LSU gets Mississippi State on Saturday with a clear chance to clean up after the loss to Kentucky, and the matchup points straight at the Tigers’ passing game.
Mississippi State’s defense has talent, but it has not come together over the course of a full game. The Bulldogs sit 13th in the SEC and in the mid-90s nationally in total defense, and they have been steadier against the run than through the air. State ranks 8th in the SEC and 46th nationally in rushing defense, but the pass defense is where the vulnerability shows up fast: 15th in the SEC and 125th nationally.
That opens the door for an LSU offense that has been piling up yards through the air all season. The Tigers are averaging just over 311 passing yards per game, and Sam Leavitt has found a sharp rhythm lately despite the turnovers on his résumé. For the first time in his collegiate career, Leavitt has completed over 70% of his passes in three straight games.
State is giving up 247.4 passing yards per game and 119.6 rushing yards per game. LSU, even after the rough day on the ground against Kentucky, is still averaging 214 rushing yards per game.
The Bulldogs’ defense is coordinated by former head coach Zach Arnett, who took over after the sudden passing of Mike Leach and lasted one season in the top job. After that, Arnett spent a year at Ole Miss as an analyst on Lane Kiffin’s staff, then worked the following season between UNLV and Florida State before returning to Mississippi State.
That stint at Ole Miss seems to have shaped some of his approach, and he shares some defensive ideas with Pete Golding. State is using a multiple 3-3-5 look, a style LSU has already seen twice this season against Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss. In both of those games, the Tigers had stretches where they looked uncomfortable, though Leavitt and the offense have both improved since then.
Mississippi State still has players capable of making life difficult. On the edge, Will Whitson has 13 tackles and two of the team’s 13 sacks.
In the middle, Jalen Smith has posted 28 tackles, one interception, and two quarterback hurries, and that interception makes up half of the Bulldogs’ total takeaways through the air. On the back end, Kelley Jones stands out as one of the nation’s best corners and a potential first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
For LSU, the priorities are straightforward. The Tigers need to get the run game going against a three-man front, handle the pressure State is expected to send, and keep Leavitt upright while he works through his reads. Mississippi State has forced only four turnovers all season, so LSU cannot be the team that helps that number grow.
Leavitt needs to protect the ball and keep the completion rate above 70%, and LSU has to finish drives once it gets inside the red zone. All the yardage in between means very little if it turns into field goals instead of touchdowns.
The Tigers should be eager to bounce back, but Mississippi State is not going to simply roll over. LSU needs to start fast, match the Bulldogs’ aggression, cash in its red-zone chances, and avoid handing the ball away in Saturday’s 11 a.m. kickoff in Tiger Stadium.
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Laceys statement was respectful, as he thanked LSUs coaching staff for the opportunity, but the move adds another layer of uncertainty to a position the Tigers have been trying to secure in the cycle. For LSU, it leaves a familiar question hanging over its efforts at running back: how quickly the staff can stabilize the board and replace a key pledge it had hoped to build around. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Passing Game Faces A New Twist With TreyDez Green Returning
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Harris, a redshirt junior transfer from Hawaii, has earned the staffs trust during Greens absence and is expected to be available despite a recent ankle injury. For LSU, the timing creates an interesting adjustment point: the Tigers suddenly have more than one pass-catching threat to sort through, and how they balance Greens return with Harriss momentum could shape the way the offense looks going forward. [Read more 🡒]