Rabalais: Balboa-like comeback for LSU

Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING
LSU tackle Josh Dworaczyk (68) celebrates with guard La'El Collins (70), safety Eric Reid (1) and tight end Nic Jacobs (84) after the Tigers' 23-21 victory over South Carolina on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

After everyone bailed on them, after all the world seemed to doubt them following a frustrating 14-6 loss at Florida, you wondered how the LSU Tigers would respond in a heavyweight bout against South Carolina.

We all questioned their play, their coaching, their heart, and certainly their ability to cobble a makeshift offensive line together and take on the Gamecocks’ fearsome front four.

Well, Rocky Balboa would have loved this one, for sure.

Rocky-like, the No. 9 Tigers got up off the canvas time and again and pulled out a 23-21 victory over the No. 3 S.C. in a one for the ages in Tiger Stadium.

Boxing may have lost its grip on the American sports scene, but what LSU and South Carolina gave us Saturday night in Tiger Stadium was a football version of a heavyweight scrap.

Punch and counter, jab and dance. And, as Apollo Creed’s corner man screamed during “Rocky II” to no avail: “Stay away from him!” The Tigers stayed away from the Gamecocks’ uber-defensive end Jadaveon Clowney as best they could. To that end, their perimeter blocking was superb, springing the running backs time and again for 258 yards rushing against a team allowing just 83.8 in 2012.

With tackle Alex Hurst AWOL and guard Josh Williford sidelined because of a concussion, LSU’s O-line looked like a sea shanty in a hurricane. The gale blew, but the walls somehow stood.

LSU players continued to drop during the game, as they have all season. Tailback Spencer Ware went to the locker room for part of the first half with a stomach ailment. South Carolina native Sam Montgomery went down at the goal line. J.C. Copeland got hurt, as did Eric Reid making a critical interception, both in the fourth quarter. All came back for more.

With Alfred Blue long gone and Ware in and out, the Tigers needed another strong pair of legs to help carry them through this one.

Hello, world.

Meet Jeremy Hill.

The freshman from Redemptorist, banished from football in 2011 because of legal issues, came through on the biggest stage of his young life with nothing less than a clutch performance.

Hill rushed 17 times for 124 yards and both of LSU’s touchdowns, the second on a 50-yarder with 5:03 to go to put the Tigers up 23-14.

Credit the Gamecocks, too. They didn’t fold, driving back 77 yards to complete a fourth down pass to the LSU goal line and punch it in to bring South Carolina within an onside kick and a field goal of pulling this one out.

Didn’t happen. LSU got it back, punted deep and snuffed out South Carolina’s last hope when Craig Loston picked off Connor Shaw to preserve the two-point win, much like in LSU’s 12-10 win at Auburn.

Rematch in Atlanta on Dec. 1 for the SEC title? As much as the Tigers and Gamecocks would each love to be there, they probably don’t want to see the other there.

“Ain’t gonna be no rematch,” Creed said at the end of the first “Rocky” movie. “Don’t want one.”

That would be too bad, because the rest of us would be riveted.

Comments

1) Comment by mtn15 - 14/10/2012

Dualthreat, Yes I am a hater. I "hate" guys that team up with their buddies to get bj's from 14 year olds. I also "hate" dudes that allegedly get drunk and put their hands all over women at bars (Mett). How would you feel if it was your girl getting fondled at a bar or your sister in that situation at school? I don't know what Jordan Jefferson has to do with it, but he wasn't a thug. Hell, he seemed pretty reserved for the QB of an SEC powerhouse. Hill certainly deserves a second chance. I believe he's gotten quite a fair deal. He's not in prison, he's attending the state's flagship school, and he's on a football scholarship. That doesn't mean I HAVE to like the fact that Les let him on the team. Your opinion on the matter is fine, and I understand where you're coming from. Billy Cannon was a notorious "thug" (to borrow your words), and he's one of the most revered in LSU history. Next time you look in the mirror though, ask yourself just how much you're willing to put up with in order to win some football games. I'm sure Hill is a great teammate and a good kid that made a dumb mistake. I wish him the best, the purpose of my comment was to call out the advocate for sloppy reporting, much like how ESPN glosses over Mett's issues by saying he left Georgia because of "discipline problems." Trash wasn't a reference to Hill, but to the Advocate's reporting.

2) Comment by dualthreat - 14/10/2012

mtn15, Im embarressed for you, take off the colors, look in the mirror so your reflection can tell you to stop being a hater, it is also is embarassed of you. Didn't Mett get another chance, now he's tripping over his own feet on the field, but Hill is running over our foes, mtn15 hater. it's done it with and shouldn't be a issue now two years later. I bet even that 14 yr old wants to move on. I'm surprised trash was used and not thug, like JJ heard all year.

3) Comment by mtn15 - 14/10/2012

Hill's "legal issue" that the Advocate keeps hinting at but not explaining is that he and a buddy were getting a BJ together in the locker room from a 14 year old girl. Absolute trash and I'm embarrassed that he is allowed to put on my school's colors.

4) Comment by dualthreat - 14/10/2012

Thanks Defense! Thanks OL,RB's and you to Miles ya'll saved Metts azz i mean backside tonight. LSU chickens came home to roost again tonight but they didn't lay another egg. Go Tigers !!! oh I almost forgot Rob Bolden Dualthreat QB still on the bench.

5) Comment by tdouzat - 14/10/2012

What do you say now Mr. Lou Holtz..."South Carolina will win this one"..he hates LSU...and on college game day "herbie" and the boys predicted the same thing...my word to the wise.."don't ever count LSU out!

6) Comment by JimmyCee2 - 14/10/2012

@spqr: AMEN. Kirk Herbstreit, Brent Musberger called a VERY good game and were honest about the deficiencies on the Tiger team, even as they praised them for their GREAT victory. Mark May was even more to the point on the Half-Time Report, calling the LSU offense "classic underachievers." Our offensive performance and sputters in the Red Zone prove this criticism is accurate. The guys on SportsCenter did the same thing after the game -- congratulating the Tigers, but objectively sounding a warning on the offensive portions of the game which need improvement. The universal "game analyst" take on LSU during and after the contest last night: Troublesome offensive effort weighted by mediocre quarterback play and a weak receiving corps, but an improving & heroic offensive line, stunning talent out of the backfield and a big-time, smothering, smash-mouth defense -- as usual. For my money, the TV boys can say what they want and, though much of it IS accurate, our lads are getting BETTER. They do NOT QUIT. Congrats to the Tigers on a GREAT team victory last night.

7) Comment by spqr - 14/10/2012

I do not think the announcers were hard on LSU at all. They were honest and giving us a view of what others are saying outside of the LSU aquarium we live in. It is not the job of the media to do anything else. LSU deserved the pregame criticism. Performing as they did in the tv booth placed them at that higher standard. You should beware of announcers who are cheerleaders.

8) Comment by CountryBoysCanSurvive - 14/10/2012

Yes LSU had to battle not one but 3 opponents last night for the win. First they had to be South Carolina then they had to beat the two jerk announcers. These two clowns trash mouthed LSU from the beginning of the game until the end. Announcers should be held to a higher standard than what LSU got on ESPN last night.