Tigers Too Much for Mississippi State, Win 51-0
09/25/04

By Chris Macaluso
Special to LSUSports.net

BATON ROUGE -- LSU appeared unstoppable Saturday morning/afternoon in Tiger Stadium. In fact, the only time LSU's offense was slowed in the least through most of Saturday's contest by Mississippi State was when it fumbled the ball away four times, three deep in Bulldog territory.

Aside from the dropped balls, the Tigers couldn't have rebounded better from last week's heart-wrenching, 10-9 loss at Auburn. LSU ran and passed and ran all over the under-powered and over-matched Bulldogs, sending its visitors home to Starkville with a 51-0 loss in front of 91,431 sun-drenched fans, plenty of whom made their way to the exits well before the final whistle.

LSU's record improved to 3-1 overall, 1-1 in the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State's record fell to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the SEC. The Tigers travel to Georgia next week to re-enact last year's SEC Championship Game with the highly-touted Bulldogs. Kickoff is set for 2:30 CDT on CBS. Mississippi State will play at Vanderbilt.

While Tiger Head Coach Nick Saban was very pleased with his team's dominating performance, saying it was the first time this season the Tigers executed the way they are supposed to, Mississippi State's first-year leader Sylvester Croom responded with overwhelming disappointment.

"Where I come from that's called an old-fashioned butt whooping." Croom said. "You have to hand it to Nick (Saban) and his staff. They have an outstanding team. I never dreamed we'd come out here and get drummed like this today."

LSU tailback Alley Broussard scored three touchdowns and the LSU defense reeled in four interceptions on its way to its most lopsided victory since Saban's first game as Tiger coach, a 58-0 drubbing of Western Carolina in 2000. It also represented the most one-sided conference win since 1969 when LSU defeated Mississippi State 61-6.

The LSU offense sputtered little, converting all six of its third down opportunities in the first half and 12-15 for the game. JaMarcus Russell, Marcus Randall and Matt Flynn all led LSU to multiple scores at quarterback and handed the ball to a bevy of Tiger tailbacks with ease. LSU outgained the Bulldogs 353-59 in the first half and an astounding 599-130 yards for the game.

The Tigers averaged 7.4 yards per play compared with a scant 2.7 yards per play for the Bulldogs. Six Tiger tailbacks carried for at least 20 yards, with Broussard leading the way with 73 yards on 13 carries.

Flynn and Russell each had a touchdown pass while Randall completed all seven passes he attempted. Dwayne Bowe led all receivers with six grabs for 99 yards. Eight Tigers caught a total of 18 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns. LSU did not punt the entire game.

LSU received the opening kick after Mississippi State won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Tigers started at their own 26-yard line and marched straight down the field on a beleaguered Bulldog defense that surrendered 43 points two weeks ago to the same Auburn team that managed just 10 against LSU last week.

The Tigers blended pass and run well on a 10-play, 74-yard drive that culminated with an 11-yard Broussard touchdown scamper with 12:18 to play in the first quarter. Chris Jackson booted the point after giving LSU a 7-0 lead before the seats were warm.

LSU scored again before the fans stopped celebrating its first touchdown. Mississippi State wide receiver Brandon Wright had the football stripped from his arms by defensive back Corey Webster on the second play of the Bulldog drive giving the Tiger offense a scoring chance from the 18-yard line. Six plays later, Broussard plunged into the endzone from one yard out giving LSU a two-touchdown advantage with 8:29 remaining in the first quarter.

The hometown defense stopped the Bulldogs on three plays on the ensuing drive forcing Brooks Crabtree to punt the ball back to the Tigers. LSU started on another methodical march into Bulldog territory, but stopped itself at the Mississippi State 27-yard line when receiver Craig Davis fumbled after picking up nine yards on a flanker screen.

The Bulldogs couldn't move the ball again and Crabtree was forced to punt the ball away. That punt turned momentarily advantageous for the Bulldogs as the short kick hit Tiger blocker Daniel Francis square in the back at the 36-yard line. State recovered the fumble but handed the ball back to the Tigers shortly  after when quarterback Omarr Conner lobbed an errant pass, with two defenders dragging him to the ground, into Webster's diving arms at the LSU 31-yard line.

