STARKVILLE, Miss. — Both LSU and Mississippi State made holding onto the pigskin look like a Herculean task in a rain-soaked first half at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.But the true test of will came late in the fourth quarter when the Tigers’ defense faced the Bulldogs’ offense on LSU’s 2-yard line with four plays to put it in the end zone with LSU holding a 30-24 lead.The Tigers proved one of their Achilles’ heels from last season has faded, as the defense kept the Bulldogs from scoring on four straight plays to seal a 30-26 victory.”That’s what great defenses do,” said sophomore cornerback Patrick Peterson. “They come together as a team. That was a hell of a push by the defensive line.”That goal-line stand was the second in as many weeks for the Tigers’ defense, and LSU coach Les Miles couldn’t have been happier about the way his defense took care of the Bulldogs’ near game-winning touchdown.”That was a great last effort,” Miles said. “They fought hard all the way on that drive, not just on that final stand. The defense just played with great character and heart.”But the stand was only the capstone to a gladiator-like battle during the entire second half for LSU’s defense, which was on the field for 21 minutes and 10 seconds in the half.Part of the reason for the seemingly ball-hogging nature of MSU’s offense was the running game. The Bulldogs racked up 122 yards on the ground after compiling only 29 by halftime, keeping the chains moving and forcing the Tigers’ defense to stay on the field.LSU junior safety Chad Jones said Mississippi State made adjustments in the second half and started to run the ball more.”They did a good job of running the ball in the second half,” Jones said. “They did a great job of ball control … They started throwing the ball to the sidelines, and there weren’t too many balls thrown over the middle of the field.”The first half was a different story offensively. Both teams threw after the early morning downpour over the field, as neither team’s running game was going anywhere.After combining for 12 fumbles and interceptions through a combined six games — seven for MSU and five for LSU — the teams amassed seven total Saturday, six in the first half alone.The Bulldogs’ ball woes came mostly through the air, as senior quarterback Tyson Lee threw three interceptions in the first half. The running game provided two fumbles for MSU, one of which the Bulldogs lost.”You just can’t [have turnovers] in the Southeastern Conference,” said Bulldogs’ first-year coach Dan Mullen. “We [were] playing a top-10 football team [Saturday], and you just can’t make those mistakes. But credit their kids. They made some great plays.”But LSU wasn’t very efficient at converting the Bulldogs’ turnovers into points in the first half, scoring only 10 off MSU’s four first-half mishaps. A pair of second-quarter interceptions by senior cornerback Chris Hawkins and sophomore safety Brandon Taylor deep in LSU’s territory led to a mere 19 yards of LSU offense.Peterson scored the lone touchdown off the first-half turnovers. He turned an interception into a 27-yard scamper into the end zone off a deflection from LSU senior linebacker Harry Coleman.”I got caught in the backfield a little bit,” Peterson said. “I knew he was going to throw it a little short, but I still had my guy secure. I saw the ball deflected … and I took it in for six.”The first LSU fumble came when LSU senior running back Charles Scott was stripped of a ball on third down of the first drive of the game. The ball was recovered by LSU, but it turned a possible first down into a punt.Later in the quarter, LSU junior punter Derek Helton couldn’t handle a high punt on a snap from the LSU 28-yard line, and that led to the ball being recovered by Helton at the LSU 1-yard line. The Bulldogs capitalized on a rushing touchdown on the next play by senior running back Anthony Dixon.Miles said he wanted Helton to kick the loose ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety.”We can’t have those miscues,” Miles said. “It just gives too much momentum to your opponent.”—-Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]