Handful of plays could have nixed wild finish

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 23, 2009

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

For every imaginable reason, Saturday’s LSU-Ole Miss game will be remembered forever for the last several minutes when the Rebels grabbed the lead and the Tigers very nearly snatched the game away in the closing moments.

But in a game crammed full of plays and trends that might’ve otherwise been front and center in the memory bank, there are a handful that could’ve rendered the final series of unfortunate events unnecessary.

The Rebels (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) eked out a 25-23 victory, surviving when the Tigers (8-3, 4-3) didn’t make a tying two-point conversion and blew the chance to take a shot at a game-winning field goal in the closing minute.

The loss dropped LSU to 17th in the latest Associated Press poll and from No. 8 to 15 in the BCS standings. Ole Miss also seized the upper hand in the battle for a Capital One Bowl berth and nudged the Tigers toward the Cotton Bowl instead.

How LSU wound up in its current predicament is a multi-layered discussion that has to include a handful of plays that got overshadowed by the furious, frustrating and zany ending.

1. A pick-six that wasn’t

Ole Miss nearly seized momentum in the first quarter when Cassius Vaughn picked off a Jordan Jefferson pass and raced 40 yards to the end zone for an apparent touchdown.

But as the return unfolded, defensive end Emmanuel Stephens was called for blocking Jefferson in the back. Vaughn also drew a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play.

So instead of a 10-0 lead, the Rebels were penalized 25 yards and took over at the LSU 34-yard-line.

One first down got Ole Miss closer, but the Rebels stalled and Joshua Shene trotted on for a 45-yard attempt. This time, Al Woods swatted the ball down and Patrick Peterson gobbled up the loose ball and raced 53 yards for a touchdown and 7-3 LSU lead.

“Coach told us to go get one,” Woods said. “We had great push in the middle; I got my hand up and made something happen.”

2. New weapon on kickoffs

While the LSU offense didn’t click consistently Saturday, Ron Brooks put the Tigers in manageable field position most of the first half with his best day as a kickoff returner.