First Quarter
LSU did their best to quiet a packed house of golden Mountaineer fans early on as senior quarterback Jarrett Lee tossed an 11 yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Rueben Randle on the Tiger’s first drive of the game.
LSU also capitalized on a Brandon Taylor interception, turning the pick into six on a 22 yard scamper by sophomore running back Michael Ford.
Sophomore cornerback Tyrann Mathieu also forced a fumble midway through the first quarter, tying him with former Tiger linebacker Ali Highsmith with the most forced fumbles in school history.
 
Second Quarter
West Virginia got on the board early in the second quarter when junior quarterback Geno Smith found sophomore wideout Stedman Bailey for a 20 yard touchdown pass.
The Mountaineer drive lasted 12 plays, went for 73 yards and took 4:20 off the clock.
LSU answered five minutes later  on a 52 yard pass from Lee to freshman wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
A gutsy play-action pass call by offensive coordinator Greg Studrawa on third and one payed off as the Tigers took a 20-7 lead with just under seven minutes left in the first half.
But the Tigers weren’t done.
Mathieu struck again, tipping a pass in the air and picking it off with 38 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Lee would hit junior tight end Chase Clement on a two-yard pass for another Tiger touchdown. Despite hobbling off the field earlier in the game, Alleman tacked on the extra point and extended the lead to 27-7 going into halftime.
At the halfway mark, Lee is 10 of 17 for 132 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Randle leads all Tiger receivers with 4 catches for 40 yards.
Sophomore punter Brad Wing has punted for times for a total of 190 yards, averaging 47.5 yards per boot.
 
Third Quarter
The Tigers came out of the break firing, moving the ball 43 yards in 9 plays, but failed to capitalize on two scoring opportunities.
Lee found a wide open Randle in the endzone, who dropped what would have been the fourth touchdown pass of the game.
A play later, Alleman pulled a 30 yard field goal wide left, leaving the door open for the Mountaineers, who would answer on a 6 play, 80 yard drive that with a 12 yard pass to senior WR Tyler Urban.
The Mountaineer stop marks the first time the Tigers have failed to score when inside the red zone.
West Virginia kept the momentum going with another touchdown at the end of the quarter. Mountaineer freshman Dustin Garrison punched in a two yard run following a 72 yard bomb to junior wide receiver Tavon Austin, pulling West Virginia within 6.
Junior cornerback Morris Claiborne returned the ensuing kickoff back 99 yards for a touchdown, quieting a Milan Puskar Stadium that was bumping with energy just seconds before.
The return marks the longest kickoff return for LSU since Eric Martin’s 100 yard return against Kentucky in 1981.
 
Fourth Quarter
LSU put the nail in the Mountaineer coffin early in the 4th quarter on Ford’s second touchdown run of the game, this one coming on a 15 yard scamper with 9:55 remaining in the game.
LSU’s defense, which gave up 533 total yards in the game, stepped up in the time of need and held the Mountaineers scoreless in the last quarter.
Sophomore running back Alfred Blue sealed the deal even further with an 18-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers up 47-21 with just 3:03 left in the game.
The win makes LSU 4-0 on the year and marks the Tiger’s third win against a ranked opponent.
It’s the first loss of the year for West Virginia, who falls to 3-1.
 
 
Check lsureveille.com for more updates throughout the game. You can also follow @TDR_Sports or Sports Writer Mark Clements @mcleme9 for live updates.
 
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Contact Mark Clements at [email protected]