POSTGAME: Purple defeats White in Spring Game, 17-14

Football is back in Baton Rouge, if only for a day.

The Purple team defeated the White team, 17-14 as the LSU Tigers played their Spring Game in Tiger Stadium on Saturday.

Purple won the toss, and the White team started with the ball first. Joe Burrow was in at quarterback for the team, sending a 16-yarder to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase to quickly bring the the White to the 44-yard line.

The White were moving the chains and made it to about midfield, but were halted as Michael Divinity forced a fumble from Clyde Edwards-Helaire that was recovered by the Purple team.

The turnover proved costly, as quarterback Myles Brennan led the Purple on the first scoring drive of the afternoon,

Freshman running back Chris Curry takes it in for the 3-yard touchdown, putting the Purple up over 7-0 over the White with 6:40 remaining in the first quarter.

When the White took over on its second possession, Burrow and company quickly drove down the field off the efforts of running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and receivers Chase and Terrace Marshall Jr.

Burrow sent a 10-yard pass to Justin Jefferson to put the White on the board, making it a 7-7 tie with 4:16 left in the first quarter.

The Purple opened the next drive with a 24-yard pass from Brennan to Jaray Jenkins to instantly place the team within White territory. A 41-yard laser from Brennan to wide receiver Dee Anderson brought the Purple within striking range.

Curry found the end zone again to end the first quarter, giving the Purple a 14-7 lead.

The White were able to bring themselves roughly to midfield on the first possession of the second quarter, but were unable to convert as Stephen Sullivan dropped his second pass of the day on what should have been an easy reception.

The Purple sputtered as they opened the following drive with a bad snap that Brennan jumped on to recover for a loss of 11 yards. This was followed by an incomplete pass and a sack that left the the Purple punting in a dismal 4th-and-30 situation.

The White got the ball back with favorable field position, but freshman cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. quickly put an end to any momentum they could have garnered, intercepting Burrow on the first play.

The Purple failed to capitalize on the turnover, though, and the White were left punting as well seemingly as soon as they got the ball back.

Neither team was able to find the scoreboard again in the first half, which ended on a failed field goal attempt by Avery Atkins for the White.

Brennan was in for both offenses beginning with the Purple in the second half until kicker Connor Culp sent a 42-yard field goal through the uprights for the Purple, pushing the score to 17-7 with 7:22 to go in the third quarter.

The White was able to find rhythm on offense again in the fourth quarter as Edwards-Helaire capitalized on a 14-yard touchdown. They trail the Purple now just 17-14, with 8:32 left to play.

AJ Aycock entered the game at quarterback for the Purple on the following drive, with QB Jordan Loving seeing action for the same team shortly after.

Neither put points on the board while under center.

The Tigers will begin regular season football on August 31 when they take on Georgia Southern in Baton Rouge.