LSU cruised to a 49-21 victory over Central Michigan Saturday night. With 485 yards of offense and two turnovers forced, the electricity was palpable throughout Death Valley all night.
The energy the Tigers came out with was something unseen from the team so far. LSU got up and at Central Michigan early, starting with a SportsCenter Top-Ten catch from Deion Smith over a Chippewa defender. Then on the next drive, Derek Stingley forced a fumble that was returned by defensive end Andre Anthony for a touchdown. LSU fans finally got something to cheer for after a suboptimal start to the season.
Johnson finished 26-35 passing, with 372 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. Receivers Smith, Kayshon Boutte, Devonta Lee, and Jack Bech, with another unbelievable grab, combined for the touchdowns. While the running game again struggled to get established, the increased tempo of the offense helped Johnson find easier throws and keep the defense off balance. Corey Kiner added a late touchdown to go with his 74 yards of rushing.
On the other side of the ball, the defense swarmed the Chippewa offense. Allowing just 284 yards, the front seven imposed their will on the Central Michigan offensive front, and aside from one blown coverage play in the first quarter, the secondary held strong against the passing attack. BJ Ojulari earned 2.5 sacks of LSU’s 5 sacks, while Micah Baskerville, Navonteque Strong, and Damone Clark led the team in tackles with 6 each.
Anthony was forced out of the game with a left knee injury late in the first half. His status going forward is unknown.