LSU got the best performance of the year from its defense as it upset No. 9 Ole Miss on Saturday night. The game was in stark opposition to last year’s meeting with Ole Miss, where LSU allowed over 700 yards of total offense.
The Tigers allowed 465 yards of total offense on Saturday night, but LSU held Ole Miss to 6.8 yards per pass and a success rate of just 37%.
At times, LSU’s defense kept LSU in the game as the offense sputtered. The Tigers struggled on third down, but LSU did a good job keeping Ole Miss off schedule and behind the chains.
[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said it after the game — Ole Miss didn’t see a ton of second and short.
Three performers in particular stood out on that side of the ball. LSU got an elite performance at every level of the defense. Let’s take a look at what LSU got from its stars on defense.
Bradyn Swinson
Swinson has wreaked havoc on offenses all year and Saturday night was no different. Swinson came up with six pressures and two sacks. He made five stops and didn’t miss a tackle.
A big moment for Swinson came early in the game when Ole Miss lined up to go for it on fourth and one inside the LSU 10. Swinson shot through the Rebel offensive line to make a play in the backfield and force a turnover on downs.
Swinson made a difference in all phases of the game. He applied constant pressure on Jaxson Dart, making it hard for the Ole Miss QB to settle in. In the run game, he made key tackles at the line of scrimmage to keep the Rebels behind the chains.
On the year, Swinson’s 25 pressures are tied for the SEC lead and his 21 stops lead all SEC edge defenders. He’s in the discussion for the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Zy Alexander
CB [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] was in and out of the lineup the first five games of the season as he recovered from a torn ACL in 2023 and dealt with a concussion after Week 4.
Alexander was back in a big way for LSU on Saturday night. He’s a veteran corner in a young secondary and it’s clear LSU is much better when he’s on the field.
Ole Miss threw at Alexander 10 times, but just four were completed for a total of 27 yards. Alexander came up with a pick and made two stops.
After the game, Kelly said Alexander earned the game ball.
After week seven, Alexander leads the SEC in PFF coverage grade. He’s one of the best players in the conference right now.
Whit Weeks
Weeks was all over the place for LSU in this one. According to PFF, his 11 tackles led all SEC linebackers in week seven. He made nine stops and forced a fumble.
A true sophomore, Weeks is a known entity at this point, but in some ways, it felt like he arrived on Saturday night.
Weeks put it all together and played the best game of his career. With Harold Perkins out for the year, Weeks had to step up. He’s doing just that.
Earlier in the year, Kelly said Weeks had to be more than just a rotational piece on LSU’s defense. Weeks forced his way onto the field every play and it’s clear why.
He’s taken a huge step forward under new DC and LBs coach [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag]. Weeks 32 stops lead all SEC linebackers and his 10 pressures rank second. We’re seeing an all-conference campaign from the young backer right now.
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