Scott Rabalais: If an LSU loss to Bama can be more soul-crushing than normal, this is it

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The very last gasp of last-gasp passes from Garrett Nussmeier found Malik Nabers’ hands in the left flat but bounced off with 2:28 remaining Saturday night. Incomplete.

LSU’s 42-28 loss to Alabama now sealed, Nabers ripped off his helmet in utter frustration and stomped off to what is a familiar site in Bryant-Denny Stadium: a dejected Tigers bench.

The game was right there for either team to take after three quarters with Bama leading 35-28. And for a time earlier in that quarter, LSU had seized the upper hand with a breathtaking pair of touchdown drives bracketing halftime, during which both teams, both fan bases and one last prime-time CBS television audience had to recuperate from all the excitement.

But just as quickly to start the fourth quarter, in eerily similar fashion to the way LSU’s season-opening game against Florida State slipped away, the Tigers lost their grasp on this one, too.

First, Jayden Daniels’ opening pass of the quarter was tipped by linebacker Dallas Turner (his name will come up again) and found the hands of Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold. Four plays later, Jace McClellan bull-rushed his way into the end zone from the 10 for a 42-28 lead with 13:01 left.

As in the FSU game, in which Daniels threw an early-fourth-quarter interception that led to a Seminoles touchdown, this felt like a cataclysmic inflexion point. That was confirmed on LSU’s next possession when Turner pounded Daniels into the turf like a tent stake on a vicious hit that drew a roughing-the-passer penalty and soon sent Daniels into concussion protocol.

Was it targeting? We’ve all seen Alabama defenders in the Nick Saban era go up to (and possibly straddle) the line of what is legal and what is not, in terms of hits, hands on receivers, etc. Place this one on the shelf next to the no-interception call that went against Patrick Peterson on the sideline in 2009 and the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Vadal Alexander pulling on a Bama player in the pile in 2014.

LSU coach Brian Kelly said the hit on Daniels was reviewed in the replay booth but that it wasn’t considered targeting.

“Anytime there is contact to the head or neck area you’re thinking there must be some form of targeting,” Kelly said. “They reviewed it, didn’t feel there was, so we moved on.”

The play is likely going draw Zapruder film-like forensic analysis in the coming days, with good reason. So will the decision to put Daniels back in for one play (Kelly said he was cleared temporarily) before he was pulled from the game for good again.

But complaining about officiating is a loser’s lament. LSU had plenty of other problems long before Daniels was taken out. Namely, being without defenders like Mekhi Wingo and Zy Alexander to start the game, which led to LSU’s inability to get off the field on third down (Bama was 11 of 14) and being ground up by Alabama’s ground game.

The Crimson Tide hadn’t counted on quarterback Jalen Milroe to carry much of the offensive load with his feet for weeks. In the past five games since being benched against South Florida on Sept. 16, Milroe rushed for a net 50 yards.

But Bama clearly saw a weakness to exploit in an LSU defense that, despite a second-half revival at Missouri and stingy efforts against Auburn and Army, was still weak. Milroe rushed for 155 yards and four touchdowns out of the Crimson Tide’s 288 yards rushing and six scores on the ground.

You can’t beat many teams allowing 288 yards rushing. Certainly not good ones on the road. This Alabama team falls into the good-but-not-great category, but plenty good enough when gashing the opposition for 6.3 yards per carry.

“We played a top-10 team on the road. You can’t play good,” Kelly said, referring to LSU’s collective play. “We played good tonight. But good is not good enough. You have to play elite.”

This season started with LSU hoping to be an elite team, contending for the College Football Playoff, a repeat SEC West title and a shot at the SEC championship. Those bids are now over. With three home games remaining against Florida, Georgia State and Texas A&M — all teams also coming off disheartening losses Saturday — it’s up to the Tigers (6-3, 4-2 SEC) to make the best of what’s left.

How much does that include Daniels, and what of his Heisman Trophy candidacy that was a serious, viable, growing think until Turner’s sledgehammer hit? Those are suddenly pressing, distrubing questions.

If it is possible for a loss to Alabama to be even more soul-crushing for LSU than normal, this is it. It’s yet unclear how much lasting damage will result, but one thing is for sure: Wherever the Tigers end up, the future isn’t as bright as it looked when LSU had a seven-point lead in the third quarter, with momentum, confidence and the ball, literally and figuratively, in its hands.