LSU Hands Texas A&M Death Valley-Level Dismantling on Eve of Kevin Sumlin Dismissal

​Baton​ ​Rouge,​ ​La-​ ​As​ ​reports​ ​of​ ​Kevin​ ​Sumlin​ ​being​ ​replaced​ ​by​ ​Jimbo​ ​Fisher​ ​lingered throughout​ ​the​ ​week​ ​the​ ​Aggies​ ​were​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​focused​ ​on​ ​their​ ​game​ ​with​ ​LSU.​ ​Texas A&M​ ​has​ ​never​ ​defeated​ ​the​ ​Tigers​ ​under​ ​Kevin​ ​Sumlin​ ​and​ ​that​ ​didn’t​ ​change​ ​on​ ​Saturday night,​ ​as​ ​LSU​ ​manhandled​ ​the​ ​Aggies​ ​in​ ​Death​ ​Valley​ ​45-21.

LSU​ ​kicker​ ​Jack​ ​Gonsoulin​ ​missed​ ​a​ ​46​ ​yard​ ​field​ ​goal​ ​late​ ​in​ ​the​ ​second​ ​quarter​ ​and​ ​Texas A&M​ ​was​ ​given​ ​a​ ​chance​ ​to​ ​run​ ​their​ ​two-minute​ ​offensive.​ ​The​ ​Tigers​ ​defense​ ​forced​ ​the Aggies​ ​into​ ​a​ ​4th​ ​and​ ​3,​ ​but​ ​A&M​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​convert​ ​and​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​drive​ ​alive.​ ​Nick​ ​Starkel​ ​was able​ ​to​ ​connect​ ​with​ ​Christian​ ​Kirk​ ​on​ ​a​ ​31​ ​yard​ ​pass​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Tigers​ ​brought​ ​him​ ​down​ ​at​ ​the two​ ​yard​ ​line.​ ​Trayveon​ ​Williams​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​run​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​in​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Aggies​ ​first​ ​touchdown​ ​of​ ​the game,​ ​but​ ​A&M​ ​went​ ​into​ ​halftime​ ​down​ ​20-7.

The​ ​Aggies​ ​were​ ​able​ ​to​ ​ride​ ​the​ ​momentum​ ​they​ ​established​ ​in​ ​the​ ​final​ ​minutes​ ​of​ ​the​ ​second quarter,​ ​as​ ​they​ ​started​ ​the​ ​second​ ​half.​ ​Nick​ ​Starkel​ ​hit​ ​Damion​ ​Ratley​ ​on​ ​a​ ​45​ ​yard​ ​touchdown pass,​ ​after​ ​the​ ​LSU​ ​secondary​ ​uncharacteristically​ ​blew​ ​their​ ​coverage.​ ​The​ ​Aggies​ ​seemed​ ​to have​ ​things​ ​turned​ ​around​ ​at​ ​this​ ​point​ ​and​ ​they​ ​cut​ ​the​ ​score​ ​to​ ​20-14​ ​with​ ​13:20​ ​left​ ​in​ ​the​ ​third quarter.

The​ ​Tigers​ ​answered​ ​the​ ​Aggies,​ ​as​ ​Derrius​ ​Guice​ ​refused​ ​to​ ​be​ ​denied​ ​and​ ​ran​ ​through​ ​the A&M​ ​defensive​ ​line​ ​for​ ​a​ ​touchdown,​ ​bringing​ ​the​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​27-20.​ ​Once​ ​again​ ​Starkel​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to throw​ ​a​ ​touchdown​ ​pass,​ ​as​ ​he​ ​lobbed​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​over​ ​two​ ​LSU​ ​defenders​ ​and​ ​into​ ​the​ ​waiting hands​ ​of​ ​Kirk​ ​in​ ​the​ ​corner​ ​of​ ​the​ ​end​ ​zone.​ ​The​ ​touchdown​ ​would​ ​be​ ​the​ ​last​ ​of​ ​the​ ​night​ ​for​ ​the Aggies​ ​and​ ​LSU​ ​would​ ​begin​ ​to​ ​roll.

The​ ​Tigers​ ​would​ ​go​ ​on​ ​to​ ​score​ ​three​ ​unanswered​ ​touchdowns​ ​behind​ ​the​ ​arm​ ​of​ ​Danny​ ​Etling, who​ ​finished​ ​the​ ​game​ ​19-30​ ​for​ ​347​ ​yards​ ​and​ ​3​ ​touchdowns.​ ​LSU​ ​capped​ ​off​ ​their​ ​route​ ​of A&M​ ​with​ ​a​ ​26​ ​yard​ ​Connor​ ​Culp​ ​field​ ​goal.

The​ ​Tigers​ ​finished​ ​the​ ​game​ ​with​ ​601​ ​total​ ​yards​ ​of​ ​offense,​ ​while​ ​holding​ ​Texas​ ​A&M​ ​to​ ​just 282​ ​total​ ​yards.​ ​The​ ​Aggies​ ​had​ ​four​ ​turnovers​ ​on​ ​the​ ​night​ ​and​ ​three​ ​of​ ​those​ ​were​ ​Nick​ ​Starkel interceptions.​ ​Starkel​ ​finished​ ​the​ ​game​ ​16/30​ ​for​ ​227​ ​yards​ ​2​ ​touchdowns​ ​and​ ​3​ ​interceptions.

The​ ​Aggies​ ​and​ ​Tigers​ ​now​ ​await​ ​their​ ​bowl​ ​bids​ .

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