• With Clauson struggling (2-for-6 for 9y with 1 INT and 0 TDs), Marcus Randall relieved him. He led the Tigers deep into Ole Miss territory before RB LaBrandon Toefield fumbled the ball away on the 14.
  Manning then led a relentless drive deep into LSU territory. On 3rd-and-3 from the 20, Eli hit WR Mike Espy for a first down, but Espy broke tackles by CB Demetrius Hookfin and MLB Bradie James to continue to the end zone. Ole Miss 10 LSU 0 (1:02)
  With Offensive Coordinator Jimbo Fisher calling for the no-huddle, spread attack, the LSU offense, dormant for the whole half, roared downfield for a touchdown. Randall slipped but regained his footing and hit WR Jerel Myers on a down and out for 17y to the 41. On third-and-six, Marcus found TB Domanick Davis for 8y to the Rebel 47. Staying hot, Randall connected with WR Michael Clayton over the middle for 15, then with Davis for 13 more to the19. With time running out, Randall rolled right and fired to WR Devery Henderson in the corner of the end zone with a scant 2.3 seconds on the clock.
  Ole Miss 10 LSU 7
  "I like the fast pace of the no-huddle," Randall said. "It kind of keeps me focused. Between the plays, you don't have such a big break, and you keep moving."
  Henderson, who caught the Bluegrass Miracle game winner two weeks earlier, broke his arm on the touchdown play and was lost for the season.

Quarter 3

• The defenses dominated the period. The only score was set up when Travis Johnson recovered Davis's fumble on the LSU 16. When the Rebs could gain only 3y on three plays, Nichols sent a 39y field goal through the uprights. Ole Miss 13 LSU 7 (9:08)
  Ole Miss's prospects of taking a two-score lead seemed bright when they reached the eight - easily within field goal range. But then came another of the strange plays that often beset opponents in Tiger Stadium. Manning lofted a short pass to RB Tremaine Turner near the five. But Turner never saw the ball and CB Demetrius Hookfin did. The aerial bounced off the back of Turner's helmet and into the waiting hands of a trailing Hookfin who returned the ball 45y out of harm's way.
  Ole Miss 13 LSU 7
  
  Hookfin was one of LSU's 22 seniors playing their final home game.

Quarter 4

• The Tigers finally cranked up a 74y, 10-play drive. Randall started by hitting Clayton for 13y to the 39. Facing fourth and one from the Ole Miss 35, Randall sneaked for 2y. Three plays later from the 27, Clayton snared a button hook pass at the 21, turned, and ran untouched to the end zone. John Corbello's PAT gave the Tigers their first lead of the evening. LSU 14 Ole Miss 13 (6:34)
  Watch a video of the touchdown ...
  "It was a whip route," explained Clayton. "I faked a slant, and when the defender slipped, I just sat down. Marcus saw me when I was wide open."
  After an exchange of punts, three completions moved the Rebels to their 48 only to have Manning underthrow Chris Collins on a deep pass. The ball landed in the hands of CB Corey Webster.
  "I saw the tailback, and I thought he was open, but I didn't see the guy behind him," Eli said afterward. "It was a bad decision for us at that point. It was a situation where we needed a field goal ... It was a bad play by me. I didn't see the guy. I should have kept going and made sure there was a guy open."
  "That's just kind of how our season's gone," lamented Coach Cutcliffe. "Whatever could possibly go wrong does go wrong." Another interception, Webster's second, sealed the victory with 1:51 left.
  The Tigers held Manning to just eight completions in 21 attempts in the second half. It was revealed after the game that Eli suffered an elbow injury in the third quarter.
  FINAL SCORE: LSU 14 OLE MISS 13

LSU Postgame

• Coach Saban on his quarterbacks: "We were going to play both of them. I think not starting took the edge off Marcus. That's the best he's played since the South Carolina game. I told him, 'All you need to do is play average.'" Nick praised the fans for the way they sent off the seniors. "It was certainly a great atmosphere out there for them to finish their careers. The crowd did a fantastic job of helping us win this game. We needed the emotion that we played with in the end to overcome a lot of adversity which Ole Miss had a lot to do with. ... We have a great bunch of seniors, guys that have been here for three years and have had a lot to do with turning the program around."
  
• Marcus Randall: "I wouldn't say not starting made me more at ease, but I got to see what the defense was doing. I knew I would get my chance, and when I did, I had to take advantage."

Ole Miss Postgame

• Coach Cutcliffe: "We made a lot of plays that allowed us to maintain the lead for a big part of the game. But give LSU credit. They made the plays when they needed to make them. They did a good job of keeping the pressure on Eli all night long. He got beat up pretty good."
• Manning completed 19-of-38 passes for 218y. "There are fumbles and interceptions ... and it's just not making plays when we needed to. They gave us the opportunities. They turned the ball over a bunch and gave us good field position. We just didn't score enough points and do enough offensively to win the game."

Next: LSU vs Eli Manning 2003