Again, the Tigers marched straight down the field with little resistance as Broussard capped another impressive scoring drive with 13:40 left in the first half. His third touchdown came on a 16-yard run around right end, ending a seven-play, 68-yard drive. Jackson continued the trend of the Tigers missing at least one extra point kick a game by hooking his attempt wide left, leaving LSU to settle for a 20-0 lead.

Conner handed LSU its next score less than two minutes later as, again, he foolishly lobbed a pass into the flat with an LSU defender hanging on his back. This time, it was linebacker Cameron Vaughn who applied pressure forcing Conner's pass into the waiting arms of left end Marcus Spears who jaunted 35 yards into the south endzone. Jackson's point after sailed true and LSU took a 27-0 lead.

Russell took over for Randall at quarterback on LSU's next possession. Who was calling the signals made little difference in LSU's ability to move the ball. Russell piloted the Tigers easily down the field staking LSU, on a mix of run and pass, to a first and goal opportunity inside the Bulldog five-yard line. But since the Bulldogs could do nothing to stop LSU, LSU stopped itself as tailback Justin Vincent fumbled a handoff at the seven-yard line on second down.

Mississippi State linebacker Jeramie Johnson returned the dropped ball to the 19-yard line giving his team's offense a chance to lose yards. The Bulldogs punted the ball away four plays later on 4-and-14 giving Russell a chance to lead his team to a score. He capped the ensuing 43-yard, six-play drive with a 12-yard dart to Davis who broke free of a tackle at the three-yard line before diving over the goal line. Jackson added the point after and LSU ran its advantage to 34-0 with 2:37 to play in the half.

Mississippi State showed very small signs of coming out of its offensive coma on its next possession, but Conner put his team right back to sleep by lofting a pass well over Wright's head and into the arms of Tiger defensive back Jesse Daniels. LSU took over at the Bulldog 45-yard line and again marched right deep into Bulldog territory mercifully allowing the first-half clock to expire with the ball at the 15-yard line.

LSU knocked Conner out of the game on the first drive of the second half when Tiger linebacker Ali Highsmith pulled the Bulldog quarterback to the turf on a second-down pass attempt with what was described as a strained knee ligament. The Bulldogs, holding true to their first-half form, punted after just three plays setting up another scoring chance for the Tigers.

Russell led the Tigers down the field, this time with the help of tailback Joseph Addai. Between Addai's aggressive running and Russell's accurate arm and scrambling, LSU added to its advantage with 10:10 to play in the third quarter. Russell finished the drive by dodging defenders for eight yards and diving into the north endzone, ending a seven-play, 51-yard scoring drive. Jackson's point after made the score 41-0.

Kyle York took over for Conner at quarterback for the Bulldogs, but the script read exactly the same. Mississippi State punted three plays later after losing yards and gave LSU another chance to score with excellent field position.

This time the Tigers started at the Bulldog 37-yard line. LSU remained perfect on third-down conversions to that point as Russell found Bowe wide open 17 yards down the field on a third down try, setting up first and goal at the Bulldog six yard line. But, LSU's third down conversion streak ended as Russell fumbled on third and goal at the two-yard line while trying for his second rushing touchdown of the game. Linebacker Clarence McDougal recovered the bouncing ball, ending the Tiger scoring threat.

The Bulldogs pushed the ball near mid-field on the ensuing possession but again were forced to punt giving Matt Flynn a chance to record some stats. He found freshman receiver Xavier Carter wide open 15 yards down the field on second down. Carter turned the simple completion into an explosive 57-yard touchdown as he showed off some of his rumored world-class speed. The point after gave LSU a 48-0 lead with 14:45 to play in the game.

York used the Bulldog's next offensive possession to add to his team's dubious interception tally. Cornerback Keron Gordon reeled in the errant York pass and Flynn had another chance to lead his team to a score. Back-up place kicker Ryan Gaudet added the points this time, booting a 37-yard field goal with 9:33 to play and extending LSU's lead to 51-0.