By Jeff Shearer
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - Gus Malzahn said it was "probably the play of the game," Carl Lawson's last-minute sack of LSU quarterback Danny Etling.
"Maybe I just got off and bent the corner," Lawson said. "It was just instinctive. It was awesome to get."
LSU had driven to Auburn's 14 when Lawson beat his blocker and took down Etling at the 20 for a loss of 6, forcing the Bengal Tigers to exhaust their final timeout.
The game ended two plays with Auburn winning 18-13, after time ran out before LSU scored what it thought was the game-winning touchdown.
"I saw the play clock go down," said Lawson, who had four tackles, two sacks and three quarterback hurries.
Lawson's first sack of the game came during the second quarter
"It's awesome. We've been going through some down times, but we've all stayed together, stuck together, worked out, had energy, no fighting, no internal things going on," he said. "I knew eventually it was going to happen. It's just special to get a win for this team and just get a win for Auburn."
When the replay official ruled that time had expired before LSU snapped the ball, several of Lawson's teammates sprinted to the student section to celebrate.
The view from the student section after @FootballAU beats LSU 18-13. pic.twitter.com/VAuTaJ1bM7
-- Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) September 25, 2016
"God delivers on time. We've been praying for this. That's why I was so emotional. Auburn is such a special place. Coming from me having injuries, dealing with last season, just to get a win for these fans and get a win at home. It's just a special feeling. A beautiful moment."
Auburn held LSU to 338 yards, but Lawson refused to label it the Tigers' best defensive performance.
"Not necessarily," he said. "We've still got a lot of things we need to clean up. I had a long run that was my fault. I've got to step it up and be more physical in the run game. We've still got a lot of things we need to improve on."
Lawson missed Auburn's game against LSU last season, after an injury in the 2015 season opener. This time, the Tigers limited Leonard Fournette to 101 yards on 16 carries and no touchdowns. They also recorded three sacks and eight tackles for loss.
"We've just been working all week to get after the quarterback when the time comes," he said. "Mainly, we've been focusing on the run, but when the time comes, we have a very athletic D-line that can get to the passers."
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @jeff_shearer