Behind the Box Score: Texas A&M

Winning is so much better than losing. Thanks, Chavis.

In last week's edition, I marveled at how LSU managed to not only lose, but get absolutely blown out in a game they almost completely dominated in the statbook. Those things happen, but it was frustrating to see LSU win just about every matchup and still get destroyed on the scoreboard, the only matchup that truly matters. This week, LSU turned its domination into points. Well, in the second half it did.

1-4. LSU's red zone touchdown conversions. This includes two field goals and one missed field goal. LSU spent most of the first half driving deep into A&M territory, only to come away with only 3 points. Until late in the fourth, LSU had three trips to the red zone for a total of six points. That's a miserable points/red zone attempt ration of just 2. LSU finished the game with 13 red zone points on 4 attempts, which is a slightly less terrible 3.25/attempt. Still not good, but it was good enough to beat an outmatched A&M team.

3.9. Texas A&M's yards/play. The LSU defense, which has been a no show for most of November, decided to finally show up. And boy, did they. I know the Aggie offense has been no great shakes, but they got absolutely throttled on Saturday. A&M only had 89 yards rushing and just 250 yards of total offense. The offense never got off the ground, save for one 80-yard drive in the 2^nd quarter, which accounted for nearly a third of their offensive output on the night. If you can't move the football, the least you can do is care of it...

3. So, naturally, A&M also committed three turnovers on the night. If you can't move the ball, and you turn the ball over a lot, it doesn't take a soothsayer to tell you what's going to happen next. It was as if the defense saved all of its performance for this one game. You can spread it out a bit more, guys. Of course, given a +3 turnover margin, LSU's offense converted that into all of three points.

7-21-1. Brandon Harris had a miserable night. There's no way to sugarcoat this performance. He was horrible. He managed to throw for all of 83 yards, and was about the only reason this game was close. He almost single-handedly kept A&M in the game through his play. His ATVSQBPI was a near incomprehensibly awful 2.273. This is not the Brandon Harris we saw all year, this is the one we thought we left in Auburn last year. Bad games happen to even the best of players, but he can't have games quite this bad.

10-73. Derrius Guice showed up in a big way. His 50-yard TD run broke the game open, and it was the only Tiger offensive play to gain more than 25 yards all night long. He rushed for more yards than Tra Carson, the Aggies' leading rusher. Just an unbelievable one-two punch in the LSU backfield.

2-5. Trent Domingue's field goal accuracy. OK, one was from 50 yards, but... yuck. He hit his first two kicks, but seemed to come apart after doinking one of the goalposts from 25 yards out. He'd miss his last three attempts of the game. Best to wipe this from the memory banks and move on, Trent.

1,741. Leonard Fournette's single season rushing yards, a new LSU record. There was nothing cheap about it either, as he only had 11 games to break it, just like Charles Alexander did in 1977. He only has had 271 carries, less than Alexander. Fournette is truly the Greatest LSU Running Back of All Time. Yes, even over Billy Cannon.