Brian Kelly shares why he went for 2 to beat Alabama

Dec 1, 2021; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Newly named LSU Tigers head football coach Brian Kelly answers media questions after being introduced in a press conference at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Dennis-USA TODAY Sports

The LSU Tigers won one of the more dramatic games of the college football season in overtime Saturday against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The big moment came in the overtime period, when LSU coach Brian Kelly made the gutsy call to go for two and the win instead of taking the game to a second overtime period.

Kelly revealed his thinking behind the decision after the game. The LSU coach said he would absolutely have taken the opportunity to get one play to beat Alabama if it had been offered to him prior to the game.

Brian Kelly on the 2-point conversion: "It was a decision at that moment. … Before this game if you had asked me, 'hey, I'm going to give you one play, and if you're successful on that one play, you beat Alabama.' I'd have taken that 100 times out of 100." #LSU

— WWL Radio (@WWLAMFM) November 6, 2022

Interestingly, Kelly admitted the play call was recycled from his Notre Dame tenure. The Fighting Irish ran the same play in a 2014 game against Florida State, but were flagged for offensive pass interference, something Kelly knew would not happen here.

Brian Kelly says LSU’s 2-point try was the same play that Notre Dame ran on a fourth and goal against FSU in 2014. On that play, refs flagged the Irish for OPI and they lost.

Says Kelly to @SInow: “It was the exact same play. But I knew we weren’t gonna get called for a pick.” pic.twitter.com/PCCWOYOEKf

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 6, 2022

Kelly was right. The play worked, and he has his signature win as LSU coach. Between this and the team’s attitude after another big recent win, it’s safe to say the Tigers are getting their confidence back.