Last season, Zach Mettenberger was expected by many to lift the LSU passing attack out of a rut of mediocrity. Instead, he was plagued by inconsistency and often looked uncomfortable in the pocket.
As a senior, Mettenberger has looked like a completely different quarterback. Gone are the happy feet and the bad decisions. In their place, the tigers find a record-breaking quarterback.
The No. 9 LSU football team followed Mettenberger’s five passing touchdowns, a LSU single-game record, to a 56-17 rout of the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
The Tigers (2-0) jumped out to an early lead after Mettenberger connected with junior wide receiver Odell Beckam Jr. for two touchdowns in the first quarter. After junior running back Kenny Hillard made the score 21-0 for LSU at the end of the opening quarter, the game was all but decided.
Beckam would contribute two more touchdowns, one receiving and a 100 yard missed field goal return, in what was one of the most electric performances in the history of LSU football. His 331 all-purpose yards is second in LSU history behind running back Kevin Faulk, who had 367 in a 1996 game against Houston.
The rushing game played second fiddle to Mettenberger’s firework show. Hilliard finished with a team leading 54 yards on ten carries with a touchdown. Sophomore Jeremy Hill was a close second with six carries for 50 yards and a touchdown. LSU ran for 139 yards as a team.

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Grace Steinhauser

LSU junior wide reciever Jarvis Landry (80) escapes a UAB tackle Sept. 7, 2013 during the Tigers' 56-17 victory against the Blazers in Tiger Stadium.