. He completed 73 percent of his passes, which allowed Auburn's receivers to make plays with the ball.

Auburn's run game wasn't as strong tonight, but Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway still combined for 154 yards. The grade here is a "B-minus" because of the struggles inside the red zone. Auburn had to settle for six field goals, and it has to find a way to convert some of those opportunities into touchdowns. 

Grade: B-

LSU's Arden Key had a great game with 1.5 sacks, but as a unit the Tigers did not get enough pressure on White. Auburn's offense had struggled in two of its three previous games this year, but the Tigers rattled off 388 total yards on Saturday night. 

Even though Auburn moved the chains, LSU's defense deserves a lot of credit for holding the Tigers to six field goals. LSU's red-zone defense has been solid all year, and tonight was no different. It wasn't LSU's best defensive effort, but the grade here is a "C-plus" because of the success in the red zone. 

Grade: C+

This unit really came to play on Saturday night. The Tigers gave up 220 rushing yards, but 122 of those came on three big plays. Auburn for the most part did a good job of stopping the run, and the secondary also did its part. 

LSU finished with just 118 passing yards, and Auburn's defense got off the field on third down. LSU was just 4-of-13 on third down in this game. Carl Lawson and Montravius Adams were a force along Auburn's defensive line, and the Tigers did a solid job of pressuring Etling. The grade here is a "B-plus" and not higher because of the chunk plays Auburn's defense gave up. 

Grade: B+

The clock management at the end of the game was highly questionable. LSU had plenty of time to score, so the fact that it came down to an official review is ridiculous. Etling took a sack on second down, and LSU was forced to call its last timeout. Then, the third down completion to Malachi Dupre stayed in bounds and ran the clock under five seconds. 

That could have been handled better, and Les Miles did not go to Fournette enough in this game. He carried it only 16 times despite recording 101 yards. The offense never got in a rhythm, and there was almost no hope passing it down the field. 

Grade: D 

This was the best game Malzahn has called offensively this year. He got the ball out of White's hands quickly, and he got the ball to Auburn's playmakers in space. The play-calling certainly could have been better inside the red zone, but the Tigers consistently moved the ball down the field on LSU's defense. 

Also, a lot of credit has to go to defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. Considering last year's game between these schools, he gets a pat on the back for holding Fournette to 101 yards. He dialed up timely blitzes, and it kept LSU's passing game out of rhythm. 

Grade: B