LSU has a saying that the fourth quarter is their quarter. That may still be true, but unfortunately for the Tigers the first, second and third quarters belonged to Mississippi State on Saturday night.
“First half, we weren’t on the same page,” said LSU sophomore wide receiver Travin Dural. “They took advantage of it. They scored when they needed and we just couldn’t get too much going. We struggled early and that hurt us toward the end.”
In the fourth quarter the Tigers scored nineteen unanswered against the Bulldogs, but their effort was too little, too late.
“Just a couple more yards, a couple more seconds, I don’t know if we wouldn’t have won that game, said LSU head coach Les Miles.”
Starting slow has been a bug that’s bitten the Tigers even dating back to last season.
“We cannot continue to play like we’ve played in the first half,” said Miles following last season’s 27-24 loss to Ole Miss. “It’s fundamental.”
The question for Head Coach Les Miles and LSU now is how can they start faster.
True freshman quarterback Brandon Harris sparked LSU’s comeback last Saturday, giving Miles another decision to chew on.
“He’s a talented guy,” Miles said. “It’s just bringing him on. It was duly noted that he gave us a tremendous lift, a spark and an opportunity at victory. Don’t pretend that we’re not noticing. We recognize how he played in that game.”
And as New Mexico State’s contest precedes LSU’s SEC gauntlet ahead, Saturday could be the last chance to see whether Harris’s quick feet are the key to LSU getting back on the fast track.