Daniels, LSU defense come alive late to beat Missouri

The LSU football team avoided a two-game losing streak by bouncing back in the second half and closing strong in a 49-39 win over Missouri.

In a battle of Top 25 teams, LSU trailed at halftime, but a solid showing on defense in the second half and a gritty performance from quarterback Jayden Daniels were the highlights in a 10-point road win.

The Tigers moved to 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in SEC play, while Missouri dropped the program’s first game of the year to fall to 5-1 and 1-1 in SEC play.

Here’s the rundown on all the biggest plays, drives, stats and more from LSU’s win in Columbia.

FIRST QUARTER

(LSU wins the toss and elects to receive)

LSU took the ball first hoping a fast start could put Missouri in an early hole, but the opposite transpired.

The Tigers went three-and-out after a pair of runs by Logan Diggs and an incomplete pass to Kyren Lacy on third down.

After a nice punt by Jay Bramblett put the Missouri offense inside their own 15-yard line, but the LSU defense immediately gave up a touchdown on a nine-play, 87-yard drive that was capped off by a touchdown pass from Brady Cook to Theo Wease on third down from the red-zone.

To make matters worse, Missouri quickly set up to go for the two-point conversion on a rush by Cook.

Missouri 8, LSU 0 – 9:50 remaining in first quarter         

LSU’s offense answered with a 39-yard strike to wide receiver Malik Nabers. After a run by Diggs got LSU into the red-zone, a holding call on Diggs backed LSU up. No matter, Daniels picked up a huge chunk with a 19-yard run. Daniels slipped on 2nd-and-1, but Diggs picked up the first down on the following play to set up first-and-goal for LSU.

After it appeared Daniels scored on a goal line sneak, the referees ruled him short of the line. Missouri was hit with multiple personal fouls near the goal line that gave the Tigers fresh sets of downs, and Diggs punched it in for the score on the 11th play of the 75-yard drive.

Missouri 8, LSU 7 – 3:33 remaining in the first quarter

And here we go again, right?

It took Missouri just 2 minutes, 36 seconds to score another touchdown. Two possessions, two touchdowns.

Missouri went 75 yards in six plays, which was sparked by two huge catches by Luther Burden within the first three snaps of the drive. Missouri put the ball on the ground on a fumble, but the Tigers weren’t able to capitalize on the recovery. After hitting Daniel Blood for a 16-yard gain, Cody Shrader took the handoff up the middle for a 21-yard touchdown.

If there were hopes the LSU defense could shake off the dark clouds hovering from allowing more than 700 yards and 50 points against Ole Miss a week ago, the first quarter didn’t bring any change.

After two drives, Missouri’s offense had put up 162 yards and 15 points.

Missouri 15, LSU 7 – 1:03 remaining in first quarter

Following a sack on Daniels and a 7-yard run by Josh Williams, the clock ran out on the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

After a false start on Williams, a third-and-long attempt went short of the sticks on a pass to Mason Taylor. The punt by Bramblett traveled just 30 yards, giving the Missouri offense the ball near midfield.

Six plays later, Missouri was easily back in the end zone after a third down conversion led to a nine-yard touchdown pass to Brett Norfleet.

In three drives, Missouri’s offense put up three touchdowns on LSU to begin the game.

Missouri 22, LSU 7 – 10:47 remaining in second quarter

LSU got off to a fast start on the drive with a 25-yard pass to Brian Thomas Jr., then converted a third down on a run by Diggs. A catch by Nabers and 12-yard run by Diggs moved LSU into Missouri territory, and after a dropped pass by Thomas on second down, a designed run by Daniels set up a 4th-and-1. Instead of kicking the field goal, Brian Kelly elected to go for the first down. The Tigers were hit with a holding call on the play, which forced the LSU offense to hand it over to the special teams unit.

Damian Ramos hit the 49-yard field goal, a career long for the second-year starter.

Missouri 22, LSU 10 – 5:43 remaining in second quarter

After giving up three touchdowns on Missouri’s first three drives, LSU found an answer.

The Tigers forced Missouri into a quick third down, and quarterback Brady Cook was intercepted by LSU linebacker Harold Perkins to give LSU the ball back before halftime.

The Tigers leaned heavy on Diggs and the run game, and a 34-yard run by Diggs ultimately set up a three-yard touchdown grab by Mason Taylor on first-and-goal. Suddenly, a quick turnover turned into seven points gave LSU life before halftime.

Missouri 22, LSU 17 – 1:59 remaining in second quarter

With LSU pulling within five, a stop for the Tigers felt paramount given Missouri got the ball first after halftime.

The Missouri offense crossed midfield with 34 seconds remaining before halftime, calling one of the team’s final two timeouts to stop the clock and set up a first down at LSU’s 49-yard line.

Maason Smith was hit with an offsides call that brought the clock to 30 seconds and give Missouri a 1st-and-5, but two drops left 21 seconds on the clock and a 3rd-and-5 from the 44-yard line. Brady Cook rushed for the first down, but a holding call brought the ball back 10 yards and out of field goal range with 15 seconds remaining until halftime.

