Wahoo Wire

In the week leading up to their first-round matchup against Georgia Tech, LSU saw the Yellow Jackets’ vaunted triple option offense and its averages: over 300 yards rushing and 440 total yards per game.

On Saturday, the Tigers raised them 586 yards-480 on the ground-as they delivered a stunning knockout blow to the ACC champions on the road.

With four rushing touchdowns in the game’s first 18 minutes, LSU’s 84th-ranked rushing attack, which averaged only 128 yards per game during the regular season, showed early that it was more than capable of going blow-for-blow with Georgia Tech’s in a matchup that featured almost 1,000 yards rushing.

Senior running back Keiland Williams’ 64-yard score on the Tigers’ game-opening drive was the first of his four on the day as LSU took advantage of poor tackling and confusion among the Yellow Jackets’ second-level defenders.

“I just kept fighting through to daylight,” Williams said of the run after the game. “Broke one tackle, broke another, and then there was no one behind them.”

Courtesy of www.zimbio.com

Georgia Tech’s backs, for their part, found plenty of room to run as well. All-American Jonathan Dwyer racked up 288 yards on 22 carries, including four runs of 20 yards or more and two touchdowns. Marcus Wright and Anthony Allen combined for 160 yards and three more scores on just 11 carries.

Nonetheless, the Yellow Jackets’ whopping 515 rushing yards came in chunks too inconsistent to counter LSU’s 38 first downs. Georgia Tech converted only two of 13 third down attempts and managed only 16 first downs, sputtering out on several early drives as the Tigers bashed their way to a 35-7 head start by the halfway point of the second quarter.

“Penalties, in key situations and after a few big plays, really hurt us in that first half,” Yellow Jackets head coach Paul Johnson said in his postgame press conference. On the day, Georgia Tech committed 11 penalties-compared to only two by LSU.

The Yellow Jackets were within striking distance, down 11 points entering the fourth quarter on the heels of a 24-7 run to answer the Tigers’ hot start. But Williams’ fourth touchdown for LSU, a 25-yard counter run early in the final frame, put them away for good.

Sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson completed only nine of his 27 pass attempts for the Tigers, throwing an interception and a late score. Eight of those nine completions, though, were drive-extending first downs as LSU kept Georgia Tech’s offense off the field, converting seven of 14 third downs.

“We didn’t have much total success passing,” Tigers head coach Les Miles reflected. “But we were able to make plays when we needed them.”

LSU will face No. 2 Texas, who drubbed Central Michigan 46-10 in earlier action, in the Cotton Bowl next Friday.

Results of Other Games:

#1 Alabama vs. #16 Troy

#8 Oregon vs. #9 Ohio State

#4 TCU vs. #13 Iowa

#5 Boise State vs. #12 West Virginia

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#2 Texas vs. #15 Central Michigan

#7 Georgia Tech vs. #10 LSU

#6 Florida vs. #11 Virginia Tech

#3 Cincinnati vs. #14 East Carolina