Penn State Slips Past LSU in Capital One Bowl

For the second time in as many trips to the Capital One Bowl, the No. 13 LSU football team watched a victory slip away in the final minute. No. 11-ranked Penn State hit a game-winning field goal with 57 seconds to play to hand head coach Les Miles his first bowl loss at LSU,19-17.
LSU (9-4) scored two touchdowns in 3:02 to overcome a 13-point deficit and take a 17-16 fourth-quarter lead. With 6:54 to play, Penn State (11-2) answered with a 12-play, 65-yard drive that took 5:57 off the clock and regained the lead.
The Tigers' final drive ended at the Penn State 33-yard line.
The loss broke LSU's 24-game non-conference winning streak that began after the 2005 Capital One Bowl loss to Iowa (30-25) on a 56-yard last-second touchdown pass. Miles fell to 24-1 in non-conference games.
After sputtering through the first half, LSU's offense found life in the second half with a pair of scores against the No. 4-ranked scoring defense in the NCAA.
A 24-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Jefferson to wide receiver Brandon LaFell, a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Stevan Ridley and a pair of PAT's by Josh Jasper gave the Tigers their first lead with 12:49 left to play.
With less than 10 minutes left, the Tigers forced a punt after consecutive Penn State penalties backed the Nittany Lions into second-and-28. After Jefferson scrambled for a first down on the ensuing series, the a pass to Toliver fell incomplete and LSU punted to setup Penn State's final game-winner drive.
On a recently sodded turf and after a heavy rain storm, LSU struggled to get its footing in the first half and fell behind 13-3 at halftime on New Year's Day. LSU managed only 67 yards of total offense and a 28-yard field goal by Jasper in the first 30 minutes. The field conditions were so poor that making any sort of cut with the ball was out of the question.
Penn State scored its only touchdown with a 37-yard pass with 1:54 to play in the first quarter when wide receiver Derek Moye ran straight past an LSU defender and caught quarterback Daryll Clark's pass in stride inside the 5-yard line.
Tight end Adam Quarless led his team with eight receptions for 88 yards, while Graham Zug had four for 51 yards. Moye had three catches for 53 yards.
Despite the footing, Penn State placekicker Collin Wagner was perfect on the afternoon hit field goals of 26, 18, 20 and 21 yards.
Clark completed 18-of-35 passes for 216 yards with one touchdown. He was sacked only once and did not throw an interception.
Running back Evan Royster ran 17 times for 65 yards, while Stephfon Green added 35 yards on seven carries. Clark rushed 11 times for net 20 yards.
Big plays gave the Nittany Lions a 186-67 first-half advantage in total offense, while the Tigers managed only two first downs on passes of 18 and 36 yards by Jefferson to LaFell.
LSU was outgained, 340-243.
Jefferson was sacked twice while completing 13-of-24 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Terrance Toliver had a 81 yards on six catches, while LaFell added five receptions for 87 yards.
Jefferson was intercepted with 3:48 left in the first half when Toliver mishandled a pass that bounced into the hands of cornerback A.J. Wallace.
The LSU rushing game was never gained a foot-hold, as the Tigers had 41 yards rushing on 25 attempts including 17 sack yards. The longest run of the game was for 11 yards by Trindon Holliday.
LSU safety Chad Jones led the way defensively with eight tackles including one for lost yardage. He partially blocked a punt in the first quarter and broke up a pass. Linebackers Jacob Cutrera and Kelvin Sheppard each added seven tackles.
There were a Capital One Bowl-record 15 punts, as the team combined to tie the record of 10 in the wet first half.
The game was marred by multiple dropped passes by both teams on both sides of the ball. Penn State fumbled four times -- twice on snaps from center -- while LSU fumbled one time.
Two of LSU's three turnovers were lost deep in their territory, however, the LSU defense held Penn State to a pair of field goals. LSU's third turnover was a fumble on the game's final play as wide receiver Rueben Randle attempted to lateral to a teammate.