2019 Gumbo final - Book - Page 60
oach Ed Orgeron was still LSU's interim head coach the last
time UCF lost a game.
The Knights' 25-game winning streak ended Tuesday as the
Tigers took them down in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl 40-32.
"First of all, we want to congratulate the guy on our team and
our coaching staff," Orgeron said. "This was a tremendous year and we
got to come out west for a business trip. I do want to compliment Central
Florida. They have an excellent football team, they were well coached.
What a heck of a football game."
Quarterback Joe Burrow had the best game of his LSU career, going 21-of34 for 394 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Senior kicker Cole Tracy also went 4-for-4 on field goals, putting him in
sole possession of the NCAA all-division career record (97) and the LSU
single-season record (29) for field goals made.
LSU won the toss and elected to receive for the first time the season.
The Tigers didn't wait for the first offensive drive to come out strong.
Sophomore running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire returned the opening
kick 77 yards down to the LSU 16-yard line.
Senior running back Nick Brossette immediately came out with an 11-yard
run, but that's where LSU's drive stalled. A false start penalty on offensive
lineman Saahdiq Charles and a sack on Burrow left the Tigers to attempt a
field goal.
Tracy drilled a 24-yard field goal for LSU to take a 3-0 lead with 12:38 left
in the first quarter.
UCF took no time to combat LSU's scoring drive with one of its own. It only
took six plays and 1:38 off the clock for the Knights to score, capping it off
with a 25-yard touchdown run by running back Greg McCrae.
LSU was marching down the field and was in the red zone after driving 60
yards downfield. What looked like for sure LSU points flipped quickly as
Burrow missed receiver Derrick Dillon and UCF defensive back Brandon
Moore intercepted it for a touchdown.
Burrow took a hard hit as he attempted to make a tackle on the return and
had to be looked at by LSU trainers.
The Knights took a 14-3 lead with 6:39 left in the first quarter.
As LSU started its next drive, it struggled to get the run game going.
Brossette only had 10 carries for 30 yards at the end of the first quarter.
Burrow showed no signs of head injury as he opened the drive with a 15yard completion to junior receiver Stephan Sullivan and ran for 11 yards of
his own.
A UCF unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a third down sack kept LSU's
drive alive. The Tigers capped it off with a 22-yard touchdown pass from
Burrow to sophomore receiver Justin Jefferson to cut UCF's lead to 14-10.
LSU seemed to continue turning the tide. After UCF went four plays for 23
yards, junior linebacker Devin White forced a fumble on UCF quarterback
Darriel Mack and junior linebacker Michael Divnity recovered it.
Despite LSU's good fortune, senior cornerback Terrance Alexander was
disqualified from the game for throwing a punch as a UCF player blocking
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him.
Burrow continued to show toughness and he started the drive with a 10yard run. Two plays later, he hit Derrick Dillon up the middle. Dillon broke a
tackle on the sideline and kept going for a 49-yard touchdown. LSU took a
17-14 lead as time ran out in the first quarter.
Despite the losses in the secondary, the LSU defense forced a three and
out on the UCF the following drive.
Burrow started the next LSU drive by completing to Sullivan again for a big
gain of 19 yards. Burrow then hit Chase and Edwards-Helaire for nine and
eight yards respectively.
After a holding penalty on Charles seemed to stall the drive, Burrow
completed a 33-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson, who was wide
open in the end zone. LSU took a 24-10 lead with 7:11 left in the first half.
The LSU defense settled in in the second quarter, totaling five sacks and
nine tackles for loss. They seemed to be in a groove until sophomore AllAmerican safety Grant Delpit was ejected for targeting halfway through the
quarter.
Neither team score for the remainder of the first half until UCF quarterback
D.J. Mack hit Gabriel Davis for a 32-yard touchdown in the corner of the
end zone with four seconds left. UCF cut the lead down to 24-21 at the
end of the first half.
UCF got the ball to start the second half, but went three and out on its first
three possessions. The LSU defense did not allow a first down in the third
quarter.
LSU, on the other hand, only needed four plays to get back on the board
as it seemed to finally get the ground game going. After a 1-yard run by
Brossette. Burrow hit senior tight end Foster Moreau for a 16-yard gain.
Brossette then rushed for 24 yards to bring the Tigers down to the UCF
32-yard line. LSU capped off the drive as Burrow connected with freshman
receiver Ja'Marr Chase for a 32-yard touchdown to extend the Tigers' lead
to 31-21.
On UCF's third punt of the second half, Jefferson, back as the punt
returner with Jonathon Giles out, muffed the punt and left the Knights in
prime position at the LSU 20.
The LSU defense stepped up once again, not allowing a first down and
limited UCF to a field goal to hold onto a 34-24 lead.
The Tigers started the following drive with a bang after Burrow hit
Derrick Dillon against, this time for 37 yards after multiple broken tackles.
Edwards-Helaire then ran for 19 yards and Burrow hit Chase for 10 yards
down to the UCF 13-yard line
But once again, LSU was unable to do anything in the red zone after
Burrow fumbled a snap. Jefferson could not hold onto Burrow's touchdown
pass and LSU was forced to bring out Tracy again. The Tigers maintained a
37-24 lead with 12:09 left in the game.
The defense continued to play as UCF was forced to punt once again.
With 11:24 left in the game and a 13-point lead, LSU took the next drive to
attempt to run out the clock and maintain that lead.
After four straight runs for 31 total yards, Burrow went downfield on third
and seven to hit Sullivan for 42 yards. LSU one again struggled in the red
zone and brought out Tracy to kick a 46-yard and extend the Tigers' lead
to 40-24.
Face mask and unsportsmanlike conducts penalties on linebacker Jacob
Phillips gave UCF 30 penalty yards to start its next drive. The Knights then
drove 45 yards downfield and capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run
by Taj McGowan to cut LSU's lead to 40-32 with 2:24 left in the game.
UCF tried to onside kick, but Moreau recovered and held onto the ball.
LSU went three and out on its final drive and was forced punt with 39
seconds left.
With UCF trying to tie the game, LSU safety JaCoby Stevens intercepted
Mack to clinch the game for the Tigers.
This is be the first time that LSU will finish the season higher than they
started since 2011.
Knights are Tigerbait
LSU defeats UCF, 40-32, in
Fiesta Bowl
Story • Kennedi Landry
Photo • Reveille Photographer
Design • Chloe Bryars
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