Brown's two TD catches overshadowed by one that got away

TUSCALOOSA | Keith Brown made two crucial catches in the University of Alabama’s 41-34 loss to third-ranked LSU on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but let another one get away.

The Crimson Tide’s senior wide receiver from Pensacola, Fla., snared one touchdown pass from between two defenders and tight-roped the back of the end zone for another touchdown reception to give Alabama a chance to pull off the upset.

The one that got away came on the Tide’s final offensive play, when LSU’s Craig Steltz jarred the ball from his hands on a play that would have converted a fourth-and-10 situation in LSU territory with 40 seconds to go and Alabama trying to drive toward a possible game-tying score.

“I should have made the catch,” Brown said. “He made a great play. He got a hit on me. He got me right when I got my hands on the ball. The ball came out, turnover on downs.”

Brown’s two receptions for 43 yards, with both catches going for touchdown, loomed large in a game in which quarterback John Parker Wilson was able to complete just 14 of 40 attempts against LSU’s high-pressure defense.

“Keith had a great game,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “He made two great catches for touchdowns.

“He had a chance to make a big play at the end of the game that would have given us a chance to score. He got popped pretty well and the ball fell. He had an opportunity to catch it and he didn’t.”

While that play doomed Alabama’s chances to pull out the game in the waning seconds, Brown’s two scores had a lot to do with the Tide even being in the game in the final period.

Brown’s first score gave Alabama a 20-17 lead in the final minute of the first half after Kareem Jackson intercepted an LSU pass and returned it 51 yards to put the Tide in scoring territory.

After Wilson was sacked on first down, Brown split two LSU defenders, working his way behind Chad Jones and in front of Steltz to pull down a 29-yard touchdown pass.

“It was supposed to split a zone,” Brown said of his route. “The guy that was covering me [Jones] was inside. The safety [Steltz] was on top.

“I just made a great double move and the ball was in the air and it was mine. I went up and got the ball.”

Brown’s second touchdown reception put Alabama up 27-17 with 1:19 to go in the third quarter, capping an eight-play, 80-yard drive. LSU brought defensive pressure on second-and-nine, but Wilson was able to get the pass away just as Brown broke wide open into the end zone for a 14-yard score.

“It was an all-out blitz,” Brown said. “The guy that was on me was a linebacker.”

While Brown had left LSU’s pass defense in his wake, he had to extend fully to catch Parker’s hurried pass, and also had to make sure he didn’t cross out of the back of the end zone.

“My job is to catch the ball, put your foot down and pray that it’s in,” he said. “I wasn’t worried at all. I think [Wilson] got hit as he released it, but all he had to do was put it up where I could catch it.”

Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0224.