BATON ROUGE – LSU will wear throwback “Gridiron Gold” jerseys reminiscent of the uniform color worn by the Tigers in the 1940s when Mississippi State comes to Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.
Kickoff between the Tigers and Bulldogs is set for 6:05 p.m. in what is the annual “Gold Game” for LSU. The contest will be televised on ESPN2 with Mike Patrick (play-by-play), Ed Cunningham (analyst) and Dr. Jerry Punch (sideline reporter) on the call.
The game will also be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network with the Voice of the Tigers Chris Blair, Doug Moreau (analyst) and Gordy Rush (sideline reporter) calling the action. The game can be heard in the Baton Rouge area on Eagle 98.1 FM or on the internet for free exclusively at www.LSUsports.net/live.
LSU enters the game coming off a 34-13 win over Jacksonville State last week as the 20th-ranked Tigers moved their record to 1-1. LSU opened the year with a 16-14 loss to Wisconsin at Lambeau Field.
Last week against Jacksonville State, junior quarterback Danny Etling came off the bench to ignite a 27-point second quarter for the Tigers. Etling, a transfer from Purdue, completed six of his first eight passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, all in the second quarter. Etling also rushed for a score in the third quarter and by all indications, will take the first offensive snap for the Tigers against Mississippi State.
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The Bulldogs also rebounded last week with a 27-14 win over South Carolina. Mississippi State brings a 1-1 overall mark and a 1-0 league record into the contest. State opened the season with a 21-20 loss to South Alabama in Starkville.
LSU has won 15 of the last 16 meetings with the Bulldogs, the exception coming two years ago in 2014 when Mississippi State held on for a 34-29 win over the Tigers in Baton Rouge. Only two teams since 2000 have won consecutive games in Tiger Stadium – Florida (2001 and 2003) and Alabama (2012 and 2014). Mississippi State will attempt to become the third team to do it on Saturday night.
Last year, the Mississippi State contest turned out to be the season opener for the Tigers as LSU’s first game of the season against McNeese State was canceled due to weather just four minutes into the contest. LSU raced out to 14-0 first quarter lead last year against Mississippi State and then held off the Bulldogs, 21-19, when their 52-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired.
Leonard Fournette got his record-setting season off to a quick start last year, rushing for 159 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Bulldogs.
When the Tigers have the ball…
Etling will likely take the first snap at quarterback for the Tigers against Mississippi State, taking over for junior Brandon Harris, who has gone 10-5 in 15 career starts at LSU. In two games this year, Harris has completed 13-of-25 passes for 139 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Last week in his LSU debut, Etling connected on 6-of-14 passes for 100 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He also rushed for a touchdown.
Etling will become the first LSU quarterback to have his first career start come in Tiger Stadium against a conference opponent since 2008 when Jarrett Lee led the Tigers to a 34-24 win over Mississippi State in 2008.
Etling will have the luxury of LSU’s offense being at full strength tomorrow as junior Leonard Fournette is expected back after sitting out last week’s game with a sore ankle. Fournette, the school’s fourth-leading rusher, opened the season with 138 yards against Wisconsin.
“He’s been full speed at practice this week,” LSU coach Les Miles said of Fournette. “My guess is that it’s full speed ahead with him.”
Last week in Fournette’s absence, sophomore Derrius Guice rushed for 155 yards and a touchdown in the LSU victory.
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The Tiger offensive line will be back at full strength this week as well as senior guard Josh Boutte returns to action after serving a 1-game suspension. Boutte or sophomore Maea Teuhema will start at right guard for the Tigers against the Bulldogs.
“He may be a starter, or he may be the sixth guy,” Miles said of Teuhema. “The good thing about him is that we can move him around in a number of places.”
The Tigers will face a stiff test from a Mississippi State defense that ranks second in the SEC in rushing, allowing just 60.0 yards per game. Overall, the Bulldogs are allowing just 17.5 points per game and 288.5 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the league.
Mississippi State hasn’t given up a point in first half this year, holding both South Alabama and South Carolina scoreless during the first 30 minutes of each game. Bulldog defensive end A.J. Jefferson ranks among the national leaders with 6.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks through two games.
When the Bulldogs have the ball…
The Tiger defense will be tasked with once again stopping a dual threat quarterback in sophomore Nick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, who has started the first two games this year, set a school record for rushing yards by a quarterback last week against South Carolina with 195 yards on the ground. He also passed for 178 yards and a pair of TDs in the win over the Gamecocks.
In two games, Mississippi State has averaged 260.5 rushing yards per game (No. 2 in the SEC) and they are throwing it for 150.5 yards a contest.
The Tigers will see a zone-read offense for the second straight week. Last week, LSU held Jacksonville State’s offense in check for most of the night, however the Tigers did give up a 76-yard TD pass in the second quarter.
“I thought we reacted well to it,” Miles said of the Tigers defending Jacksonville State last week. “I think we dealt with a very fast quarterback, and a big, strong back. There are some similarities in the offense that Mississippi State will run against us, but their personnel will certainly be better.”
The Tigers will counter the Mississippi State offense with a 3-4 scheme that has been led by outside linebacker Arden Key (9 tackles, 3.0 sacks), middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith (17 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks) and safety Rickey Jefferson (14 tackles, 1 interception).
In two games, the Tigers have yet to allow any points in the first quarter and they’ve only yielded a pair of fourth quarter field goals. As a unit, LSU is giving up just 14.5 points and 353.5 total yards (127 rushing, 226.5 passing) under first-year coordinator Dave Aranda.
Cornerback Tre’Davious White has scored touchdowns in both of LSU’s first two games. He returned an interception 21 yards for a TD against Wisconsin and last week, he had a spectacular 60-yard punt return for a score against Jacksonville State.
What’s next…
After the Mississippi State game, the Tigers hit the road next Saturday for another SEC Western Division clash against Auburn. The LSU-Auburn game is set for 5 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The LSU-Auburn game will televised on ESPN.