LSU is now 3 for 3 against Bulldogs this season after beating The Mississippi State Bulldogs 19-3 at home in a sloppy, SEC slugfest played mostly in the rain. With the victory, LSU improves to an improbable 7-1 record and will be at no lower than No. 4 in the country when the polls are released after the embarrassing loss by Ohio State tonight. Not sure what gives me greater joy: LSU beating Miss St or knowing that Buckeye Nation is out of the College Football Playoff picture before Halloween after they sold their soul to the devil during the Urban Meyer investigation sham.
LSU’s Defense and Special Teams were as sharp tonight as the Alternative Uniforms LSU unveiled this week. Those helmets y’all! However, the LSU Offense was held in check by the Bulldog’s dominating front seven. To date, the Miss St front seven was the most dominating LSU had faced and yes that includes the stout Florida Gators defense. For what it’s worth, I believe Florida has a better overall defense due to a strong front seven and an above-average defensive backfield but the Bulldog defensive line and LB crew were tremendous!
The game started off with a bang when Michael Divinity intercepted Nick Fitzgerald on State’s first offensive series nearly scoring on the 33 yard return. Nick Brossette punched in a-1 yard rushing TD to quickly put LSU up 7-0.
Fitzgerald led a 73-yard drive on State’s next possession but LSU forced Miss St to settle for a FG to get the game to 7-3. That would be all the points the Tiger D would give up the rest of the ballgame.
Both teams played sloppy offensive football mainly because of bad QB play and less than imaginative play calling.
Burrow played by far his worst game of the season. He was harassed early and often by the Bulldog defensive front. He missed throws all night and when he did throw catchable balls, his receivers let him down with drops especially in the 1st half. LSU tried to establish a running game in the 1st half but the Bulldog’s defensive front closed running lanes and had tacklers in the backfield.
LSU had an impressive drive to close the half that ended with a Cole Tracy FG to go up 10-3 at half.
LSU’s Offense did better in the 2nd half but played a conservative game settling for FG’s three times. It was evident that all LSU needed to do in this game was to not give Miss St short fields by not turning the ball over, punting the ball well and playing good run defense. LSU did all 3 throughout the night.
The Bulldog offensive plan was solely reliant on the running ability of Nick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is an impressive athlete who is able to run with power and elusiveness but I don’t remember watching a SEC QB in Tiger Stadium pass the ball so poorly. At one point in the 3rd Qtr, he had completed 4 passes to his team for less than 20 yards while throwing 2 interceptions to LSU. Fitzgerald ended the night 8 for 24 with 4 interceptions. He was almost incapable of successfully throwing a simple forward pass. Ironically, this the same QB that last year under Dan Mullen, the QB Whisperer, toyed with LSU with his feet and arm. Coaching makes a difference- always has, always will.
LSU seems to have found a good one in Ogeron. LSU and Ogeron are to be commended for this incredible 8-game stretch having faced and beaten 3 Top 10 teams and tonight’s win against No. 22 Miss St who was coming off a Bye week when LSU was coming off a hugely emotional and physical game against UGA was very business-like. They won comfortably when they clearly did not play their best. LSU is a team that has come together. Oregon got LSU Burrow. He hired McMahon who found Cole Tracy who is in legitimate contention for All-American place kicking honors. To navigate through the schedule LSU was dealt this season with only 1 loss to date is beyond surprising and impressive. Coach Ogeron deserves all the accolades and recognition that he is getting. He’s earned the right to be considered for Coaching of the Year honors. All of the goals that LSU had before the game against Miami are there for the taking. All you have to do is be like David and slay Goliath.
Was it Targeting?
I have watched the replay of the Devin White hit 8 times and while I vehemently disagreed with the call after watching the replay 7 times, on the 8th viewing I saw footage from one angle that does appear to show White hit Fitzgerald under his face mask. Do I think the call should have been made. Nope. Do I believe that White launched and intended to hurt a defenseless player? Nope
Up to that point in the game, the game had been officiated well. Any game in which the referees do not become part of the main story line is a well officiated game. Even though I now believe the call may have been right, I do not understand how the head referee can review such an important call in all of about 20 seconds. That kind of a review system is laughable. To know that the 3 SEC replay referees are located in BIRMINGHAM where the SEC league office is located is wrong for obvious reasons. I am not an expert in geography but from what I know, Birmingham is in the state of Alabama not terribly far from T-Town the home of the Alabama Crimson Turds, I mean, Tide. While referee is not a 4-letter word, Bama sure is!
Am I insinuating that Bama and Saban had anything to do with the call on the field? Of course not. Do I believe that there is an obvious SEC bias for all things Bama in football? You better believe it!
Is there a pattern of inconsistencies in how and when penalties are called for or against Bama vs how they are called and when they are called for all other SEC league members. NO DOUBT!
Not having Devin White for the 1st half of the Bama game in 2 weeks is the difference in being able to keep the game somewhat respectable to potentially getting your head beat in by Bama and being down 4 TD’s by the time No. 40 can hit the field.
Vegas already has LSU as a 16-point underdog for the top 5 matchup in 2 weeks. The glass half-full crowd will quickly point out that Bama has been favored by close to 30 points a game this season so that’s good news for LSU.
Those who are not blinded by their love for LSU should note that Bama will be favored by 16 points AT top 5 LSU playing at home under the lights and the professional handicappers are saying Bama will win by 16 points. Mind Blown!
Time for the team to get some rest and heal up. Time for the coaches to hit the recruiting trail and land some player commitments in areas of need. Time for the Offensive and Defensive Coordinators to work up a game plan that gives LSU a chance to compete against what some are calling the best college football team ever.
Do I think LSU can compete with Bama? I do not but I also didn’t think LSU would get beyond 7 wins for the season.
Someday Bama will again lose to LSU in football. I just hope I am alive to see it and wouldn’t it be nice if it was in 2 weeks!
Geaux Tigers!