Just how good was Auburn’s defense in 2019? Here’s what it did vs. LSU
Fifth-ranked Georgia tried it and failed. So did No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 6 Florida and No. 9 Alabama.
And now, No. 3 Clemson.
No. 9 Auburn provided the perfect blueprint to slow down top-ranked LSU’s offense well before Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship. With LSU’s outing against Clemson Monday night, Auburn’s defensive performance on Oct. 26 was not replicated by any other team this season.
Auburn held LSU to a season-low 23 points in their 23-20 loss in Baton Rouge on Oct. 26. LSU broke the 23-point mark with 10 seconds left in the first half Monday night, when Joe Burrow hit Thaddeus Moss for a six yard touchdown.
While LSU Heisman winner Burrow threw for more than 300 yards on more than 42 pass attempts, he finished with one passing touchdown, one rushing score and an interception.
When compared to the performances Burrow and the LSU offense enjoyed against other notable teams on their schedule, Auburn’s defensive outing on Oct. 26 stands out even more.
The numbers
- In LSU’s 37-10 SEC Championship win over Georgia on Dec. 7, Burrow had 349 passing yards and four touchdowns. The Tigers had 481 total yards. Burrow averaged nearly 10 yards per completion.
- In LSU’s 63-28 Peach Bowl win over Oklahoma on Dec. 28, Burrow threw for 493 yards and seven touchdowns. He ran for another score. His seven passing scores all came before halftime. LSU finished with nearly 700 total yards.
- In LSU’s 42-28 win over Florida on Oct. 12, Burrow threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns, and the Tigers ran for 218 yards and three combined touchdowns.
How they did it
No unit truly stopped LSU in 2019, but Auburn’s defense came the closest.
The Tigers, who run a nickel defense as its base, ran a 3-1-7 look in Baton Rouge -- three down linemen, one linebacker and seven defensive backs. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele relied on defensive linemen Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Big Kat Bryant to put pressure on Burrow, and his plan mostly succeeded.
Tigers linebacker Owen Pappoe sacked Burrow on LSU’s first offensive snap. LSU finished with over 500 yards of total offense, but finished 9-of-19 on third down and 0-of-2 on fourth down, the latter of which included a goal line stand by Auburn’s defense to keep the score within striking distance. Auburn finished the game with six tackles for loss and three sacks.
For comparison, Georgia tried the same scheme in Atlanta during the SEC Championship, and failed to create any push on the defensive front. This led to Burrow having loads of time in the pocket, making it nearly impossible for Georgia’s secondary to maintain coverage.
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