AUBURN, Ala. — John Emery Jr. rushed for a tackle-breaking, 20-yard touchdown and Greg Brooks Jr. had a late interception to help LSU complete a 21- 17, come-from-behind win over Auburn on Saturday night.

LSU (4-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) fell behind 17-0 before Jayden Daniels brought the visiting Tigers back with help from Auburn blunders. It was the fourth consecutive win for Brian Kelly and LSU.

“We just found a way to win the game,” said Kelly, LSU’s first-year coach. “Was that our best performance? I hope not. But it was gutty, it was gritty, and I was proud of our guys the way they hung in there.

“As I told our guys, that’s a culture win, that’s a program win, where you’re doing things the right way to win a game like that.”

And Auburn (3-2, 1-1) helped out by doing plenty of things wrong. Auburn blew its second consecutive double-digit lead, but was bailed out by Missouri’s goal-line fumble in overtime last week.

There was no bailout this time.

Brooks ripped the ball away from LSU transfer Koy Moore after a catch with 2:18 left in Auburn’s fourth straight failure to capitalize on a trip across midfield.

“They ran (that play) like six times so I knew it was coming,” Brooks said.

LSU backup quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who came in after Daniels banged knees with an Auburn player in the fourth, was able to run out the clock.

Daniels passed for 80 yards but also ran for 59 and a 1-yard touchdown with 15 seconds left before halftime. Kelly said Daniels could have kept playing and should be fine against No. 8 Tennessee, but it was his call not to send his dual-threat quarterback back out there.

Tailback Josh Williams ran for 68 yards in his first start.

Auburn’s Robby Ashford passed for 337 yards and two touchdowns in his second start, including an early 53-yarder to Ja’Varrius Johnson and an 18-yarder to Camden Brown. But he lost one of his four fumbles and threw the late interception.

Emery gave LSU its first lead late in the third quarter, breaking one tackle attempt in the backfield and having three other defenders get a hand on him.

Auburn then set up first-and-goal from the 5 before disaster struck early in the fourth. First, Ashford dropped the ball and lost 5 yards, then Moore was intercepted by Harold Perkins Jr. on a trick play.

LSU whittled a 17-0 deficit to 17-14 by halftime, a week after Auburn led Missouri 14-0 after the first quarter.

Jay Ward recovered a fumble on a strip sack forced by B.J. Ojulari and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown. Then Auburn had a missed field goal attempt and called two timeouts on LSU’s final drive of the half, keeping it alive with a personal foul on third-and-long.

Daniels kept it for a 1-yard score with 15 seconds left.

The Takeaway

LSU: Daniels & Co. continue to win, and he continues to play interception-free ball. The Tigers could be looking at a Top 25 ranking after receiving some votes.

Auburn: Has scored six second-half points in the last three games, raising the heat on head coach Bryan Harsin. A failed fourth-and-10 from LSU’s 37 set up the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.

Injuries

LSU defensive back Sevyn Banks was injured on the opening kickoff and taken to a local hospital for tests.

Banks was strapped onto a stretcher and carted off the field after the entire team came onto the field in support. Auburn’s Wesley Steiner immediately signaled to the LSU sideline after the play with Banks lying on the ground.

Kelly said it was a neck injury and “we’re very encouraged.”

“There’s no words to describe how we felt when he was laying there on the field,” Williams said.

Banks underwent tests at East Alabama Medical Center and “was alert and mobile”, according to a social media announcement from LSU. He was cleared to return to the stadium under the care of team doctors, LSU said.

Banks was called for targeting on the play.

Banks is a graduate transfer who played in 36 games for Ohio State, starting 14 of them. Banks had played in one game for LSU, making four tackles against New Mexico.

Auburn defensive end Eku Leota was injured in the first quarter and returned to the sidelines with his right arm in a sling.

Up Next

LSU hosts No. 8 Tennessee.

Auburn visits traditional rival No. 1 Georgia.