Brian Kelly explains playing for OT vs. Ole Miss: 'Kick it, go into overtime, and celebrate like this'

After scratching, clawing, and scratching and clawing some more, LSU scored a touchdown in the final minute and was a PAT away from tying Ole Miss. But head coach Brian Kelly certainly could’ve run the offense back out and played for the win in regulation.

While that aggressive play would’ve been defensible given LSU’s offensive struggles for much of the game prior, Kelly had a bit of a different idea. He didn’t want one play to take away the comeback efforts of his team.

So LSU kicked the PAT, stopped Ole Miss on a last-ditch drive in regulation before holding the Rebels to a field goal on the first drive of overtime. Then Kelly’s gambit paid off, as quarterback Garrett Nussmeier connected with wideout Kyren Lacy on a backshoulder touchdown throw for a walk off overtime winner.

“I just felt like we had been behind all game and the kids worked so hard to come back in this game, I didn’t want to take that away from them. I wanted to go with a high percentage there. Kick it, go into overtime, and celebrate like this,” Kelly said to sideline reporter Molly McGrath amidst a stormed field at Tiger Stadium.

And Kelly gave credit to Nussmeier and Lacy for making it happen in overtime.

“Well, Nussmeier is just, he’s such a competitor. We got it to Kyren Lacy, who’s been big for us. And we needed to make a play down here,” Kelly said. “We’ve been down here all night and kicking field goals, and as I told you coming out of the third quarter, we’ve gotta score touchdowns. They got the field goal, we got the touchdown. Pretty great game. Both teams played great tonight and we made the big play when we needed to.”

The Rebels also entered Saturday with one of the more high-octane offenses in the country, which the LSU defense held to 26 points.

For a unit that has been the bugaboo for the Tigers for a year plus, Saturday night was a key step forward.

“I’m just so proud of the development of the group,” Kelly said. “We had a lot of young players out there, but they stepped up their game when they needed to in this big arena. Our fans were great, the atmosphere was — it’s Tiger Stadium. It’s 100 years of Tiger Stadium. And they wanted to live up to the tradition of all who have played here before and I think they did that tonight.”