Leonard Fournette continues to be a beast

Fournette, of course, starred, rushing 29 times for a Texas Bowl record 212 yards and four touchdowns, plus a 44-yard touchdown reception.

The Red Raiders were behind the Tigers by one point at two separate times in the ball game.

The narrative of this game seems to be the Texas Tech passing game versus the LSU ground game but Texas Tech’s running game may be just as important as the Tigers’. But then quarterback Brandon Harris and the Tigers defeated Texas A&M by a 19-7 final score to climb to the number twenty ranking in the nation. But Texas Tech couldn’t corral him on his next run and he broke free for 43 yards to give him the LSU record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 20 and push the lead to 28-20.

Texas Tech punted on its first touch of the third quarter, but Dakota Allen stepped in front of a Harris pass on LSU’s following possession, giving the Red Raiders three straight stops (not including an end-of-half possession). Jakeem Grant set a Texas Tech bowl record with three receiving touchdowns.

No. 22 LSU has one of the best running backs in the country and Texas Tech’s run defense is among the nation’s worst.

Sometimes, a big bowl win can erase the negativity of a disappointing year and provide momentum and confidence moving into the following season.

Tigers’ Fournette ran for a 2-yard TD.

DeAndre Washington, Tech’s 5-8-inch senior running back, is the Big 12’s rushing champ after gaining 1,455 yards while averaging 6.5 per carry.

LSU’s Fournette rushed 4 yards for a TD.

With at least one more collegiate season left under his belt, Fournette should continue etching his name into the program’s record books easily as the Tigers try to move up in the SEC hierarchy. His 36-yard effort pushed Texas Tech to its 10, where Mahomes started a nine-play, 90-yard scoring drive that ended with a 46-yard touchdown catch by Grant. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ 32 touchdowns are the seventh-most in college football in 2015.

“What we needed to have happen in this game to improve was our quarterback play”, Miles said.

LSU took a 56-27 lead with 4:24 to play on a 2-yard touchdown run by backup tailback Darrel Williams.

For the time being, the Tigers will enjoy the Advocare V100 Texas Bowl championship. The next year in the Holiday Bowl, Reginald Davis returned a kickoff for a touchdown answering an Arizona State touchdown that made the game a 7-point game. Grant caught two touchdown passes from Mahomes in the first half to keep Texas Tech close.

The Red Raiders (7-5), who bounced back from a 4-8 season in 2014, are 30th nationally in rushing offense, averaging 204.8 yards per game. In Leonard Fournette, LSU sported one of the best tailbacks in the country.

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.