LSU 19 MISSISSIPPI STATE 6
Game Notes
STARKVILLE, Miss . . –
For three-plus quarters, Mississippi State did an excellent job of
keeping LSU’s potent offense out of the end zone . .Unfortunately for
the No 25 Bulldogs, the Tigers’ D was just a tad bit more
masterful . In front of a raucous crowd of 56,925 on Thursday night,
the third largest in Scott Field history, No 3 LSU continued its
winning ways against MSU with a 19-6 slugfest victory to claim its
12th-consecutive win in this storied series that dates back to 1913 . However,
it wasn’t until the fourth quarter that this nationallytelevised ESPN
showdown was decided . With the Tigers leading 9-6 following a 41-yard
field goal by Drew Alleman with 1:46 to play in the third quarter, LSU
scored the game’s lone touchdown three minutes into the fourth when
Jarrett Lee connected with Rueben Randle from 19 yards out for a 16-6
lead . It was a hole that proved too deep for the Bulldogs (1-2, 0-2) to climb out . “Our guys played tough, played physical,” third-year MSU coach Dan Mullen said . .“We just needed to make a few more plays .” As for the rest of the scoring, all credit goes to both placekickers . LSU,
which travels to West Virginia next week, initiated all scoring on an
Alleman 21-yard field goal with 5:42 left in the first quarter . However,
the Bulldogs answered on their following possession when Derek
DePasquale cleared the uprights to even the game at 3-apiece with 4
seconds left in the opening frame . Then
in the second quarter, Alleman struck again, this time from 42 yards to
give LSU a 6-3 advantage, a score that stood at intermission . In
the third quarter, though, Mississippi State tied the game again when
DePasquale drained his 42-yard attempt, the 25th of his career . And
of course, it’s only fitting the game’s scoring would end with a field
goal, a 29-yarder by Alleman with 2:53 remaining . Again, credit both
defenses . MSU,
which returns home at 6 p .m . .on Sept . .24 against Louisiana Tech,
entered the game leading the SEC in total offense at 588 .0, while
LSU’s average stood at 336 .5 . On
Thursday, though, the Bulldogs didn’t come close to reaching that total
as they accumulated just 193 yards, their lowest in the Dan Mullen era . “We just never got into a rhythm,” Mullen said . . “We had our opportunities, but our playmakers just have to make plays .”
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