LSU vs Auburn Football

Auburn defenders including Gimel President (42) and Derrick Moncrief wrap up LSU running back Darrel Williams in the second quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014. (Mark Almond/ malmond@al.com)

(MARK ALMOND)

-- Everywhere LSU quarterback

Brandon Harris

turned, Auburn's defense was there.

Every time

Leonard Fournette

made a cut up field, Auburn's linebackers corralled him. The long passes were defended by the defensive backs, the offensive line penetrated by the defensive line Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

"The night was awful from start to finish," said Harris, LSU's freshman quarterback after the first start of his career. "... I thought I came out and played terrible. I can't even put a grade on it. It was an awful game."

As impressive as Auburn was on offense, the defense was equally impressive, holding LSU to 0-for-13 on third-down conversions for a 41-7 victory Saturday. Auburn players felt their defense had been disrespected in recent weeks, and saw the LSU game as an opportunity to impress the country.

"We played outstanding holding those guys on third downs," Auburn coach

Gus Malzahn

said. "They were as good as I have seen."

Auburn had not held an opponent to a zero-percent success rate on third downs since a 3-2 victory against Mississippi State in 2008. LSU was also 1-for-4 on fourth downs.

"We were ready to play," Auburn cornerback

Trovon Reed

said. "I told the guys before the game that this is a big game."

Harris, a freshman, was a disastrous 3-of-14 passing for 58 yards in his first start. He misfired on several throws, and save for a 52-yard pass early, the LSU pass offense was a non-explosive mess.





Auburn's run defense has provided several stellar plays in recent weeks, limiting teams to 2.3 yards per carry since halftime of the season opener against Arkansas.



Auburn mixed up its coverages, brought different pressures and confused Harris behind his offensive line. LSU was also conservative with its play calls with the freshman on the field, though coach Les Miles disagreed with that notion.

"It did not appear to be the calls," he said. "It appears to me that we did not execute those calls. What can we do? Give them more time and more coaching and more perspective."



"Guys were just feeling themselves," Auburn defensive lineman Gabe Wright said. "One guy would make a play, then on the sideline before the next series we'd say that it's someone else's time, and another guy would go out and make the play. The execution was just really sound. Communication was better than expected tonight because the fans were as loud as they had ever been, in my eyes."