It had all the makings of a trap game, but in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night the LSU football team (8-2, 4-2 SEC) did just enough to earn a 24-16 win against a Louisiana Tech (3-6, 2-4 WAC) team that wouldn’t quit.
Louisiana Tech outplayed LSU in almost every statistical facet of the game and LSU fans showed their displeasure by booing the Tigers heartily. In the end, the Bulldogs couldn’t get the only thing that mattered: the win.
Louisiana Tech ran at will against LSU for most of the first half, racking up 131 yards on the ground while LSU’s offense couldn’t seem to get off the ground.
LSU ran into the locker room to a chorus of boos, down 13-10 to the Bulldogs, their first lead against the Tigers in 105 years.
In the second half, LSU’s defense shut down the running game, limiting Louisiana Tech to 57 yards 20 carries.
LSU coach Les Miles said he didn’t like the way the defense started the game, but thought they played well in the second half.
“I kept trying to tell them that this is the best in-state team that we’ve played,” Miles said. “As much as you tell them to get ready, they don’t quite understand it until they get into the game.”
Louisiana Tech head coach Derek Dooley said he felt his team probably played their best game tonight, but couldn’t overcome LSU’s depth in the end.
“We played with effort. We played with toughness. We went toe to toe and we weren’t affected by the environment like we were two years ago. ” Dooley said. “We weren’t playing in awe of LSU, and I think those are great steps.”
Dooley said penalties and injuries to two of his running backs hurt the Bulldogs’ chances in the second half.
“We ran out of guys,” Dooley said. “Daniel Porter and Phillip Livas were hurt, and it just got tough down the stretch. ”
Miles said the team needs to play better next week if they want to beat Ole Miss in Oxford.
“We aren’t perfect in any way,” Miles said. “We have to clean up and get ready to go because this next one is going to be a little bit more difficult.”
 
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