LSU 56, Texas Tech 27

When the opponent is as strong defensively as LSU is, the entire landscape of the game changes to where Tech’s up-tempo offense can’t keep up with the drives its defense keeps losing.

What happened next was pretty predictable.

Texas Tech’s Mahomes threw to Grant for a 4-yard TD. The sophomore, who is not eligible for this spring’s NFL Draft, scored on runs of 43 yards, 4 yards, and 2 yards (twice).

Everything Texas Tech accomplished against the stellar LSU defense was due to Mahomes’ ability to elude the overpowering Tiger pass rush and make plays down field while scrambling. Mahomes was intercepted once.

LSU running back Leonard Fournette (7) looks over his shoulder at Texas Tech defensive backs Jah’ …

The bigger the hole for Texas Tech – as shown all season – the more Mahomes was relied upon to bring the game in and the more he became less efficient.

High points in the Tigers win were 212 yards rushing by Leonard Fournette and another 250 in the air from QB Brandon Harris. They limited the Red Raiders to 399 yards of total offense, including an average of 1.1 yards a carry on the ground.

LSU scored 56 points in the game against the Red Raiders -€” the new school record for points scored in a bowl game -€” with Fournette being directly responsible for 30 of those points with his four rushing touchdowns along with one receiving touchdown. Texas Tech never recovered. LSU alone piled up 638 yards of total offense. He was picked off once.

After a 38-17 defeat to Ole Miss, reports surfaced that Miles would be relieved.

LSU fans cringed at the game plan Tuesday night.

Unless it is one of the three College Football Playoff games, bowl games are relatively meaningless.

Fournette’s pass from the Tech 28 was short and incomplete, but intended receiver Malachi Dupre was interfered with and LSU got a first down at the Tech 13. Mahomes capitalized with another third down touchdown pass, this one a 31-yarder to Reginald Davis at the 10:28 mark of the third quarter, pulling Texas Tech to within 21-20.

Jakeem Grant would score 3 touchdowns for the Red Raider offense, while DeAndre Washington would be the only rusher to end with positive yardage, with 37 yards. Fournette fell just shy of 2000 yards on the season, but he re-asserted himself as the elite back in the country. The Texas Bowl was the eighth time this season Texas Tech has given up 40 or more points.

“He made some plays while running for his life”, Kingsbury said.

“It was a big improvement from the year before”, Kinsburgy said, according to RedRaiders.com. The previous record of 19 was set by LaBrandon Toefield in 2001. “In the offseason, we have to get better”.

Fournette raced for a bowl record number of points rushing for four touchdowns and catching another.

“As I get ready to take the field for the final time as a member of the LSU football team tonight against Texas Tech, I want to say how incredibly blessed I have been to be able to represent LSU for four awesome years”. They open the 2016 Season on September 3 hosting SF Austin. Tuesday’s game was an announced sellout. Game time on NBC Sports Network is set for 12:30 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online HERE.