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LSU Football

LSU-Mississippi State preview

October 19, 2018
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Many LSU football fans are quite concerned about the game against Mississippi State in Tiger Stadium on Saturday (6 p.m. Central/ESPN).

This contest against the Bulldogs is being considered a trap game – coming one week after knocking off No. 2 Georgia and coming right before the game against No. 1 Alabama.

The results show that LSU has been perfect in this situation since the Crimson Tide became a Southeastern Conference Western Division power under coach Nick Saban.

Since Saban went to Tuscaloosa in 2007, the winner of the LSU-Alabama game moved into the SEC West driver’s seat on six occasions. The Tigers have won the game prior to those matchups with the Tide all six times.

Only once – in 2009 – did LSU not have an open date the week before the Alabama game. In 2009, the Tigers crushed Tulane 42-0 seven days before taking on the Crimson Tide.

In 2011 and 2012, LSU defeated ranked teams before their off week. In 2011, LSU whipped No. 19 Auburn 45-10 in Baton Rouge. One year later, the Tigers held off No. 6 Texas A&M and Johnny Manziel 24-19 in College Station.

The last three seasons, the LSU-Alabama contest was the driver’s seat game in the SEC West. The Tigers had no problems in handling their opponent before preparing for the Crimson Tide – 48-20 against Western Kentucky (2015), 38-21 against No. 23 Ole Miss (2016) and 40-24 against Ole Miss (2017).

 

LSU NOTES

1.       The Tigers had won 21 of 22 games against Mississippi State before being upset at home in 2014. The margin of victory in all but four of those 21 games was at least ten points. The teams have split the last four games – LSU winning 21-19 in 2015 and 23-20 in 2016 and Mississippi State winning 34-29 in 2014 and 37-7 in 2017.

 

2.       The Tigers have won 19 consecutive SEC games in which they scored at least 20 points. The last defeat for LSU when it scored 20 points occurred four seasons ago. The Tigers lost to Mississippi State 34-29 in 2014. Since Dave Aranda became defensive coordinator in 2016, LSU has a 22-1 record when it scored at least 21 points. The one defeat came against Troy – 24-21 in 2017.

 

3.       Ed Orgeron has a 21-7 record since being named LSU’s interim head coach four games into the 2016 season. Only two Tigers coaches have more victories in their first 28 games – Les Miles (24) and Bernie Moore (23).

 

4.       Cole Tracy has made 17 of his 19 field goal attempts so far this season. Only four LSU kickers have made more field goals in one year – Josh Jasper (28 in 2010), Colt David (26 in 2007), Drew Alleman (21 in 2012) and David Browndyke (19 in 1988). Tracy has made 89.5 percent of his field goal attempts. Only three Tigers kickers had a better single-season percentage – Browndyke (100 percent in 1989), Mike Conway (93.3 percent in 1978) and Colby Delahoussaye (92.9 percent in 2013).

 

5.       Nick Brossette is 54 yards shy of rushing for 1,000 yards in his career. Brossette would become the 49th LSU player to rush for 1,000 career yards. Eighteen of those backs played for the Tigers since the start of the 2000 season. Derrius Guice (3,074) and Darrel Williams (1,651), who completed their LSU careers last season, are No. 5 and No. 21, respectively, on the school all-time rushing list.

 

6.       Foster Moreau needs four receptions to move into LSU’s top-ten for career catches by a tight end. Moreau has caught 39 passes for 472 yards. Harold Bishop is No. 10 on the Tigers’ list with 43 receptions. Only two of these tight ends played since the start of the 2000 season – Richard Dickson (2006-09) and Robert Royal (1998-2001). Dickson is the all-time leader with 90 catches. Royal is No. 5 with 59 receptions.

    

MISSISSIPPI STATE NOTES

1.       The Bulldogs have played just one game this season which was determined by fewer than 14 points. Mississippi State lost to Florida 13-6 last month. The Bulldogs have allowed fewer than 14 points in every game but one. Kentucky defeated Mississippi State 28-7 in its SEC opener. No other FBS school has held its opponent to less than 14 points in as many games this year.

 

2.       The Bulldogs are the only FBS team which has not lost a fumble this season. Mississippi State backs have not lost a fumble on their last 404 carries going back to the Arkansas game last November. Backup running back Aeris Williams has gone 436 carries without a lost fumble. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald has gone 401 carries without a lost fumble. Starting running back Kylin Hil has not lost a fumble in his last 146 carries.

 

3.       Defensive end Montez Sweat transferred to Mississippi State from Copiah-Lincoln Junior College prior to the 2017 season. Sweat has registered 18 sacks in 19 career games with the Bulldogs. No other Power 5 conference player has as many sacks in this span.

 

4.       With one rushing yard, Fitzgerald would become the 11th FBS quarterback with 3,000 rushing yards, 5,000 passing yards, 40 rushing touchdowns and 40 passing touchdowns in a career. Fitzgerald has rushed for 2,999 yards and 40 touchdowns and has passed for 5,149 yards and 43 touchdowns. Fitzgerald passed Tim Tebow in the last game against Auburn as the top rushing quarterback in the SEC.

