Five surprises enable LSU to take an early lead: Ron Higgins' Half Wit

COLLEGE STATION - Normally, if a team has 286 yards of total offense in a first half and just 17 points on the scoreboard, there would be anger.

For LSU, which went eight straight quarters and an overtime without a touchdown, 17 points in the final 4:33 of the first half for a 17-7 lead over Texas A&M was like a tidal wave of offense.

The Tigers never ever make it easy on themselves.

There were the usual wasted timeouts to head off delay-of-game penalties caused by coaching indecisions. There was an ill-timed unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on La'el Collins that killed a drive that had just reached inside the A&M 30.

There was placekicker Colby Delahoussaye getting benched after missing a chip shot field goal for the second straight game.

And yes, there was quarterback Anthony Jennings again spraying his passes all over the place. He made up for an early interception that led to A&M's only touchdown by completing a scrambling 10-yard TD to John Diarse for a 14-7 lead with 34 seconds left.

Among the first half surprises for the Tigers were:

Jennings: He made great decisions in the read option, keeping the ball for 94 yards on seven carries as LSU ran for 223 yards on 28 carries in the first half.

Leonard Fournette: The true freshman running back changed game momentum on a 22-yard run in which he flattened Texas A&M senior safety Howard Matthews. That was 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, steamrolling 6-2, 210 pounds.

Diarse: The freshman redshirt wide receiver hadn't had more than two receptions in a game this season, yet he had three catches for 29 yards and that TD in the opening two quarters vs. the Aggies.

Travin Dural: Normally the Tigers' leading pass catcher, the sophomore wide receiver was used several times on jet sweeps, picking up 33 yards.

Jamal Adams: The true freshman safety not only downed a punt at the A&M 2 to flip field position with 8:32 left in the second quarter, he made a great open field tackle to hold A&M receiver Ricky Seals-Jones to a 1-yard gain on 3rd and 2 at the A&M 10. A&M punted and LSU drove 50 yards for the game-tying score