Before Saturday night’s kickoff, the University of Arizona football team celebrated on the “Eye of the Tiger” in the middle of Tiger Stadium – it would be the only celebrating they did all night.
No. 8 LSU (2-0) defeated the Wildcats (1-1) 45-3 in front of a crowd of 92,221.
Several LSU players said they were upset by the Wildcats’ display.
“That’s just plain disrespectful,” said LSU senior wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. “But as a team we just go in, and we overlook it. If they want to come stomp on it, we gonna stomp on them – straight up.”
A stifling defensive effort and an increased role for junior running back Jacob Hester proved to be too much for Arizona.
Hester rushed eight times for 43 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown run. He also caught six passes for 53 yards and scored LSU’s first offensive touchdown of the night after junior quarterback JaMarcus Russell connected with him for a 5-yard score.
“We’ve been working on different stuff – me playing different positions,” Hester said. “I didn’t know I was gonna get the ball, but I’m excited about it and proud I got the opportunity to do it.”
Russell spoke highly of Hester as did LSU coach Les Miles after the game.
“He does a number of things really well for us,” Miles said. “He may be the most all-around football player on our team. He might see similar touches in other games.”
LSU opened the game with a 3-0 lead after sophomore kicker Colt David booted a 21-yard field goal with 9:17 left in the first quarter.
The field goal was set up by a 34-yard scamper by freshman wide receiver Trindon Holliday to the 3-yard line. The carry was Holliday’s first official touch at LSU after he muffed a punt and fumbled the football Sept. 2 against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
The Tigers scored their first touchdown of the game with 7:44 remaining in the first quarter after junior cornerback Jonathan Zenon jumped in front of Arizona wide receiver Anthony Johnson, intercepted the ball and returned it for 41-yard touchdown to give LSU a 10-0 advantage.
The interception was Zenon’s third of the season and the touchdown was his second after he intercepted two passes against ULL with one going for a score.
Zenon’s score marked the first time since 2003 that an LSU player has returned two interceptions for touchdowns in a season. Former defensive back Jack Hunt was the last Tiger to accomplish the feat.
“We just didn’t handle things very well,” said Arizona coach Mike Stoops. “We turned the ball over twice in the first five or six minutes of the game and put ourselves in the hole. It was tough.”
Miles did not seem surprised with the Zenon’s sudden playmaking abilities this season.
“We kind of thought he was gonna have this kind of year,” Miles said.
LSU had a 24-0 lead by halftime and stretched the lead to 38-0 by the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Tigers gained 461 yards of offense and limited Arizona to only 152 yards.
While LSU flourished, Arizona failed to score until the 1:06 mark in the fourth quarter.
Wildcats sophomore quarterback Willie Tuitama never looked comfortable in the pocket because of blitzes and constant pressure that kept him rattled for the majority of the game.
Tuitama was replaced by senior Adam Austin midway through the third quarter after being barraged with hits from LSU sophomore linebacker Darry Beckwith.
Stoops said Tuitama may have suffered a concussion but said he was not sure.
“He wasn’t in sync again,” Stoops said. “He’s been struggling, and a team like LSU can really get after the quarterback.”
Tuitama completed just eight of 17 passes, threw two interceptions and was sacked three times.
Russell completed 13 of 20 passes for 196 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He connected with Hester and Bowe for touchdowns. Russell was taken out in the fourth quarter with LSU leading 38-0.
The Tigers used four tailbacks in the game, who combined to rush for 231 yards and three touchdowns.
Junior Alley Broussard scored his second touchdown of the season and true freshman Charles Scott found the end zone for the first time of his collegiate career. Scott’s 38-yard touchdown run with 5:01 left in the fourth quarter was the Tigers’ final score of the night.
“I think we make it look easy, but it’s a product of hard work,” Bowe said. “The hard work pays off every Saturday night. We just go out there and execute. We aren’t worried about the score.” NOTES:LSU starter tight end Keith Zinger did not play Saturday night due to a stomach ailment. True freshman Richard Dickson started in his place.