No. 8 LSU improved to 2-0 on Saturday night, pulling away from Louisiana Tech 45-14 at Tiger Stadium after a messy first half. The Tigers led only 10-7 at intermission, then scored 35 points in the second half and finished with 528 yards of offense.

Sam Leavitt completed 25 of 38 passes for 344 yards and one touchdown. He also carried 11 times for 22 yards and three rushing scores. Landen Clark added a 7-yard touchdown run in the final minutes and completed 2 of 3 passes for 37 yards. Dilin Jones led LSU on the ground with 18 carries for 66 yards. Tight end Trey’Dez Green caught six passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. Eugene Wilson III had six receptions for 93 yards, and Jackson Harris added three catches for 80 yards.

LSU finished 27 of 41 passing for 381 yards and one touchdown. The Tigers rushed 44 times for 147 yards and four touchdowns. Louisiana Tech completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards and one score and finished with minus-3 rushing yards on 31 carries. Jalen Mickens led the Bulldogs with six catches for 101 yards and a late 67-yard touchdown.

How the Tigers Took Control

LSU opened with a 29-yard field goal by Damian Starzyk and a 5-yard Leavitt run to lead 10-0 after the first quarter. Just before halftime, Louisiana Tech’s Jordan McRae returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 10-7.

The Tigers answered after the break. Starzyk connected from 25 yards early in the third quarter. Leavitt then scored on a 9-yard run and completed a two-point pass to Malachi Thomas, making it 21-7. A 23-yard Starzyk field goal pushed the lead to 24-7 heading into the fourth.

Leavitt scored again on a 5-yard run to make it 31-7. He later found Green for a 10-yard touchdown that extended the margin to 38-7. Baker and Mickens connected for 67 yards against LSU’s second unit, but Clark’s 7-yard run with 1:48 remaining closed the scoring at 45-14.

Princewill Umanmielen recorded three sacks and four tackles for loss. The Tigers totaled seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss as a team. DJ Pickett intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards. LSU also recovered two fumbles. TJ Dottery led the team with nine tackles. Whit Weeks added seven.

LSU committed four turnovers — three interceptions and one lost fumble. The pick-six produced Louisiana Tech’s first-half points. Even with those mistakes, LSU outgained the Bulldogs by more than 380 yards and scored on five second-half possessions.

Players of the Game

LSU Football Report’s offensive player of the game is Sam Leavitt. He accounted for four total touchdowns, threw for 344 yards, and produced three short rushing scores that flipped the game after halftime.

The defensive player of the game is Princewill Umanmielen. His three sacks and four tackles for loss helped hold Louisiana Tech to negative rushing yards and forced the Bulldogs into obvious passing downs.

LSU is 2-0 and visits Ole Miss on Sept. 19.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401867796
https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401867796
https://secsports.com/fbsched26-lsu