LSU Football: 3 takeaways from blowout win over Oklahoma in Peach Bowl
By Zach Bigalke
1. The LSU defense silenced its critics and silenced Jalen Hurts
The much-vaunted duel between the top two finishers in the Heisman race was largely a dud. Much was made before the game about how Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts had participated in the College Football Playoff with Alabama each of the past three years. But while Joe Burrow was once again transcendent guiding the LSU offense, Hurts struggled to produce against the LSU defense.
Hurts went into the locker room at halftime just 5-of-18 for 101 yards with an interception. The quarterback did punch in a rushing touchdown, but finished the half with only 24 rushing yards on eight carries as the Tigers bottled him up and forced him to try to hit well-covered receivers. K’Lavon Chaisson also notched two sacks on the elusive quarterback, as he struggled to evade the rush.
In total, Oklahoma managed only 160 yards of offense in the first half. Kennedy Brooks had 35 rushing yards and a touchdown in the first half as the Sooners tried their best to keep it close.
By the end of the game, Lincoln Riley’s offense finished with 97 rushing yards and 322 total yards. Hurts reached the end of his college career with a 15-of-31 finale that netted 217 yards and a pick, with 43 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns ameliorating what was otherwise an all-around disappointing performance.
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LSU ranked seventh in the SEC in points allowed and ninth in yards allowed this year. That unit came out at the Peach Bowl and completely bottled up an offense that ranked pretty much level with the Tigers in terms of productivity this year.
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Dave Aranda’s defense proved worth every dollar they spent to bring the former Wisconsin coordinator to the SEC back in 2016. LSU put everything together against a really good Oklahoma offense, and that should give whichever team emerges from the Fiesta Bowl a hefty dose of concern heading into the College Football Playoff national championship.