Sam Leavitt put LSU in control from the start, throwing four touchdown passes while the Tigers’ defense slammed the door in a 31-0 win over No. 16 Mississippi State on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
The 22nd-ranked Tigers got exactly what they needed after last week’s 35-34 overtime loss at Kentucky. LSU moved back to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in SEC play, and it did it with a complete performance in its homecoming game.
Leavitt was sharp all afternoon, completing 31 of 38 passes for 289 yards. Two of his touchdown throws went to Jackson Harris, who finished with six catches for 85 yards before leaving in the third quarter with an apparent lower left leg injury. Eugene Wilson III and Malik Elzy also hauled in scoring passes from Leavitt.
LSU’s offense had plenty of balance behind that passing show. Dilin Jones led the ground game with 84 yards on 18 carries and also added eight catches for 58 yards, giving him 142 yards from scrimmage.
Mississippi State never found a rhythm. The Bulldogs came in as 17½-point underdogs and were already dealing with the absence of starting quarterback Kamario Taylor, who was out with a foot injury.
Freshman Parker Puckett got the start in his place, but LSU’s defense kept him from leading a scoring drive. Puckett finished 16 of 26 for 121 yards with one interception.
The Bulldogs were also without top running back Fluff Bothwell because of an ankle injury. Kolin Wilson handled the rushing load and picked up 75 yards, but Mississippi State still managed only 291 total yards. LSU held the edge there as well, finishing with 379 yards and limiting the Bulldogs to 7 of 15 on third down and 0 for 5 on fourth down.
On the ground, the Tigers outgained Mississippi State 170 yards to 90, another sign of how thoroughly LSU controlled the game.
The shutout was LSU’s first against an SEC opponent since a 45-0 win at Mississippi State in 2007, a season that ended with a national championship.
LSU heads to Auburn next Saturday for an 11 a.m. kickoff.
In Other News...
LSU Defense Just Took Another Hit It Couldnt Afford
LSUs defense was already working through plenty of strain, and it took another scare early against Mississippi State when edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen left in the first quarter after making his second tackle. He was evaluated by LSU trainers on the field before spending the rest of the first half on the sideline, a development that immediately raised more concern for a unit that has been hit hard already this season.
The Tigers have already lost two other starting defenders to injuries, so any health issue on that side of the ball carries extra weight. Umanmielens status loomed as the kind of update LSU could ill afford to wait on, especially with the defense trying to hold together depth and production at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Dominant Win Also Exposed One Offensive Concern
LSUs 31-0 shutout of Mississippi State was about as complete a Saturday as the Tigers could have hoped for. Sam Leavitt carved up the Bulldogs with four touchdown passes and no interceptions, and the defense and special teams did their part in a game that never really gave Mississippi State a chance to settle in, especially with the Bulldogs already short-handed at quarterback and running back.
Even so, the win didnt fully paper over one lingering offensive concern. LSU still had trouble getting much going on the ground, and that part of the attack remains worth watching as the schedule stiffens. The Tigers were efficient enough to overwhelm Mississippi State anyway, but if they want this kind of control against better opposition, the run game will need to become more than a background piece. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Got The Bounce-Back Win Fans Wanted At A Cost
LSU got the kind of clean, confidence-building win it badly needed Saturday, blanking Mississippi State 31-0 behind a defense that set the tone from the start. The Tigers made life miserable for the Bulldogs all afternoon, stuffing key drives and repeatedly ending possessions on failed fourth-down attempts while the offense did enough to keep the pressure on the other sideline.
The broader concern, though, is what came with the victory. LSU added injuries to key players, including wide receiver Jackson Harris and edge rusher Lamar Brown, even as Sam Leavitt and Dilin Jones helped steady the offense and Leavitt looked more comfortable with his timing and confidence. For a team trying to build momentum, the result was exactly what it wanted, but the health of a few important pieces leaves the next stretch of the season a lot less comfortable. [Read more 🡒]