 

5.       Mississippi State’s top two running backs – Hill and Williams – are both averaging around seven yards per game. Hill, a sophomore, has gained 494 yards on 68 carries for a 7.3-yard average per attempt. Williams, who rushed for more than 1,100 yards in 2017, has picked up 201 yards on 29 carries for a 6.9-yard average this season.

 

6.       There are 11 Louisiana natives on Mississippi State’s roster. Two of these players are starters for the Bulldogs – wide receiver Stephen Guidry (Livonia High School) and cornerback Cameron Dantzler (Hammond St. Thomas Aquinas High School). Guidry is the No. 2 receiver with 10 catches for 192 yards and one touchdown. Dantzler has 23 tackles and a team-leading seven pass breakups.

 

PREDICTION

This game has the appearance of being a defensive struggle. Mississippi State may have a better overall defense than Auburn, Florida and Georgia. The LSU offensive line will have another challenge going against a very good defensive front. Meanwhile, the Tigers defense must be ready to shut down the Bulldogs ground attack – led by Fitzgerald. LSU needs a victory to set up a huge matchup with Alabama in two weeks. Tracy will prove to be the difference in this game.

LSU 23, Mississippi State 14

 

    

TEAM STATISTICS

LSU points per game: 32.0

Mississippi State opponents points per game: 12.7

 

LSU rushing yards per game: 202.1

Mississippi State opponents rushing yards per game: 115.3

 

LSU passing yards per game: 202.1

Mississippi State opponents passing yards per game: 174.3

 

LSU pass completion percentage: 53.6

Mississippi State opponents pass completion percentage: 55.1

 

LSU total yards per game: 404.2

Mississippi State opponents total yards per game: 289.7

 

LSU third-down conversion percentage: 36.9

Mississippi State opponents third-down conversion percentage: 25.9

 

LSU turnovers per game: 0.9

Mississippi State takeaways per game: 1.2

 

LSU sacks allowed per game: 2.3

Mississippi State sacks per game: 2.8

 

Mississippi State points per game: 31.0

LSU opponents points per game: 16.9

 

Mississippi State rushing yards per game: 244.0

LSU opponents rushing yards per game: 120.4

 

Mississippi State passing yards per game: 190.0

LSU opponents passing yards per game: 219.9

 

Mississippi State pass completion percentage: 48.8

LSU opponents pass completion percentage: 53.1

 

Mississippi State total yards per game: 434.0

LSU opponents total yards per game: 340.3

 

Mississippi State third-down conversion percentage: 46.3

LSU opponents third-down conversion percentage: 34.6

 

Mississippi State turnovers per game: 0.7

LSU takeaways per game: 2.1

 

Mississippi State sacks allowed per game: 1.8

LSU sacks per game: 2.3

 

 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS

RUSHING

LSU: Nick Brossette – 134 carries, 640 yards, 9 touchdowns

Mississippi State: Nick Fitzgerald – 98 carries, 513 yards, 7 touchdowns

 

PASSING

LSU: Joe Burrow – 195 attempts, 104 completions, 53 percent completion, 1,415 yards, 6 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

Mississippi State: Nick Fitzgerald – 123 attempts, 61 completions, 50 percent completion, 709 yards, 4 touchdowns, 3 interceptions

 

RECEIVING

LSU: Justin Jefferson – 27 catches, 453 yards, 2 touchdowns

Mississippi State: Osirus Mitchell – 13 catches, 242 yards, 2 touchdowns

 

TACKLES

LSU: Devin White -- 66

Mississippi State: Johnathan Abram -- 43

 

TACKLES-FOR-LOSS

LSU: Grant Delpit -- 7½

Mississippi State: Montez Sweat – 10

 

SACKS

LSU: Michael Divinity – 4

Mississippi State: Montez Sweat – 7½

 

QUARTERBACK-HURRIES

LSU: Michael Divinity, Devin White – 5

Mississippi State: Montez Sweat – 5

 

INTERCEPTIONS

LSU: Grant Delpit -- 3

Mississippi State: Johnathan Abram, Brian Cole, Cam Dantzler, C.J. Morgan, Erroll Thompson -- 1

 

PASS BREAKUPS

LSU: Kristian Fulton -- 8

Mississippi State: Cam Dantzler -- 7

 

PUNTING

LSU: Zach Von Rosenberg – 26 punts, 46.7-yard average

Mississippi State: Tucker Day – 16 punts, 39.4-yard average

 

KICKING

LSU: Cole Tracy – 17-of-19, field goals; 23-of-23, extra points

Mississippi State: Jace Christmann – 6-of-9, field goals; 21-of-21, extra points

 

RETURNS

LSU: Clyde Edwards-Helaire – 8 kickoff returns, 147 yards

Mississippi State: Brian Cole – 10 kickoff returns, 225 yards

 

 

 

  

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