Texas saves its best for last again as No. 6 Longhorns stun No. 21 LSU in final seconds

The Longhorns (8-2, 5-2 SEC) won their fourth straight game and all but ended the College Football Playoff hopes of the Tigers (6-4, 3-4).

Texas drove 58 yards in 12 plays after forcing an LSU punt with a little more than two minutes left. It was the first time the Longhorns played in Baton Rouge since 1953.

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt threw two touchdown passes to Jackson Harris and Dilin Jones broke off a 44-yard scoring run in the third quarter that seemingly put the Tigers in control.

Advertisement

Instead, it’s Texas that has almost assured itself of a spot in the CFP with a fifth win over a ranked team. Arch Manning ran for a touchdown and threw for 174 yards as he picked up a ninth career win over a ranked team in 11 tries.

The Longhorns scored on their opening possession of the game but was limited to just three field goals by the automatic Gianni Spetic the rest of the game. His third of the night, a 50-yarder, brought Texas to within five of their hosts with 11:37 to play.

Texas dodged a serious bullet to close the first half when LSU went conservative and declined to throw the ball down the field, eschewing a potential touchdown and a 21-10 lead as Lane Kiffin played it safe. After Leavitt threw three safe passes at the line of scrimmage, the Tigers’ Scott Starzyk pushed wide right a 38-yard field-goal attempt.

LSU also received the second-half kickoff, further making Kiffin’s strategy very confusing. When Leavitt’s third-down pass gained zero yards, it marked the first time Texas had stopped the Tigers on third down all night. They had converted their first five tries and were in position perhaps for a knockout blow with a promising drive after linebacker Brad Spence was called for roughing the passer on what would have been a third-down incompletion.

Advertisement

For the most part, LSU looked much more the explosive team. Leavitt connected with Harris twice for scores on a 10-yard slant pass on the home team’s opening possession and another 9-yard score after LSU safety Ty Benefield intercepted a Manning pass and returned it to the Texas 7-yard line. It marked the junior quarterback’s eighth interception but first in his past three games.

The Longhorns came out strong as well. They drove 75 yards in 11 plays on their first series of the night with Manning running it in from the 1 for his third rushing touchdown in the last three games.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

There’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.

This article originally published at Texas saves its best for last again as No. 6 Longhorns stun No. 21 LSU in final seconds.