LSU kept its College Football Playoff chances breathing for another week, dismantling No. 16 Mississippi State 31-0 on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
The win marked a sharp turnaround for Lane Kiffin’s team, which was coming off a crushing overtime loss to Kentucky the previous week. Mississippi State, meanwhile, was without star quarterback Kamario Taylor, who sat out with a foot injury, and the Bulldogs struggled badly in his absence.
Freshman Parker Puckett started in Taylor’s place and had a rough outing, completing 16 of 26 passes for 121 yards and throwing one interception. With No. 22 LSU building an early lead, Puckett was forced to play from behind for the entire game.
Mississippi State went three-and-out to open the game, and LSU answered immediately with an eight-play, 60-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Sam Leavitt hit wide receiver Eugene Wilson III for a 10-yard score to put the Tigers up 7-0.
Puckett threw an interception on Mississippi State’s next possession, and LSU capitalized again, with Leavitt finding Jackson Harris for a 27-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 in the first quarter.
Leavitt and Harris connected again in the second quarter, this time for a 17-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 21-0. Mississippi State had a chance to get on the board when it drove into the red zone, but the Bulldogs went for it on fourth-and-goal from the LSU 6-yard line and came up short.
It was the first time Mississippi State had been shut out in the first half under head coach Jeff Lebby.
LSU added 10 more points in the third quarter to push the score to 31-0, effectively ending any chance of a Mississippi State comeback.
Leavitt finished the game 31 of 38 passing for 289 yards and four touchdowns. Harris caught six passes for 85 yards and two scores.
LSU improved to 5-2 on the season. For Kiffin’s team to reach the College Football Playoff, it cannot afford another loss the rest of the way. The Tigers next travel to face Auburn.
Mississippi State fell to 4-2 and will look to regroup when it faces Oklahoma on Saturday.
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