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LSU defeats Mississippi State 21-19: Tigers avoid meltdown in Starkville

By Josh Criswell

Sep 12, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) is defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive lineman Nick James (88) during the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) is defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive lineman Nick James (88) during the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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The LSU Tigers nearly threw away a 15-point lead, but ultimately held off the Mississippi State Bulldogs for a thrilling 21-19 road win.

After losing to the Mississippi State Bulldogs on their home field last season, the LSU Tigers returned the favor this Saturday. The Tigers jumped out to an early lead, and withstood a late push by the Bulldogs to come away with a 21-19 victory in front of a packed house at Davis Wade Stadium.

Sophomore running back Leonard Fournette led the way for LSU, rushing for 159 yards and three touchdowns. It was Fournette’s third consecutive 100-yard rushing performance dating back to last season.

Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott delivered a solid performance, throwing for 335  yards and compiling two total touchdown, but it was not enough for the Bulldogs. The LSU defense dominated the line of scrimmage, shutting down any Mississippi State attempts to run between the tackles. The Bulldogs finished the game with a dismal 1.7 yards per carry average, a major contributing factor in their loss.

The momentum appeared to shift in the Bulldogs’ favor late in the fourth quarter, however, after Dak Prescott completed a five-yard touchdown to De’Runnya Wilson to close the game to 21-19. They would fail on the two-point conversion, but got the ball back with just under two minutes remaining.

Prescott marched down the field, putting the Bulldogs in field goal range. A delay of game call with eight seconds remaining would push their game-winning field goal attempt back from 47 to 52 yards, though. This was just enough to for LSU, as Mississippi State kicker Devon Bell pulled the kick, sending the Tigers home victorious.

Three Stars

1. Leonard Fournette, LSU RB (159 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns)

2. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State QB (335 passing yards, 2 total touchdowns)

3. Kendell Beckwith, LSU LB (11 total tackles, 5 solos, 1 pass breakup)

Odds

After falling behind 21-6 in the third quarter, the Bulldogs closed the gap to two points in the final minutes. LSU would pull out the victory by a score of 21-19, but would not cover the four-point spread. The combined total of 40 points fell well short of the 53-point over.

Next Week

The LSU Tigers return home next week for a showdown against Auburn (2-0) at Tiger Stadium. LSU showed that they are one of the most complete teams in the SEC this week, while Auburn struggled against Jacksonville State, but the Bayou Bengals cannot afford to sleep on any conference foe this year.

Mississippi State will look to rebound at home against the Northwestern State Demons (0-2) next week. The Demons have struggled tremendously this season, and the game should be an excellent opportunity for the Bulldogs to bounce back.

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