Down an All-American at linebacker and a senior at safety, LSU’s defense needed its reserves to step up against No. 1 Alabama on Saturday night.
The 29-0 loss will sting until Monday, but the Tigers will take some comfort in the play of a pair of backups that played like starters against the nation’s top-ranked team.
Patrick Queen and Todd Harris each set career highs for tackles against the Tide, helping lead the charge for a defense that offered plenty of resistance against the highest-scoring offense in college football.
Queen found out this week he would start for Devin White, who missed the first half while serving a suspension for a targeting penalty against Mississippi State.