Jayden Daniels and John Emery Jr. each rushed for a touchdown as LSU overcame a 17-0 deficit to defeat host Auburn 21-17 in an SEC game Saturday night.
Daniels, who was playing with a lower back strain suffered a week earlier against New Mexico, passed for just 80 yards before being replaced by Garrett Nussmeier early in the fourth quarter.
LSU (4-1, 2-0) scored a defensive touchdown to trigger the turnaround that produced a fourth consecutive victory.
Robby Ashford completed 19 of 38 for 337 yards and two touchdowns for Auburn (3-2, 1-1). But he threw an interception that was one of four Auburn turnovers.
Auburn led 17-14 at halftime and forced punts on LSU’s first two possessions of the third quarter.
But Auburn couldn’t extend the lead as it punted on its first possession before going for fourth and 10 at the LSU 37. Ashford’s deep pass went incomplete.
LSU took advantage by driving to Emery’s 20-yard touchdown run that produced its first lead, 21-17, which it held at the end of the third quarter.
Auburn drove to a first-and-goal at the 5, but the threat ended when a trick play backfired. Wide receiver Koy Moore, a transfer from LSU, tried a pass, but it was intercepted by Harold Perkins.
Auburn reached the LSU 35, but Greg Brooks Jr. intercepted Ashford with 2:18 remaining and LSU ran out the clock.
Auburn scored on the first possession when Ashford threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Varrius Johnson and the 7-0 lead held up through the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Ashford completed a 99-yard drive with a 61-yard touchdown pass to Camden Brown. Anders Carlson’s 29-yard field goal pushed the lead to 17-0 on Auburn’s next possession.
LSU continued to struggle on offense, but B.J. Ojulari forced a fumble while sacking Ashford and Jay Ward picked up the ball and ran 23 yards for a touchdown that trimmed the lead to 17-7.
Daniels led a two-minute drive that ended with him running 1 yard for a touchdown that cut the lead to 17-14 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
