Victory eludes Huskies
SEATTLE – Jordan Jefferson threw three touchdown passes to help No. 11 LSU overcome a slow start and hand Washington its 15th consecutive loss, 31-23 Saturday night in new coach Steve Sarkisian’s Huskies debut.
Jefferson’s third touchdown pass, 6 yards to a wide-open Brandon LaFell with 1:54 remaining sealed it for the Tigers, though Jake Locker threw a touchdown pass to Kavario Middleton on the final play.
The Huskies are one loss from tying Oregon State’s Pac-10 record for consecutive losses, though they got out to an early 7-0 lead and went into halftime down only 17-13.
Locker completed 25 of 45 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns, but Jacob Cutrera returned an interception 29 yards for LSU’s first touchdown late in the first quarter.
Terrance Toliver caught two touchdown passes from Jefferson, who was 11 of 20 for 172 yards.
LSU led by just 17-13 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter before Toliver twisted freshman safety Greg Walker into the turf for the second time for a long touchdown catch and run. This one, from 39 yards, put the Tigers up 24-13 and seemed to take the zip out of the fired-up Huskies.
Toliver juked past Walker for a 45-yard score late in the first half to put LSU up 17-10 in its first trip to the West Coast in 25 years.
“I’ve been doing it since high school. I finally got the opportunity to do it tonight,” Toliver said.
Despite the loss the Husky fans had reason to be excited.
The change was obvious the first time Washington touched the ball.
The blocking was crisper. The running harder. The offensive scheme was more creative and Locker, was back in the game again, leading the Huskies 85 yards on 10 plays on their first possession of the season.
Chris Polk, who was so disenchanted last season he almost quit the game, rumbled for early runs of 10 and 9 yards. His backup, Johri Fogerson, took a screen pass from Locker, beating LSU’s blitz, and running 51 yards.
And finally, operating with an empty backfield, Locker, who missed the final eight weeks of last season with a broken thumb, flung a pass to the future – true freshman wide receiver James Johnson – who danced and cut and sprinted into the end zone for a 17-yard score.
The old stadium swayed. The upper deck felt like a trampoline, bobbing up and down a good thing, honest. A reminder of the past.
(11)LSU 31, UW 23
| LSU | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | — | 31 |
| Washington | 7 | 6 | 0 | 10 | — | 23 |
Wash—J.Johnson 17 pass from Locker (Folk kick).
LSU—FG Jasper 24.
LSU—Cutrera 29 interception return (Jasper kick).
Wash—FG Folk 34.
LSU—Toliver 45 pass from Jefferson (Jasper kick).
Wash—FG Folk 37.
LSU—Toliver 39 pass from Jefferson (Jasper kick).
Wash—FG Folk 32.
LSU—LaFell 6 pass from Jefferson (Jasper kick).
Wash—Middleton 9 pass from Locker (Folk kick).
| LSU | Wash | |
| First downs | 17 | 25 |
| Rushes-yards | 29-149 | 38-157 |
| Passing | 172 | 321 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 11-19-0 | 25-45-1 |
| Return Yards | 38 | 18 |
| Punts-Avg. | 4-32.0 | 3-42.3 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-1 | 2-1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 3-35 | 11-83 |
| Time of Possession | 23:08 | 36:52 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—LSU, Scott 12-52, K.Williams 7-51, Jefferson 8-42, Murphy 1-3, Holliday 1-1. Washington, C.Polk 21-90, Locker 12-51, Fogerson 3-11, Griffin 1-8, J.Polk 1-(minus 3).
PASSING—LSU, Jefferson 11-19-0-172. Washington, Locker 25-45-1-321.
RECEIVING—LSU, Toliver 4-117, LaFell 4-34, Dickson 1-9, K.Williams 1-8, M.Joseph 1-4. Washington, J.Johnson 6-63, Middleton 5-45, Aguilar 4-76, Fogerson 2-58, C.Polk 2-34, Goodwin 2-19, Kearse 2-12, J.Polk 1-12, Homer 1-2.