By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
NORMAN, Okla. – The script never changed for LSU in its first 11 games.
Why shouldn’t it repeat one more time in the regular season finale?
Here’s the CliffsNotes version of No. 8 Oklahoma’s 17-13 victory over the Tigers on a blustery Saturday in their first-ever game in this state:
LSU’s offense was as awful as it has been all year, allowing the Tigers’ defense no leeway for mistakes. That defense was magnificent, except for two long-distance touchdown passes by Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, including the 58-yard game-winner to Isaiah Sategna III on a huge coverage bust with 4:16 left to play.
The victory clinched a College Football Playoff berth for the Sooners (10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC). The 2025 Tigers (7-5, 3-5 SEC) became the first LSU team in history to score 25 points or fewer against all of its FBS (Division 1-A) opponents in the regular season.
Against the backdrop of LSU officials waiting for Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin to accept the offer to become the Tigers’ next head coach – he didn’t do so until Sunday – LSU fought the Sooners tooth and nail.
“We kept the game where we wanted, where it was in the balance, and that it would come down to the back end, where we would have a chance to win the football game,” LSU interim coach Frank Wilson said. “It came down to that, and unfortunately, we didn’t make the play or plays to be able to attain victory. But I’m very proud of our football team in the way that they competed.”
The Tigers held OU to 392 yards, including just 75 rushing. LSU’s defense forced OU QB Mateer into throwing a season-high three interceptions, but capitalized just once.
LSU safety AJ Haulcy’s 42-yard return led to QB Michael Van Buren’s 1-yard TD toss to Zavion Thomas for a 13-10 Tigers’ lead with 11:21 left in the third quarter.
It was also just the second time in the 38 turnovers created by LSU’s defense this year that the Tigers scored a TD off an opponent’s interception or fumble.
LSU had a season-low 198 yards total offense. Van Buren was largely ineffective, completing 14 of 25 passes for 96 yards, one TD, and one costly interception.
It came just after Tigers’ linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. intercepted a Mateer pass at the OU 48, tipped by rush end Patrick Payton on OU’s third offensive snap of the day from the OU 46. Perkins raced 44 yards down the sideline before Mateer knocked him out of bounds at the OU 2.
As the case has been too many times this season, with LSU planted on the doorstep of an opposing end zone, it choked.
On first down, Van Buren rolled right and had enough space to make a run at the end zone flag had he faked a pass towards Sooners’ defender Peyton Bowen.
Unfortunately, he tried to toss the ball over Bowen to a supposedly open LSU receiver, and Bowen intercepted just inside the goal line for a touchback.
Oklahoma responded with a 15-play, 53-yard drive that ended in likely Lou Groza Award winner Tate Sandell’s 38-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 4:31 left in the first quarter.
LSU tied the game at 3-3 on Damian Ramos’ 25-yard field goal with 13:35 left in the second quarter.
It came after the Tigers’ defense stopped OU on fourth-and-1 at its 49. LSU then sandwiched two OU penalties for grabbing the facemask and roughing the passer around a 17-yard pass reception by tight end Bauer Sharp.
But as usual, inside the 10-yard line, the Tigers’ offense fell apart. Three running plays produced six yards, and LSU settled for a field goal.
After OU’s Mateer answered Van Buren’s TD pass with a game-tying 45-yard TD pass to Deion Burks on a bubble screen with 1:47 left in the third quarter, LSU could only manage a 43-yard Ramos field goal the rest of the way.
It came with 7:56 left to play for a 13-10 lead, and the Tigers were hoping to stay the course the rest of the way to steal a win.
“Everyone was completely locked in,” LSU defensive tackle Jacobian Gulllory.
Until they weren’t.
On first and 10 from the Oklahoma 42. Tigers’ safety Tanarcus Cooley moved from the center of the field to his right when the ball was snapped.
It left the opposite side of the field wide open when an LSU defensive back released OU receiver Sategna to run free past him off the line of scrimmage.
Sategna was wide open when he caught Mateer’s pass and strolled into the end zone for the game-winning TD with 4:16 left to play.
“It was the perfect play call,” Sategna said. “I was running, waving my hand and yelling `John, John, John.’”
The fact OU went up-tempo on the play may have discombobulated LSU’s defense.
“I wasn’t sitting there like `oh my gosh he’s wide open, and the wind is in my face’,” Mateer said. “I didn’t take a second pause.”
The Sooners will find out next Sunday if they will host a first-round playoff game. LSU will learn its bowl destination. It’s not clear yet whether Wilson or Kiffin will coach the Tigers in their bowl game.
“Our intent always is to win the game,” Wilson said of his team. “But they haven’t given up on one another, and that’s the proudest I am for this football team. They did not give in, they did not retreat, that they stood shoulder to shoulder and back-to-back with one another in times of turmoil.”
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com