3 takeaways from LSU's thrilling overtime win over Ole Miss

LSU defeated Ole Miss 29-26 in overtime Saturday night in Death Valley.

It was a remarkable comeback for the Tigers, who never took the lead in the game until the very last play of the game. Garrett Nussmeier found Kyren Lacy in the end zone in overtime to give LSU the win.

Here are 3 takeaways from this result:

Garrett Nussmeier fought…until he couldn't anymore

It wasn't a good performance for LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier for most of the evening. He only completed 22–of -51 passes on the night for 337 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. From an efficiency standpoint, it was by far Nussmeier's worst game of the season.

Much of the credit for Nussmeier's efforts should go to the Ole Miss secondary. Defensive backs Jadon Canady (4) and Trey Amos (3) combined for 7 of the 10 pass breakups credited to Ole Miss on Saturday night.

Nussmeier saved his best work for the final drive of the game. With LSU trailing 23-16 in the final minutes, he converted a 4th-and-10 to extend the drive early. Later in the drive, he found Mason Taylor for a game-winning 19-yard gain on 3rd-and-10 down. Then, with just 23 seconds left, Nussmeier found Aaron Anderson for a game-winning 23-yard touchdown on 4th down.

Then, in overtime, Nussmeier found Lacy in the end zone and secured the victory with his third and final touchdown pass of the game.

A tale of two halves for Ole Miss

Ole Miss' offense totaled 7.1 yards per play in the first half. This led to a significant lead for the Rebels on the road – and a 17-point score in the second quarter.

However, LSU's defense figured a few things out after halftime. After halftime, the Rebels averaged just 4.2 yards per play. This was also evident in overtime, as Ole Miss was unable to get anything going during that time. It was forced to attempt a long field goal in OT, which ultimately allowed LSU to win the game on the next possession.

Ole Miss' problems were particularly evident in the running game, as the Rebels were unable to win the game despite leading for most of this contest. Ole Miss averaged just 3.5 yards per carry in the second half. Quarterback Jaxson Dart was also sacked six times in the loss – four of them after halftime.

Impact of the CFP

This outcome will certainly have an impact on college football through November.

This is a devastating loss for Ole Miss. The Rebels have now suffered two losses this year and their College Football Playoff hopes are in jeopardy heading into Week 8. At 10-2, Ole Miss could still be a contender given its strong schedule. But it means the Rebels' margin of error has all but disappeared. Ole Miss still has games remaining against Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas and Mississippi State.

For LSU, the Tigers are now in a great position to potentially compete in the CFP. They have won five straight, which is the greatest winning streak of the Brian Kelly era in Baton Rouge. This is LSU's first ranked win of the year, but there are still opportunities to add to that resume. LSU still has games against Arkansas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Florida, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.