LSU called the team’s final timeout on 3rd-and-15, and Missouri rushed the ball for 10 yards to set up a 4th-and-5 with nine seconds left. Missouri elected to go for it instead of kick the field goal, and it paid off with a strike to Burden, who went down and called the timeout with three second remaining to set up a field goal attempt. Harrison Mevis hit the 50-yarder as time expired to give Missouri the 25-17 lead.

HALFTIME: Missouri 25, LSU 17

THIRD QUARTER

Missouri got the ball to start the half, and with an 8-point lead, the home team had a chance to put the Tigers down double-digits.

Instead, Missouri drove the ball down the field only to miss a 44-yard field goal.

A 30-yard run by Jayden Daniels followed by a big catch-and-run by Malik Nabers for 21 yards set up a 29-yard field goal for Damian Ramos to cut the lead to five points.

Missouri 25, LSU 20 – 8:12 remaining in third quarter

Suddenly, LSU had some momentum as the Tigers got a three-and-out, then used a quick run by Diggs to set up a deep ball to Brian Thomas Jr. for the 42-yard score, which gave LSU the team’s first lead of the day.

LSU 27, Missouri 25 – 6:00 remaining in third quarter

A 52-yard run by Cody Shrader on the second snap of the drive set up Missouri at LSU’s 17-yard line, and a 3rd-and-17 look was cut down to 3rd-and-12 following another flag for LSU’s defense clapping before the snap, which is now banned when an offense uses a clap on the snap count.

Brady Cook hit Theo Wease for 17-yard gain to give Missouri the ball at the 2-yard line. Shrader carried the ball in for the score, but not after a false start by Missouri went uncalled, which caught the LSU defense off guard when the defensive lineman and linebacker pointed it out to the officials before the snap.

Missouri 32, LSU 27 – 2:22 remaining in third quarter

Daniels hit Kyren Lacy for a 20-yard gain to get the ball to midfield, and a 15-yard run by Diggs followed by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct on Missouri (which resulted in Johnny Walker being ejected for his second unsportsmanlike conduct flag) gave the Tigers the ball in the red zone. LSU picked up a first down to end the quarter just seven yards out from the goal line and down five points.

FOURTH QUARTER

After getting the ball to the two-yard line, a wild sequence of events unfolded.

Jayden Daniels scored on a rushing touchdown, but LSU was hit with a questionable holding call that negated the score. There also likely should have been off-setting penalties that would have kept the ball at the goal line, but Missouri was not flagged after a blindside hit to Daniels after he crossed the goal line.

Daniels left the game with an injury, and Garrett Nussmeier stepped in and the Tigers had to settle for a field goal, which Ramos missed from 29 yards out.

The LSU defense buckled in and forced a three-and-out, but a great punt by Missouri followed by a penalty backed the Tigers up inside their own 10-yard line.

Daniels returned to the game with a rib injury, and he immediately picked up a huge third down with his legs.

From there, the injured quarterback took over.

He delivered a strike to Malik Nabers for 35 yards, then Mason Taylor for seven yards. A deep ball to Nabers fell short, which gave onlookers a glimpse at the pain Daniels was in.

Still, he put the LSU offense on his back.

On 3rd-and-3, Daniels took off on a designed run and went 35 yards for the touchdown. After Missouri went for a two-point conversion on the team’s first score, Kelly didn’t chase to make up the points until the Tigers took the 33-32 lead with 7:54 remaining.

Daniels hit Nabers on a quick pass for the two-point conversion and three-point lead.

LSU 35, Missouri 32 – 7:54 remaining in the fourth quarter

And just like that, Missouri answered. After picking up first downs on the first three plays of the drive, including a 42-yard gain by Luther Burder, Shrader punched it in from the goal line to retake the lead.

Missouri 39, LSU 35 – 5:40 remaining in the fourth quarter

Once again, Daniels put LSU on his back.

Playing injured, Daniels carried a 3rd-and-5 for 31 yards, then kept the play alive on the following snap when he scrambled and found a wide open Malik Nabers for a 29-yard touchdown pass.

After getting knocked out of the game briefly with a rib injury, Daniels answered with two huge touchdown drives.

LSU 42, Missouri 39 – 2:58 remaining in fourth quarter

A quick 25-yard strike to Theo Wease got Missouri to midfield, but the LSU defense came up with a huge play on third down when Brady Swinson forced the fumble to set up a 4th-and-forever. The Tigers came up with the stops short of the first down, giving the ball back to LSU’s offense with 1:06 left in the game.

Daniels mishandled the second down snap that led to an 11-yard loss, but LSU forced Missouri into burning all three timeouts before Bramblett hit a great punt to put Missouri at the 5-yard line with 45 seconds remaining.

On the second play of the drive, LSU safety Major Burns intercepted Brady Cook and took it back for the touchdown to give LSU the 10-point lead and win.

It took just five plays for the LSU defense to force Missouri into a turnover on downs that gave the Tigers the chance to kneel out the clock and secure the road win.

FINAL: LSU 49, Missouri 39