No Bull: No. 7 LSU Pounds Louisiana Tech, 49-10
11/01/03

by Chris Macaluso
Special to LSUsports.net

BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana Tech and LSU played for the first time since 1941 Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. LSU won that game 62 years ago 25-0.

While much has changed since, it looked as if the LSU football team picked up where it left off more than half a century ago by pounding the Bulldogs 49-10 as a sell-out homecoming crowd looked on.

"Obviously that's a very pleasing win for us," said LSU head coach Nick Saban. "We played pretty well on both sides of the ball."

The Tigers (8-1) put to shame their last two impressive offensive games, against South Carolina and Auburn respectively, by erupting for 653 total yards, the most by any Tiger team since 1987. LSU scored all of its 49 points in the first half in a whirlwind of long runs and long passes that left Louisiana Tech coaches and players astounded as their record quickly sank to 4-5.

"That was just a fantastic football team we played," said Louisiana Tech coach Jack Bicknell of LSU. "If they're not the best team in the country, I'd be shocked. I just feel like the speed out there was unbelievable. We (Louisiana Tech) played Miami and I promise you I feel like they're better than Miami." 

Ruston High School graduates, safety Jack Hunt and defensive tackle Kyle Williams, rudely welcomed their hometown Bulldogs to Tiger Stadium by each intercepting Louisiana Tech quarterback Luke McCown in the first quarter. McCown completed 11-28 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown to help move him into fourth place in total yards from scrimmage in NCAA history with 12,170 career yards.

But it was Tiger quarterback Matt Mauck who grabbed the attention of the crowd by completing his first 14 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns. Mauck's set a career mark in passing with 311 for the game and tied a school record for consecutive completions.

Louisiana Tech took the opening kick but was forced to punt after picking up a couple of first downs giving LSU the chance to score on its opening possession for the second-straight week. Mauck found a wide-open Michael Clayton 34 yards down the west sideline for a touchdown to cap a four-play drive that lasted just 1:15. The point after gave LSU a 7-0 lead less than 5:00 into the contest. 

LSU scored again less than 10 minutes later as freshman tailback Justin Vincent scampered seven yards untouched to cap a 96-yard, eight play drive in which Mauck completed three passes for yards, including 18 and 20 yarders to Clayton. Ryan Gaudet added the point after to give the Tigers a 14-0 advantage. Mauck finished the first quarter a perfect 9-9 passing for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bulldogs handed the Tigers their next scoring chance as McCown's screen pass attempt was tipped in the air by cornerback Corey Webster and intercepted by Williams at the Louisiana Tech 19-yard line. Mauck found Skyler Green open in the middle of the endzone three plays later to give LSU a three-touchdown advantage in the first quarter for the second-straight week.

Apparently Hunt didn't think a three-touchdown, first-quarter lead was enough however, as he helped give LSU a 28-0 advantage with 2:58 to play in the first quarter by returning a McCown interception 29 yards on Tech's ensuing drive.  

Not wanting to be outdone by the defense, LSU's offense added to the lead with 14:47 left in the first half when Mauck hit a wide-open Devery Henderson in stride for a 46-yard touchdown completion capping a three-play drive that lasted just 30 seconds. The long score increased LSU's lead to 35-0.

Louisiana Tech scored its first points on the ensuing drive when Josh Scobee drove a 29- yard field goal through the uprights and into the north endzone stands with 11:57 to play in the second quarter. The field goal came at the end of a seven-play 80-yard drive for the Bulldogs in which tailback Ryan Moats rushed for 85 yards.  

LSU responded when Mauck and Henderson shrugged off their earlier touchdown hook-up in favor of a 50-yard pass and catch to put the Tigers up 42-3 with 9:28 left in the first half. The bomb finished another very short Tiger drive. LSU used just 2:29 to travel 80 yards in six plays. Henderson finished the game with 96 yards receiving but was overshadowed by Green who hauled in 103 yards of passes on nine catches. Clayton had four receptions for 85 yards and his touchdown. 

The Tigers changed their approach but not their pace on their next scoring drive as tailbacks Joseph Addai and Alley Broussard attacked the Bulldog defense on the ground. The 66-yard drive was composed of six-straight running plays that consumed a mere 2:22.

Broussard ended the march with a 22-yard scamper to help the Tigers to a 49-3 lead with 5:57 left in the first half.

Tech's Ryan Moats led all rushers with 124 yards on 16 carries but his performance was overshadowed by the combination of Broussard, Justin Vincent, Barrington Edwards and Addai, who played for the first time since injuring his knee Oct. 11 against Florida.

The four Tiger tailbacks combined for 263 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bulldogs appeared poised to score the first points of the second half after a 67-yard catch and run could have given Louisiana Tech a first down at the Tiger one yard line. But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed that first and goal to a first down and 10 at the LSU 16-yard line. Then, an 11-yard loss on a sack of McCown by Tiger safety LaRon Landry on third down forced the Bulldogs to try a 46-yard field goal that Scobee pushed wide left.

But persistence paid off for Tech as McCown found wide receiver Eric Newman open behind the Tiger defense for a 49-yard touchdown pass on the Bulldog's next drive. The play was the fourth in a 71-yard march that consumed just 1:05 and cut the LSU lead to 49-10 with Scobee's extra point.