5 thoughts on LSU’s rout of Oklahoma in CFP semifinal

ATLANTA – After watching four quarters of the best of the SEC against the best of the Big 12, here are some random thoughts.

– In the SEC West, Oklahoma would have finished fourth this season behind LSU, Alabama and Auburn.

In the East, Florida and Georgia were better than the Sooners.

– Oklahoma’s defense, one that surrendered 692 yards to LSU, was hurt by a key suspension and injury but it is doubtful those absent would have made much of a difference.

Remember, LSU had 497 yards of offense by halftime.

– Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts will get more than his share of criticism for a subpar performance but he also did not have a very talented supporting cast around him.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma’s best offensive player, was not enough to consistently dent the LSU defense.

The biggest surprise was the offensive line for the Sonners. LSU’s defensive front dominated. Okalhoma managed just 322 yards on 62 plays. OU’s line was not overly large or talented.

– LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson will be a good pro.

How well the product of Destrehan runs for NFL scouts will help determine where he is drafted. The 6-foot-3 Jefferson is awfully good at going up and winning the 50/50 balls against defensive backs. It’s a prized skill on the next level.

He also has a great ability to adjust and catch the deep ball that is thrown over his back shoulder.

– With Oklahoma doing everything it could to keep Ja’Marr Chase quiet, Jefferson had a terrific game, catching 14 for 227 yards and four first-half touchdowns. The two or three star player out of high school has gone a long way to prove those ratings to be way too low.

With junior Clyde Edwards-Helaire at far less than 100 percent, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron gave the bulk of the carries to running back Chris Curry. In response, the redshirt freshman had 16 carries for 90 yards.

Curry does what he does. He ran hard, north-south. Even more importantly, he protected the football. At running back, Orgeron values experience and ball security, and Curry checked off both of those boxes in playing ahead of a pair of talented true freshmen.

– A reporter asked Orgeron if any player had a better season of college football than Joe Burrow was having in 2019?

Orgeron said he has been around the game for a long time, and the answer is no. Burrow has thrown 55 touchdown passes in 14 games this season.

The Heisman winner’s ability to extend plays is uncanny.

Late in the first quarter, Burrow scrambled toward the sideline and managed to somehow stay in bounds long enough to find Terrace Marshall for a 24-yard gain.

Three plays later, Burrow threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson to extend LSU’s lead to 21-7.

It was yet another incredible moment in a dream season for the Purple and Gold’s No. 9.

Now, LSU has to finish off a magical run in New Orleans against Clemson and their 29-game winning streak.

The 2011 LSU team will always be the team that started 13-0 but was shutout by Alabama in the championship game.

The 2019 Tigers have been terrific. They only have to say that way for four more quarters. We can’t wait to see it.