3 Takeaways from Syracuse vs. LSU
BY HUNTER LOVELL ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 • ( LEAVE A COMMENT )
Playing at 11 a.m. in upstate New York seemed to be a real energy-drainer for LSU on Saturday. The Tigers constantly made simple mistakes on both sides of the ball and came away with a less than impressive win over Syracuse, 34-24. Leonard Fournette seemed to be the one of the only positive features for a team that committed 14 penalties and let the Orangemen stay in a game that should have been put away in the first half. Regardless, the Tigers improved to 3-0 on the year and 2-0 on the road. They committed the same mistakes that they’ve been making all season long, namely penalties. These penalties were the cause of LSU’s own undoing. Without them, this would have been a blowout victory. Brandon Harris finally eclipsed the 100-yard passing mark, which is a sign that this offense might become more balanced. He made impressive decisions and did not turn the ball over for the third week in a row. With all this in mind, here are three points to take away from the game.
1. Leonard Fournette is well on his way to capturing the Heisman Trophy.
The SEC Offensive Player of the Week continued to dominate on the ground as he racked up a career-high 244 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. He proved to be LSU’s bread and butter once again, accounting for over half of the Tigers’ total offensive yards. Fournette became the first player in LSU history to rush for 200 yards in consecutive games and was seven yards shy of breaking the school single-game rushing record set by Alley Broussard in 2004. He impressed the entire nation with his explosive carries, especially his 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Fournette slipped through a hole in Syracuse’s defensive line and bolted towards the end zone untouched. No one could catch him. He also had a 48-yard run on a pitch from Brandon Harris as Harris was about to be sacked, which set up Fournette’s first touchdown. At least half of Syracuse’s defense was needed to bring him down. Had his 87-yard touchdown not been called back, he would have had over 300 rushing yards. Broussard’s record lives to see another week, but Fournette is licking his chops for Eastern Michigan. The Eagles rank last in the FBS in rush defense and are allowing 373 rushing yards per game.
2. Penalties continue to plague the Tigers. pentalitles
LSU was penalized 14 times for 120 yards against Syracuse. Penalties are what kept the Orangemen in the game for as long as they were. Their drives were kept alive because of several pass interference and personal foul calls. A late hit by Deion Jones led to a Syracuse touchdown and a pass interference flag on Kevin Toliver negated an interception in the end zone.The Tigers’ drives were cut short and points were passed up. On first-and-goal from the 9, a false start pushed LSU back and sucked the momentum out of the drive. The Tigers eventually settled for a field goal. Many big plays were nullified, including Fournette’s 87-yard touchdown run in the third quarter because of an illegal formation penalty. Another one of Fournette’s runs was called back because of a holding penalty. “Leonard Fournette probably has another 120 yards if we’re not penalized,” Les Miles told reporters. “I’m sure they took off at least 10 points for penalties.”
3. Brandon Harris is getting better.
Harris didn’t throw as much as Miles said he would, but he was exceptional in his performance. He was 8-of-16 for 157 yards and a touchdown on the day. His most impressive completions went to Travin Dural and Malachi Dupre. In the third quarter, Harris lofted a pass to Dupre, who gracefully caught the ball over his shoulder for the 42-yard reception. Dural hauled in a 51-yard pass over two defenders after having to cut back on an underthrown ball in the fourth quarter. With the Tigers only leading 24-17, that pass could not have come at a better time. One play later, Harris found Dupre in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown. The Tigers’ receivers had four dropped passes, including two from John Diarse. He could have had over 200 passing yards had those simple mistakes not occurred. Harris played smart, throwing the ball away when he had to and scrambling when he had no options. Miles and Cam Cameron are easing him into passing more, so Saturday was a nice stepping stone for Harris. Another positive note for Harris is that he has yet to turn the ball over this season.
The Tigers went on the road and notched a victory up in New York. Playing 1,400 miles away and in a different timezone can rattle any team, so the Tigers can bounce back. LSU travels back home for its next opponent clad in green and white. Get ready, Eastern Michigan. The Tigers are eager to show the country that they belong with the big boys.
