BATON ROUGE — After picking up a win at home, LSU (1-1) is back on the road to Starkville on Saturday to face Mississippi State (2-0) in the SEC opener.
Kickoff at Davis Wade Stadium is set for 11:07 a.m. CT on ESPN and the LSU Sports Radio Network.
Following an offensive explosion last Saturday, in which LSU scored on its first 10 possessions and posted 72 points and 622 total yards, the Tigers will look to carry that momentum into a hostile environment for an early morning start.
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“I was very pleased with the way we handled our emotions,” said head coach Brian Kelly. “Their discipline, and their ability to maintain their composure, I was very proud of them in that respect.”
Quarterback Jayden Daniels passed for a career high five touchdowns in the first half vs. Grambling State, finishing 18-of-24 for 269 yards through the air. But it was the running game that might have stolen the show, tallying 302 rushing yards for the game, led by junior Logan Diggs, who flashed with 115 yards on 15 carries in his LSU debut.
Freshman Kaleb Jackson was given an opportunity, and he took advantage. The Tigers relied heavily on the Baton Rouge native in the second half, and he impressed in a big way, adding 11 carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns to an already potent rushing attack.
The running game will receive another boost with the return of fifth-year senior John Emery, who has totaled 941 yards and 13 touchdowns during his career in Baton Rouge.
“We have really good backs,” said Kelly. “We can’t get all of them on the field, so it’s a competitive situation, and our guys know that. I think we can feature multiple backs, and we will this Saturday.”
Brian Thomas, who led the receivers with six catches for 78 yards, posted his first game with two receiving touchdowns. Malik Nabers recorded five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.
On the offensive line, the staff loves the progress that freshman tackle Lance Heard is making in the trenches. Adding depth to the group, Heard gives an already talented unit flexibility in the rotation, showing why a bright future is in store for the Monroe native.
“We like his presence in the lineup,” Kelly said on Monday. “He was assignment correct. He was physical at the point of contact. We felt like, by and large, for a first time in a collegiate football game, he handled the emotions of the game very well.”
Defensively, the Tigers weathered some early storms by limiting Grambling to just four first downs and 61 total yards in the second half. Cornerback Zy Alexander and linebacker West Weeks led the team in tackles with six a piece and linebacker Greg Penn III made his mark on the game with an interception to go along with five tackles.
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— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 14, 2023
It will be a different challenge, though, when the defense takes the field on Saturday morning. The Bulldogs are led by senior quarterback Will Rogers, who has thrown for 389 yards and five touchdowns through two weeks of action.
Jo’Quavious Marks leads the team in rushing with 43 carries for 250 yards and three touchdowns. Lideatrick Griffin has proven to be a dynamic threat at receiver with nine catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 12.9 yards per catch to start the season.
“This is really about the challenge of playing on the road, handling the 11 a.m. start, playing a really well coached football team,” Kelly said. “This is a good football team, well coached, and they have depth.”
As LSU sets its sights on conference play, Coach Kelly would like to see his team build on the momentum that was gained a week ago. That means starting fast, leaving no doubt, and playing the game the way its intended to be played for four quarters. Execute that plan, and less cowbells will be heard on Saturday morning.
“We want to play the game the right way,” Kelly said. “Playing for four quarters, starting fast, building momentum, leaving no doubt about what the outcome is, and putting away your opponent. Those are the tenets of playing four quarters of LSU Football.”