LSU dominated the box score in nearly every area but one - turnovers.
For a half, those turnovers were enough to keep the scoreboard from looking anything like the game taking place on the field.
It wasn’t pretty and at times was downright sloppy, but No. 8 LSU walked away with a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
“It was a tale of two different sides of the ball throughout most of the game.” LSU coach Lane Kiffin said. “I thought our defensive start was really good.”
To give some perspective as to just how bizarre this game was, LSU led just 10-7 at halftime despite outgaining Louisiana Tech 278-0.
Yes, zero.
The Bulldogs had 20 passing yards and minus-20 rushing yards through two quarters. LSU, meanwhile, had piled up 278 yards and 14 first downs.
The problem was LSU kept giving the ball away.
The Tigers turned it over four times in the first half, including three interceptions from quarterback Sam Leavitt and a fumble by receiver Eugene Wilson III.
“We’ve got to execute better; Sam (Leavitt) has to do a better job taking care of the ball,” Kiffin said. “We made a lot of yards, and we were smooth through that at times, but obviously the red zone is where you’ve got to finish drives.”
The most costly mistake came with LSU seemingly moments away from taking a 17-0 lead.
Facing third-and-goal from the Louisiana Tech 6-yard line, Leavitt was intercepted in the end zone by Bulldogs defensive back Jordan McRae, who took it 100 yards the other way for a touchdown.
Instead of 17-0, it was suddenly 10-7.
Leavitt threw his third interception of the half on LSU’s next possession, allowing Louisiana Tech to go into the locker room down just three despite its offense failing to produce a single yard.
That changed quickly after halftime.
LSU opened the second half with a Scott Starzyk field goal to extend the lead to 13-7 before Leavitt scored his second rushing touchdown of the night, this time from nine yards out. A successful two-point conversion to Malachi Thomas made it 21-7.
Starzyk added another field goal before Leavitt found the end zone with his legs for a third time early in the fourth quarter, pushing LSU’s lead to 31-7.
After freshman defensive tackle Deuce Geralds forced a fumble, Leavitt finally got on the board through the air, connecting with tight end Trey’Dez Green for a 10-yard touchdown that made it 38-7.
Louisiana Tech’s offense finally broke through midway through the fourth quarter when quarterback Blake Baker found Jalen Mickens for a 67-yard touchdown.
Backup LSU quarterback Landen Clark answered with a seven-yard rushing touchdown in the final two minutes to produce the 45-14 final.
Despite that late touchdown, LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s unit played absolutely lights out.
Louisiana Tech finished with just 138 total yards, including minus-5 rushing yards.
The Bulldogs went 3-of-14 on third down, while LSU recorded seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss and three takeaways.
In other words, utter domination on that side of the ball.
Linebacker TJ Dottery led LSU with nine tackles and also forced a fumble. Geralds added four tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in another disruptive performance from the freshman.
Offensively, the numbers were almost as lopsided.
LSU finished with 528 total yards, including 381 through the air and 147 on the ground.
Leavitt’s first-half mistakes will understandably be the biggest blemish on his night, but he still finished 25-of-39 passing for 344 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He added 22 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground, accounting for four LSU scores altogether.
Running back Dilin Jones led LSU on the ground with 66 yards on 18 carries, highlighted by a 46-yard run in the third quarter.
Green was LSU’s leading receiver, finishing with six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Wilson added six receptions for 93 yards, while Jackson Harris caught three passes for 80 yards.
That makes the final score perhaps the strangest part of the night.
LSU turned the ball over four times, threw three interceptions and was flagged 10 times for 100 yards - and still won by 31 points.
The Tigers were far from clean.
But on a night when they repeatedly got in their own way, they were still overwhelmingly better than the team standing across from them.
