Baton Rouge, La. – Behind a stellar day from quarterback Sam Leavitt, No. 22 LSU completed the shutout vs. No. 16 Mississippi State, 31-0, on Saturday afternoon in Death Valley. It marked the first shutout at home vs. an SEC opponent since Oct. 14, 2006, when the Tigers shutout Kentucky.
Leavitt finished the game 31-of-38 for 289 yards passing and four touchdowns with zero interceptions. Running back Dilin Jones ran for 84 yards on 14 carries, but also caught eight passes for 58 yards. Linebacker TJ Dottery led the team in tackles with 12, while linebacker Davhon Keys finished second with 10 to go along with 0.5 sacks.
The Tigers hit the road next Saturday for an 11 a.m. CT kick against Auburn. The game will be televised nationally on either ABC or ESPN.
Game Recap
MSU won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. LSU received and defended the south endzone in the first quarter. The Bulldogs, however, would go three-and-out on their first offensive drive.
The Tigers relied heavily on running back Dilin Jones on their first offensive possession, both on the ground and as a receiver. An eight-play, 60-yard drive capped off with a 10-yard touchdown connection from Sam Leavitt to Eugene Wilson III, making it 7-0 LSU with 9:57 to play in the first quarter. That TD score marked Wilson’s first of the season.
On 3rd-and-9, with State drive inside LSU territory, Puckett threw a pass intended for Anthony Evans III, but it was overthrown and intercepted by safety Ty Benefield, his first pick of the year. Defensive end Jordan Ross was credited with the pressure. The Tigers took over at their own 15.
LSU extended its lead to 14-0 with 3:27 to play as Leavitt found junior receiver Jackson Harris for a 27-yard touchdown, capping off a 10-play, 85-yard drive. Harris caught the ball at the 24, made a guy miss, and then dragged a pair of Mississippi State defenders 10 yards into the end zone.
On 4th-and-1 from the LSU 31, defensive ends Jordan Ross and Dylan Carpenter combined to stop Puckett for a six-yard loss to force a turnover on downs. That stop halted a 10-play, 25-yard drive, giving the Tigers the ball at the own 37 with 9:13 to play in the first half.
Leavitt and Harris would make MSU pay, connecting again for a score, this time for a 17-yard touchdown catch, extending the Tigers’ lead to 21-0 with 6:13 to play in the first half. It marked Harris’ second score of the game, moving his total to three catches for 48 yards. His TD reception capped off a seven-play, 63-yard drive, which took exactly three minutes off the clock.
LSU’s defense came up with another fourth down stop, this time deep in their own territory. On 4th-and-6 from the LSU 6, Puckett’s pass to Zion Ragins was complete for four yards, but stopped short of the goal line, giving the Tigers the ball back at their own 2 with 1:38 to play in the first half. That stop halted a 13-play, 73-yard drive from MSU.
To open the second half, Leavitt and the LSU offense put together a 16-play drive spanning 74 yards, taking eight minutes and 10 seconds off the clock. The drive was halted inside the red zone, forcing a Scott Starzyk field goal. His 26-yard attempt was good, extending the Tigers’ lead to 24-0 with 6:45 to play in the third quarter.
On 4th-and-7 from the LSU 35, Puckett’s pass intended to Evans III was broken up by cornerback PJ Woodland, forcing a turnover on downs. That marked the third consecutive fourth down stop for the Tigers’ defense.
The Tigers would cash in yet again, putting together a quick, two minute and 35 second scoring drive, culminating in Leavitt finding Malik Elzy for a 6-yard touchdown connection, extending the LSU lead to 31-0 with 31 seconds to play in the third quarter.
On 4th-and-7 from the LSU 28, Puckett’s pass intended for Marquis Johnson was broken up by Ja'Keem Jackson, forcing another turnover on downs with 14:07 to play in the contest. That marked the fourth (!) consecutive fourth down stop for the Tigers’ defense.