The defenses at No. 13 LSU and No. 23 Southern California were very weak last season, leading both teams to make big changes, including hiring new coordinators.
Their early efforts seem to be working, especially for USC. The defenses now look quite different from last season when LSU was ranked 108th and USC was 119th nationally.
Both defenses gave their offenses a chance to win on Sunday night, but the Trojans managed to secure a victory, beating the Tigers 27-20 with a touchdown run by Woody Marks with just 8 seconds left.
USC significantly reduced LSU’s offensive output. The Tigers had the highest-scoring offense in the nation last season, averaging 45.5 points per game. Kyren Lacy led LSU with seven catches for 94 yards and a touchdown, but USC managed to limit him in the second half, holding him to only two targets and no receptions.
“From early spring all the way to the last practice of fall camp, we have made huge strides as far as running the defense, learning what we’re supposed to do and trusting each other within the defense,” said safety Kamari Ramsey, who led USC with nine tackles.
“The communication has gotten a lot better. Obviously, we have to continue to grow.” Even though the Tigers lost, there are still reasons to be hopeful about their defense.
USC, like LSU, was among the top-scoring teams last season, finishing third with 41.8 points per game.
Coach Brian Kelly of LSU pointed out that their own high-performing offense didn’t do its part against USC, missing several scoring chances. Two of LSU’s red zone trips ended with a field goal and a turnover on downs.
