A banged-up LSU had just what the doctor ordered this week - a drama-free game against an FCS opponent at home, with no major injuries and an opportunity to rest the starters early as the Tigers cruised past McNeese 63-14 Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
The win improved No. 11 LSU to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play, while McNeese fell to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in Southland Conference play.
Going into the game, the biggest narrative was whether LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt would play after suffering a minor hamstring injury in last week’s victory over Texas A&M.
He indeed got the start and, outside of one regrettable pass, had a solid outing while building off his progress against Texas A&M. Leavitt completed 18 of 23 passes for 176 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
However, his time on the field didn’t last long as the Tigers quickly put separation between themselves and the Cowboys.
LSU running back Dilin Jones punched in a 1-yard touchdown on the Tigers’ opening drive. Jones ended the game with 16 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown.
On LSU’s next possession, wide receiver-turned-tight end Roman Mothershed hauled in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Leavitt to make it 14-0.
Freshman wide receiver Corey Barber Jr. then became one of the stars of the first half, catching a pair of touchdown passes from Leavitt as LSU took a commanding 35-0 lead into halftime.
Barber finished as LSU’s leading receiver with six catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
Once again, Blake Baker’s defense stole the show early, limiting McNeese to just 31 yards and no points in the first half before LSU began emptying its bench.
The Cowboys eventually found some success against LSU’s reserves in the third quarter, scoring twice, but the outcome had long since been decided.
McNeese finished with just 196 total yards compared with LSU’s 731.
The Tigers’ offensive output landed among the most productive performances in program history. LSU’s 731 total yards were the second-most in school history, while the Tigers ran a school-record 101 offensive plays.
LSU was especially dominant on the ground, rushing for 367 yards while three running backs approached or surpassed the 100-yard mark.
Harlem Berry led LSU with 15 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown, averaging 8.3 yards per carry. Backup running back Stacy Gage added 110 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries, including scoring runs of 46 and 39 yards in the fourth quarter.
LSU finished with six rushing touchdowns in all.
With the game well in hand, quarterbacks Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet both received extended playing time behind Leavitt. Clark completed 7 of 16 passes for 126 yards and added a rushing touchdown, while Longstreet completed 6 of 9 passes for 62 yards and rushed for 32 more.
The game also gave LSU an opportunity to play deep into its defensive rotation.
Linebacker Tylen Singleton, defensive end Dylan Carpenter and linebacker Zach Weeks tied for the team lead with five tackles apiece.
The victory gave LSU exactly what it needed following a physical stretch of its schedule: a comfortable win, significant playing time for its backups and another encouraging offensive performance without having to push its starters deep into the second half.
The Tigers return to SEC play next Saturday when they travel to Lexington to face Kentucky.
