Fournette was stunned.
Everything happened too quickly, too unexpectedly, and too shockingly. He stood frozen, as if struck by lightning, completely forgetting to chase after the play. He stood there in the breeze, dumbfounded, with his mind swirling in confusion and disbelief. He even forgot to feel angry.
Just moments earlier, he had been in control, poised to tear through the Crimson Tide's defense. In his mind, he had already seen himself scoring a touchdown, saving the Tigers like a hero. The crowd would erupt in cheers, and Tiger Stadium would bow at his feet in admiration.
He had imagined proving himself, standing tall and dominant.
Lance? Ha, who's that?
How had everything turned upside down so quickly, leading to such a dramatic reversal?
A gentle breeze blew, and Fournette suddenly felt a sharp pain in his injured ankle, reminding him of his vulnerability. The next second, he saw Humphrey, so arrogant and brash, that it was impossible to ignore. His gaze followed Humphrey as he handed the football to Lance.
A surge of blood rushed to Fournette's head and then instantly froze.
His face burned with embarrassment.
For a brief moment, Lance and Fournette's eyes met across the field. In that instant, Fournette's gaze burned with fury, as if he could devour Lance whole. But Lance calmly tossed the football into the air, catching it as if it were a simple game, as though he were toying with Fournette's pride and dignity.
Then Lance simply turned away… just turned around… and walked away…
As if Fournette was beneath his notice.
Fournette could no longer contain himself: Damn it!
With the Crimson Tide confidently nailing the extra point, Alabama extended their lead on the road, firmly establishing control of the game.
The spectators watched, convinced that the game was already over.
Louisiana State University would fall just like every other team that had faced the Crimson Tide this season—Tennessee, Texas A&M, and other traditional powerhouses had all met the same fate. One by one, they had crumbled and fallen, marching toward defeat, shattered by the relentless power of the Crimson Tide.
Orgeron and his Tigers said no.
They refused to surrender. They refused to lay down their arms. They refused to give up.
The reason was simple: Orgeron knew that the previous head coach had been fired after Week 4, following their lackluster performance against archrival Auburn. LSU's real shame wasn't losing but losing their fight and courage. For LSU, failing to show grit was worse than any defeat.
Yes, they might no longer be as dominant as they once were. Gone were the days when they were a defensive powerhouse, like in 1959 when they held opponents to an average of 143.2 rushing yards per game. But they were still a traditional SEC powerhouse, especially when facing the Crimson Tide. They couldn't back down.
They could lose the game, but they could not lose their spirit.
Orgeron showed his steel will, taking swift action to rally his defense, reigniting the Tigers' fighting spirit. He knew the key was the ground game.
The Crimson Tide's last offensive success had revolved around Lance's running game, and it had also been fueled by Hurts' surprise decision to run himself.
If the Tigers wanted to keep the game within reach, their run defense had to stand firm.
The Tigers regained their footing, refusing to be rattled by giving up two quick touchdowns.
That was no small feat, especially with Alabama in control, comfortably managing the game. Saban's offensive strategies had clearly opened up, allowing Lance some rest while giving Jacobs and Clark more playing time. Saban even trusted Hurts to throw more, easing the pressure on their ground game with a multi-faceted approach.
For the Tigers' defense, stopping Alabama was just as difficult, even without Lance on the field.
Yet the Tigers held their ground, managing to force a three-and-out after Alabama had crossed midfield, thanks to a well-timed sack that ended the drive.
Tiger Stadium roared back to life, displaying its ferocious home-field advantage once again.
Back and forth they went, neither team giving an inch.
Just when everyone thought the outcome was a foregone conclusion, the game turned into a grind.
LSU forced two three-and-outs.
Alabama responded with two of their own.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the score still hadn't changed, stuck at 14–0. LSU's defense had proven tough and resilient, pushing the Crimson Tide's offense, which had breezed through most of the season, into an uncomfortable place. Even with a two-touchdown lead, Alabama couldn't afford to relax, as a sudden reversal seemed always just within reach.
Then, LSU intercepted Hurts, marking the first turnover of the game for Alabama.
The home crowd exploded into a frenzy, the roar shaking the stadium.
But moments later, the Crimson Tide defense struck back, tackling Fournette behind the line of scrimmage, stopping LSU's third-down conversion, and forcing the ball back into Alabama's hands.
Tension mounted. The game was tight, intense, and fierce.
Saban, on the other hand, remained calm. With the fourth quarter halfway over, time was slipping away for LSU. If Alabama could maintain their lead, the scales of victory would eventually tip in their favor.
The most economical, surefire strategy was to lean on the running game, eating up the clock. Ground yards didn't matter as much now—what mattered was keeping the clock moving. This was the safest, simplest way to close out the game.
Orgeron knew this too.
And the pressure was clearly getting to him. LSU was running out of time, and their offense wasn't known for explosive plays. Their hopes for victory were fading fast.
Then Saban sent Lance back into the game.
Orgeron immediately became alert, but something felt different from the first half.
In Orgeron's mind, Saban was playing mind games. Everyone knew that Lance's running game was a threat, and the Tigers' defense would surely focus on stopping him. So naturally, Saban would choose to pass.
In other words, Lance was being used as a decoy.
The reasoning was straightforward: Alabama needed to secure a first down to get three more downs and continue to burn the clock, snuffing out any chance of a Tiger comeback.
And so, Lance stepped back onto the field.
Taking a deep breath, Orgeron quickly gestured to Adams and Riley, signaling them to adjust their defensive strategy. They had to be prepared.
Orgeron's eyes were glued to Hurts as he watched him quickly drop back, fake a handoff to Lance, and complete the exchange. But the move was too obvious, almost like it was designed to fool the linebackers and safeties.
Orgeron felt a surge of excitement, turning toward Adams and Riley, hoping they had seen through Saban's ploy. He had warned them about this.
Maybe, just maybe, they could stop the Crimson Tide this time. If they could defend this second-and-ten play, it would be third-and-ten, and LSU's chances of forcing a punt would rise dramatically, giving their offense another shot.
Sure enough, both Riley and Adams held back instead of charging forward, positioning themselves to defend the pass.
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