Although the No. 14 LSU football team didn’t get to play its scheduled season opener, it showed no signs of ill effects during its official first game of the season against No. 25 Mississippi State.
The Tigers (1-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) completed a nail-biting 21-19 victory over the Bulldogs (1-1, 0-1 SEC) primarily by the efforts of sophomore running back Leonard Fournette.
LSU coach Les Miles gave Fournette the ball early and often, and he took advantage of his opportunities with 28 carries for 159 yards.
He scored the Tigers’ first touchdown with 4:37 left in the first quarter, taking a direct snap in the wildcat formation and jumping over the pile from one yard out.
After the LSU defense sacked Mississippi State senior quarterback Dak Prescott twice and forced the Bulldogs to go three and out, Fournette went back to work.
Harris hit Dupre on a 20-yard crossing route then Fournette weaved his way into the enzone from 26 yards out to put LSU on top, 14-0, at the end of the first quarter.
The Tiger defense gave the offense manageable field position throughout the first quarter, forcing Mississippi State to go three and out twice and 0-3 on third down. LSU continued stifling the Bulldogs’ attack in the second quarter as they finished the half 0-for-7 on third down conversions.
However, LSU couldn’t take advantage. Junior wide receiver Travin Dural took a handoff around the left corner and went the distance for a 79-yard touchdown, but the play was called back due to a holding call on sophomore wide receiver John Diarse.
It was LSU’s only taste of the end zone in the second quarter, and the defense managed to keep Mississippi State out of its end zone as well.
The Bulldogs did get on the board before half, when sophomore kicker Westin Graves split the uprights on a 43-yard kick.
Mississippi State came out of the locker room more effective than it had been in the first half on both sides of the ball.
After forcing LSU to go three and out on the first possession of the half, Fred Ross returned a Jamie Keehn punt 21 yards and set Prescott up in prime position. He got the Bulldogs down to the eight-yard line but junior cornerback Tre’Davious White broke up his third down pass to Wilson in the back of the end zone.
After Graves knocked in a 24-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-6, Harris and Fournette marched back down field on a 7 play, 75 yard drive. Fournette reached pay dirt for the third time of the game, bouncing a toss dive to the outside en route to an 18-yard touchdown.
MSU listened to the advice of the song playing during the break between the third and fourth quarters and didn’t stop believing.
Prescott scored a rushing touchdown fom the two-yard line, and followed it with an 8-play, 82 yard touchdown drive in one minute, 32 seconds to cut the LSU lead to 21-19 after a failed two-point conversation with 4:00 left.
Mississippi State forced LSU to punt and got the ball back with one minute, 32 seconds left on the clock at less than a field goal deficit.
Prescott led the Bulldogs down the field and set up senior kicker Devon Bell for a 52-yard field goal for the win. The kick had the distance, but it was wide right.
“We started off the season with a great defensive game,” said junior defensive lineman Christian LaCouture. “Especially with our offense, what they did, and special teams. I feel like we’re on the right path.”
LSU hangs on to defeat Mississippi State, 21-19
September 12, 2015
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