The LSU Tigers struggled to break away in the first half, but came back to their usual form in the second half as they defeated the Furman Paladins Saturday night, 48-16.
The Tigers maintained a meager 20-16 lead at halftime, but responded with 28 unanswered points in the second half.
Sophomore running back Jeremy Hill led the Tigers on offense, running for 143 yards on 14 carries, including two touchdowns. These scores gave Hill 12 touchdowns on the season, and it is his fourth multi-touchdown game of the season.
Senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger went 16-24 through the air for 328 yards and three touchdowns, but threw an interception on the LSU’s first drive that was returned for a Paladin touchdown.
Junior wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. hauled in 204 yards on 6 receptions. The performance is a career best for Beckham, and it is his fifth game of the season with more than 100 yards.
After Furman took the early lead with the Mettenberger interception, Hill got the Tigers on the board and tied the game with a 55 yard touchdown run with 9:47 left in the first quarter. The score marked Hill’s third touchdown of 50 yards or more this season.
Hill scored his second touchdown with a 4 yard run just before the end of the first quarter, putting the Tigers up, 13-10. Beckham Jr. set up the touchdown with a 53 yard reception on the play before.
After the disappointing first half, the Tigers came out aggressive, scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter. Junior running back Terrance Magee scored from one yard out less than four minutes into the third, and freshman fullback Melvin Jones scored his first touchdown of his career with a seven yard reception from Mettenberger with 1:56 left in the third.
The LSU defense played more admirably in the second half as well. The defense held the Paladin offense scoreless in the second half, and have now allowed only six points in the second halves of three of their last four games.
The first half also saw LSU freshman kicker Colby Delahoussaye miss his first field goal and extra point of the season, missing a 31-yard kick with 4:07 left in the half. Junior kickoff specialist James Hairston replaced Delahoussaye after the first half.

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Taylor Balkom

LSU sophomore running back Jeremy Hill (33) eludes Furman sophomore linebacker Cory Magwood (46) on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013 during the Tigers' 48-16 win against Furman in Tiger Stadium.