He just takes what he wants.
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| ( Dave Martin / Associated Press ) - LSU running back Kenny Hilliard (27) runs into the end zone to score a touchdown as Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin (2) looks on during the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Atlanta. |
In this case, it’s a trip to the national championship game.
Tyrann Mathieu turned in an MVP performance when the No. 1 Tigers needed him most. He ran back a punt 62 yards for a touchdown, set up another score with a fumble recovery and finally finished off No. 12 Georgia with his best play yet — a whirling dervish of a return that led to the decisive TD in a 42-10 victory in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday.
LSU (13-0) advanced to a spot in the BCS championship game in New Orleans, just 75 miles from its Baton Rouge campus. The Tigers opponent will be announced Sunday night, but SEC West rival and No. 2 Alabama — already beaten by the Tigers 9-6 in overtime a month ago — had the inside track even though it didn’t win its division.
The Crimson Tide will have to deal with a fearless sophomore who has the country’s best nickname, and is an even better player.
“Last night, I envisioned me having three touchdowns,” Mathieu said. “I think I came close to that. It comes down to me trying to do what I can for my team.”
His moniker stems from a humorous YouTube video that supposedly depicts the world’s fiercest animal (”Honey Badger don’t care, he just takes what he wants,” the narrator says). Defensive coordinator John Chavis showed the 5-foot-9, 175-pound player the clip on the way back from a victory at West Virginia, believing it fit Mathieu perfectly.
No argument there.
“My teammates love the name, and I think it depicts me on the field,” Mathieu said. “I just go with it. My teammates do a great job having my back. Anything I can do to help those guys, lift their spirits, I’ll do it. I think the Honey Badger does that sometimes.”
The Bulldogs (10-3) raced to a 10-0 lead that could’ve been even bigger if they hadn’t dropped a pair of potential touchdown passes in the first quarter. LSU looked downright awful on offense, going three-and-out on all seven of its possessions before halftime.
The Tigers didn’t even have one first down, finishing the half with just 12 total yards.
But, thanks to Mathieu, the deficit was only 10-7 when the teams went to the locker room. He fielded a punt at his own 38, found an opening and was gone — all the way to the end zone for his second punt return for a touchdown in as many weeks. He had a 92-yarder that sparked a win over Arkansas.
Well, almost to the end zone. A replay showed Mathieu flipped the ball to an official just before he crossed the goal line, but no one on the field caught the blunder.
“I’ll have to remember not to do that next time,” he said with a smile.
That was long forgotten by the time he was done. On Georgia’s first possession of the second half, quarterback Aaron Murray tried to scramble for a first down but had the ball knocked loose just before he hit the turf.
Mathieu was there to fall on it at the Bulldogs 26 for his fifth fumble recovery of the season.
LSU quickly seized its first lead. The Tigers finally picked up a first down before freshman Kenny Hilliard broke off a 15-yard run for the first of his three touchdowns. Normally, that would’ve been more than enough to win the game’s MVP award. Not even close on this day.
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