LSU gets a quick turnaround from its latest setback and walks into Saturday morning with plenty to sort out.
The No. 21 Tigers are back home in Tiger Stadium on Oct. 17 to face Mississippi State at 11 a.m.
CT on ESPN, the first LSU game this season with a start earlier than 6 p.m. After falling 35-3 4 in overtime on the road at Kentucky last Saturday, LSU is trying to answer with a better showing in front of its home crowd.
That defeat was the Tigers’ second loss away from home this season.
Mississippi State arrives at 4-1 overall and 2-1 in SEC play, with quarterback Kamario Taylor driving much of the attention. Taylor has emerged as one of the season’s breakout players, piling up 1,450 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions while helping the Bulldogs jump out to a 4-0 start before the loss to Alabama.
LSU and Mississippi State haven’t met since 2023, when the SEC dropped divisions to make room for Texas and Oklahoma. Even so, the Tigers have handled the Bulldogs well lately, winning three straight in the series.
The matchup also brings a familiar challenge for LSU: a quarterback-led offense that can force a defense to hold up under pressure. Lane Kiffin called Taylor “a problem,” and the Bulldogs’ attack under head coach Jeff Lebby has enough firepower to keep this one moving fast.
The prediction around the game points to points, points and more points. LSU’s defense, though, is viewed as the unit more likely to get enough stops, especially with Mississippi State allowing almost 40 points a game in SEC play. The forecast: LSU 52, Mississippi State 38.
In Other News...
LSUs Dominant Win Came With One Performance Fans Will Notice
After LSUs 31-0 shutout of Mississippi State, the attention naturally drifted beyond the scoreline and into the individual performances that helped make it look so easy. Pro Football Focus grades gave a clearer picture of how the Tigers controlled the game, with quarterback Max Johnson drawing praise for a clean outing that included four touchdowns and no interceptions.
The defensive front also stood out in the grading, with Princewill Umanmielen and Ross turning in strong pass-rushing marks as LSU kept Mississippi State under constant pressure. On the other side of the ledger, offensive tackle Jordan Seaton had a rough day in pass protection, while Greens overall grade landed in the middle despite two missed tackles, a reminder that even in a dominant win there was still plenty for the Tigers to clean up. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Reignites A Tense SEC Debate LSU Fans Know Well
Lane Kiffin is back at the center of one of college footballs most familiar arguments, this time over the way field-stormings have changed in an era of phones, cameras and constant posting. He said the scene is not what it used to be, arguing that the modern version has become less safe and more complicated for everyone involved, while praising the SEC and some schools for trying to keep those moments under control.
For LSU fans, the subject hits close to home because the Tigers play in a league that has tried to make storming the field a costlier decision, including a $500,000 fine for schools whose fans rush the turf. Kiffins comments also come with an extra layer of irony, since he is separately locked in a legal dispute with the SEC over roster-eligibility rules for players who previously signed with NFL teams, keeping him in the middle of a conference debate on multiple fronts. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Suddenly Has A Troubling EJ Crowell Question
Alabama is now dealing with a potentially significant question around running back EJ Crowell after the latest round of injury news around college footballs top teams. For LSU fans, the bigger takeaway is the ripple effect across the league, because the Tigers are monitoring their own edge rusher situation as Princewill Umanmielen works through an injury that could cost him time as well.
Around the SEC, availability is suddenly becoming part of the conversation, and LSU is no exception. Umanmielens status adds another layer of uncertainty for a defense that wants to stay stocked at the edge, while Alabamas concerns with Crowell only deepen the sense that the early season picture could keep shifting if these injuries linger. [Read more 🡒]