LSU cruises by Mississippi State but trouble brews

LSU clobbered Mississippi State on Saturday in Death Valley 29-7, but looks are deceiving.

The Tigers' average starting field position was their 48-yard-line, meaning LSU would not pile up tons of yards but they gave up 152 yards on the ground.

True, the Bulldogs quarterback Chris Relf is a scrambler with shifty legs but it wasn't necessarily his ability to break tackles that led to MSU outgaining the Tigers in overall yardage. No, Mississippi State's O line created such gaping holes, the likes of which I haven't seen this season opposite the Tigers.

 MSU backup quarterback Tyler Russell moved the ball decently against the Tigers -- when he wasn't throwing directly to them. LSU had five interceptions but should have had at least 40 points, but a stout MSU made an accounting of themselves. Stevan Ridley continues to have a strong season, finishing the game with just shy of 80 yards rushing and one touchdown.

Jordan Jefferson is basically in timeout since he threw a bad interception in the end zone against Vanderbilt. Les Miles and Gary Crowton have told him to just run the dang ball, and check down to his third receiver. He's done that and in doing so he's become a game manager, which is safer but not as dynamic.

LSU also continues to leave points on the board, this time at least 14 points due to several reasons and misques.

Can they beat the Auburns and Tennessees and Floridas with this kind of smashmouth run game and a ferocious defense? No, but they can compete. 

LSU has yet to hit on all cylinders offensively in a game since the days of JaMarcus Russell. And that's a Saban recruit.

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LSU runs over Vandy, 27-3

Les Miles needed this one.
No, not necessarily the win, but the hard-running, rugged style that the win was executed.
LSU piled up almost 400 yards of offense on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville. It was a road win. It wasn't pretty. But it was emphatic.
Last week it was Patrick Peterson, this week it was running back Stevan Ridley who put an exclamation point on his night with a dazzling 65-yard touchdown run. Ridley's 144 yards on the ground helped LSU outgain Vandy 392 to 130.

Jordan Jefferson, regressing in front of the nation for the second straight game, was effectively pulled from the game after an ill-advised, underthrown pass in the endzone early in the third quarter.  After that drive he played two more series, all handoffs, and both ended in touchdown runs. The only pass attempted the rest of the way was a zinged completion by second-stringer Jarrett Lee, who helped his case just by throwing it with confidence.


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After the game, Les Miles was asked about Jordan's effectiveness. He didn't punt. "We're going to continue to evaluate our quarterback position, and frankly we're going to expect more out of the position," Miles said. "I think both those guys can give it to us. I think Jefferson definitely can, and we're going to encourage Lee because he's a guy who's going to have to win games for us as we go forward."
Translation: Jordan Jefferson has one more shot.
That shot will come against Mississipi State next week.