LSU needs overtime to complete comeback against Ole Miss

After having a potential game-winning point-after attempt blocked with 14 seconds to play, Colt David made a 26-yard field goal in overtime to give LSU a 23-20 win in the final home game of the season against Ole Miss.

The overtime field goal was enough to beat the Rebels after Daniel Francis forced a fumble on Ole Miss’ possession. LSU won the overtime toss and elected to play defense first. LSU, ranked No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches and BCS polls, improved to 9-2 overall and 5-2 in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers wrap up their regular season on Friday with a 1:30 p.m. contest at Arkansas. The nationally televised game will be played in Little Rock and broadcast by CBS.

Arkansas has already wrapped up the SEC West title and will take on Florida in the Georgia Dome on Dec. 2 in the SEC Championship Game.

In the first half of the game with Ole Miss (3-8, 1-6), LSU had difficulty generating the offensive rhythm that had come so naturally in its home stadium this season where it has not lost a game. In fact, LSU has not lost its last eight home games.

In fact, LSU trailed at half, 14-7, for the first time at home this season against the Rebels, who are coached by Ed Orgeron, who is from Lafourche Parish.

After being shutout in the first quarter for the first time in eight home games this season, the Tigers wasted little more than a minute into the second quarter before putting their first points on the board. Ole Miss gave LSU great field position after not getting a first down on a fake punt at the Rebel 41-yard line. The Tigers then scored when JaMarcus Russell found Dwayne Bowe for a 13-yard touchdown completion. Earlier in the drive, Russell had a 24-yard completion to Craig ‘Buster’ Davis.

In the second and third quarters, Ole Miss scored 17 unanswered points, including taking advantage of a recovered onside kick for its second touchdown of the game coming with just under seven minutes left to play.

The Rebels converted a 45-yard field goal with just over one minute left in the third quarter to take a 20-7 lead into the final quarter.

LSU started its comeback with an eight-play, 59-yard drive that ended when Russell found Early Doucet for a 4-yard touchdown with 8:46 left in the game. Russell then orchestrated an 11-play, 58-yard drive that concluded with a touchdown pass to Bowe to set the record for quarterback-to-receiver touchdown passes (23) in LSU history. However, the extra-point was blocked sending the game to overtime.

In the game, LSU held Ole Miss to 198 yards, with 100 of that coming on the ground. The Tigers finished with 308 yards, including 217 in the air. Davis finished with 77 yards on five catches; Doucet had 67 yards on five catches and Bowe had seven catches for 64 yards.

TIGERS OPEN SEASON WITH TWO WINS

No. 7 LSU easily beat two in-state opponents to start the season. On Sunday, the Tigers shot 70.8 percent in the first 20 minutes against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks and ended up posting an 88-57 victory at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. In the contest, Glen Davis led all scorers with 26 points, while Tasmin Mitchell added 21 points and Darnell Lazare poured in 16 points.

Dameon Mason pitched in 10 points and seven assists. In the game, LSU finished shooting 60 percent from the field and outrebounded ULM, 42-28.

In the season opener on Friday night, the Tigers rolled Nicholls State, 96-42. Davis, Lazare and Garrett Temple each scored 16 points in the victory. Mitchell added 14 points, while Davis and Mitchell each had eight rebounds and Temple grabbed seven boards.

LSU hit 11-of-19 from 3-point range, while holding NSU to 20 percent (13-of-63) from the floor in the contest.

LSU will have most of the Thanksgiving week off before returning to action on Saturday when it plays host to Wichita State at 3 p.m.

LADY TIGERS CONTINUE TO ROLL

The No. 10 Lady Tigers got 21 points, 14 points and three blocked shots from Sylvia Fowles en route to handing Tulane a 59-39 defeat on Sunday in New Orleans.

LSU led by one point, 23-22, at halftime but used a 15-0 run to put the game away.

On Thursday, the Lady Tigers got 29 points and 13 rebounds from Fowles in a 65-31 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Lady Tigers will take on nationally ranked Baylor on Tuesday in Waco, Texas and then participate in the UTSA Roadrunner Thanksgiving Classic on Friday and Saturday in San Antonio, Texas.

The Lady Tigers will take on Tulsa on Friday at 5 p.m. and Eastern Washington on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the tournament.