BATON ROUGE — Auburn scored 14 fourth-quarter points to defeat LSU in Tiger Stadium for the first time since 1999, 24-19, on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
Auburn (4-1, 1-0 SEC) used an 11-play, 92-yard fourth-quarter drive to take its first lead of the game with 3:11 to play. Running back Jarquez Hunter, who had a 44-yard run on the drive, scored from 1 yard to give Auburn the final margin.
LSU (3-2, 1-1 SEC) led 13-0 in the second quarter and 19-10 entering the fourth quarter before Auburn senior quarterback Bo Nix and Hunter scored in the final stanza.
LSU returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 9, when the Tigers travel to face Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. local). The game will be televised by the SEC Network and broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network starting at 4:30 p.m.
LSU quarterback Max Johnson completed 26-of-46 passes for LSU for 325 yards and a touchdown, while the Tigers continued to struggle running the ball. LSU managed only 33 net yards on 25 attempts including three sacks. Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte had a game-high 127 receiving yards on six catches, while tight end Jack Bech added seven catches for 84 yards.
LSU’s Cade York made field goals of 33, 26, 22 and 51 yards to remain perfect on the 2021 season (8 for 8).
Nix finished 23-of-44 passing for 255 yards with a touchdown passing and another rushing for Auburn. He also led his Tigers with 74 rushing yards on 12 carries. John Samual Shenker led Auburn with 102 receiving yards on five catches.
After forcing an Auburn punt on the opening possession of the game, LSU moved 91 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead when Johnson connected with Boutte on a 31-yard scoring strike.
The drive was sparked on its first play when Johnson hit Boutte on a 55-yard pass from the LSU nine-yard line to the Auburn 36.
Auburn drove to the LSU 34 on its next possession, but placekicker Anders Carlson missed a 51-yard field goal with 2:12 remaining in the first period.
York’s 33-yard field goal at the 13:35 mark of the second quarter capped a 10-play, 52-yard drive and gave LSU a 10-0 lead.
LSU took over on its own 41 after forcing a turnover on downs, and the Tigers drove 51 yards on eight plays before York nailed a 26-yard field goal to increase the lead to 13-0 with 8:38 left in the first half. The drive was highlighted by a 40-yard pass from Johnson to wide receiver Jack Bech on 3rd-and-15 from the LSU 48.
Auburn responded by driving 75 yards on 10 plays, with the march capped by a 24-yard TD pass from quarterback Bo Nix to tight end Tyler Fromm 4:53 before halftime.
Auburn later moved from its own 5-yard line to the LSU 32 before its drive stalled, and Carlson hit a 49-yard field goal to reduce the deficit to 13-10 with 14 seconds left in the half.
A failed onside kick attempt by Auburn to start the second half gave LSU the ball at the visitors’ 45-yard line, and the Tigers capitalized on the opportunity when York booted a 22-yard field goal at the 11:00 mark of the third quarter.
LSU defensive back Jay Ward blocked Carlson’s 52-yard field goal attempt, giving the Tigers possession at their 38 with 9:08 left in the third period. LSU moved into position for York’s fourth field goal of the night, a 52-yarder that widened the gap to 19-10.
Nix scored on a five-yard run to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive that allowed Auburn to reduce the margin to 19-17 with 14:16 left in the game.
A string of five-consecutive fourth quarter punts until Auburn took over at its 8-yard line with 7:06 to play. A 44-yard run by Jarquez Hunter moved the visiting Tigers to the LSU 22. Five plays later, Auburn took its first lead of the contest with a 1-yard TD run by Hunter with 3:11 to play.
Carlson made the PAT and Auburn led 24-19.
LSU looked to have a first down at the Auburn 32 with 1:20 to play on a Boutte reception of 22-yards. However, after video review, it was ruled that the LSU receiver lost control of the ball when he hit the ground out of bound. On fourth-and-6, Johnson’s pass sailed high of Deion Smith and was intercepted at the Aubun 32.