LSU Clean Slates MIss. State on a Day of SEC Upsets
Words: Dye
Pictures: Couv
Day Game Tigers brought the Pain today in Death Valley!
Mississippi State came into Baton Rouge minus their two starting weapons in quarterback Kamario Taylor and running back Fluff Bothwell, and LSU took little time taking full advantage, forcing a quick three-and-out with a fumble on 3rd down. The Tigers then got the punt and took the ball 60 yards in 8 plays to go up right at the jump, 7-0.
With a second drive interception by Ty Benefield, it appeared that the anger of last week’s final play loss to Kentucky was going to be taken out on the Bulldogs in full force, emphasized as the Tigers drove Harris Jackson across the goal line to cap an 85 yard, 10 play drive, to take the lead 14-0.
After a near second interception, this time by DJ Pickett, the Bulldogs punted away, and it looked as if the rout might be on. But the Tigers gave the ball right back on a Stacy Gage fumble recovered by Jett Jefferson for Mississippi State to start the 2nd quarter.
Miss. St. showed a little fight early.
Not that it mattered. Mississippi State took the ball into scoring territory, but on 4th & 1, bypassed putting points on the board, probably knowing that in this game, field goals weren’t going to cut it. Russ Jordan and Dylan Carpenter met the quarterback, and put freshman Parker Puckett on his back to end the Bulldog’s first drive into LSU territory.
LSU wasted no time, going 63 yards in 7 plays to up the ante, 21-0, on a Sam Leavitt to Harris Jackson 17 yard connection.
The next Bulldog drive drove deep into LSU territory, getting all the way to the LSU 2-yard line before flaming out on another failed 4th down conversion attempt at the end of the first half.
LSU opened the second half with the ball and took over 8 minutes off the clock on a 16 play 74 yard drive which stalled out close to the goal line. Unlike the Bulldogs, the Tigers were fine with a field goal, increasing the lead to 24-0.
The Bulldogs took their first possession of the second half down the field to the LSU 35 until penalties stalled them and another failed 4th down attempt ensued.
If nothing else, at least Mississippi State is consistent when it comes to not taking field goals.
Another 4th and done for the Bulldogs.
LSU took the ball again and went right down the field, increasing the lead to 31-0 on Leavitt’s 4th touchdown pass of the day, a 6 yard completion to Malik Elzy, and with that, the crowd of 102,000+ started to make their ways to the exit.
With one quarter to go, the only question that really remained was whether or not LSU could hold onto the shut-out, and with Mississippi State again going for it on 4th down and failing, for the 4th time today, the doughnut felt like a foregone conclusion for the Bulldogs.
One more 4th and out for Mississippi State, and it was.
Takeaways
—LSU did not have a punt until the 4th quarter, but did give up a fumble in the 2nd quarter. Otherwise, the offense scored on every drive in the first three quarters except the one leading to half.
—Sam Leavitt was 31/38, finding 9 different receivers for 289 yards, 4 TDs, and no INTs, and still didn’t look like he played a good game. Not sure if that’s a positive or a negative, but it does mean the best is still yet to come.
—Dilin Jones went for 84 on the ground and 58 in the air, for 142 total yards, but did not get in the end zone. Despite that, he was the best player on the field today.
—This was the first LSU shut out in nearly 3 years, with the last being Oct. 21, 2023, when LSU beat Army 62-0.
Mike digs the shut-out!
