LSU was able to outshine Mississippi State on Oct. 17. The game was the Tigers’s homecoming game after a tough loss on the road to Kentucky. LSU needed to lift some spirits, especially with an early kickoff time. Early morning kickoffs were much different from what the Tigers have been used to. The injury to Mississippi State’s star quarterback, Kamario Taylor, was a hard loss for the visiting Bulldogs.
LSU’s defense was able to take advantage of the young freshman quarterback, Parker Puckett, as the Tigers held the Bulldogs scoreless throughout the entire game. This was Puckett’s first time playing an entire game, and his performance couldn’t replace Taylor’s. Puckett threw for 121 yards and rushed for 40. He threw one interception directly into the hands of LSU safety Ty Benefield.
Photo Cred: USA Today
Their running game was not able to sufficiently make up for missing Taylor either. Their top two rushers, running back Fluff Bothwell and Kamario Taylor, were out for the LSU game. They totaled 170 yards. The Bulldogs relied on Kolin Wilson, who had 18 carries for 71 yards, averaging only 3.9 yards per carry. These were all season highs for Wilson.
Their drives did present a lot of opportunities. They totaled five drives past LSU’s 40-yard line, including one drive into the 10-yard line. However, the Bulldogs couldn’t take advantage of their position and could not finish the opportunities they had created.
The LSU defense played strong throughout the whole game, despite seeing their star defensive end, senior Prince Umanmielen, go out early in the first quarter with an upper-body injury. They held Mississippi State to zero fourth-down conversions, forcing five turnovers on downs, including one fourth-down stop at LSU’s own 6-yard line.
Meanwhile, LSU’s offense simply seemed unstoppable, moving the ball for a total of 379 yards. They had only 90 yards from the rushing game, which mainly consisted of Dillon Jones, who ran for 84 of those yards.
Sam Leavitt was able to throw for 289 yards and all four of LSU’s touchdowns. This game was his first of the season in which he had zero turnovers. Leavitt seems to have gained confidence sitting in the pocket, with only four carries that went for 11 yards.
Leavitt’s top targets for the game included Dillon Jones, Winston Watkins Jr., and Jackson Harris. The three men totaled 18 of his receptions and 174 yards. Most of those yards came from Harris, who caught two touchdowns.
Photo Cred: Gridiron
Eugene Wilson III and Malik Elzy received the other two. After two tough losses for the LSU Tigers, there’s heavy pressure for them to win out the rest of the season if they want a chance at the playoffs. Their remaining opponents remain heavy hitters in the SEC, but the homecoming win against Mississippi State in a day game at Death Valley is a step in the right direction.
