Lane Kiffin liked LSU’s 63 to 14 win over McNeese. He liked what the Tigers did with the opportunity, too. LSU piled up 731 yards of offense, led 35 to 0 at halftime and gave reserves a long look before seven consecutive SEC games.

“I thought our guys played really well,” Kiffin said afterward. He acknowledged that a large margin was expected, but added, “I know you are supposed to win these games big, but it doesn’t always happen.” 

LSU came back out ready to play

Kiffin singled out LSU’s response after halftime. With the game firmly in hand, the Tigers scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the third quarter. Deuce Geralds took a direct snap into the end zone, and Harlem Berry followed with an 11 yard touchdown run.

LSU “played really good early third quarter,” Kiffin said. It was the kind of continued effort he wanted to see after the Tigers had already built a commanding lead. 

The reserves got meaningful work

“The good part is a lot of our guys got to play,” Kiffin said. LSU ran 101 offensive plays, giving its coaches far more to evaluate than a handful of late snaps would have provided. 

Sam Leavitt completed 18 of 23 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns. Landen Clark then threw for 126 yards and scored on a three yard run, while Husan Longstreet added 62 passing yards. Across the offense, younger and less experienced Tigers had a chance to show what they could do in a game.

Kiffin explained why that mattered now. With injuries already affecting LSU, some of those players are “going to need to play” during the conference stretch ahead. He said LSU came through the McNeese game without a major new injury. 

Geralds made Kiffin check the history books

Geralds’ touchdown gave Kiffin a question to ask before he met with reporters: Had an LSU player ever recorded a sack and scored an offensive touchdown in the same game?

Kiffin said former Tiger Booger McFarland had a half sack and a touchdown against Florida in 1995. After checking with McFarland, Kiffin reported that “Deuce has the record now.” The freshman defensive tackle’s goal line appearance became one more memorable moment in a game filled with contributions across LSU’s roster. 

The night served a larger purpose

Kiffin’s postgame comments returned repeatedly to the same point: LSU won decisively while learning more about the players it may need next. The starters established control, the Tigers kept scoring after halftime, and the reserves received substantial work.

Kentucky is next, followed by six more SEC opponents. Saturday gave LSU a win and gave Kiffin something valuable to carry into that stretch: a better look at his team. 

Sources

• LSU Athletics, game recap and Kiffin’s postgame press conference. 
• Associated Press, postgame reporting and Kiffin remarks. 
• Minden Press-Herald, postgame reporting and Kiffin remarks.