LSU vs Mississippi State – Page 2

LSU vs Mississippi State: Areas for concern

The areas of concern for the LSU Tigers in their SEC class with Mississippi State Bulldogs.

It is time for the LSU Tigers to get a bit of redemption as they head into enemy territory on Saturday. Last year the Tigers fell to the Bulldogs of Mississippi State at home. It is time to return the favor as LSU looks to start off SEC play better than they did a season ago.

The team and Ed Orgeron know the importance of this game and getting off to a 3-1 start before really getting into the thick of their SEC schedule with Auburn, Kentucky, Florida, and Ole Miss in the month of October. It all begins with Mike Leach and the Bulldogs.

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As we look at the game against Mississippi State, we highlight the areas of concern for LSU.

The five most important LSU Tigers against Mississippi State

Which LSU Tigers are the most important for a win on Saturday?

The last time these two teams met, it was a stunner for the ages.

Last September, Mississippi State came into Baton Rouge to open the season and pulled off a massive 44-34 upset over the then No. 6 LSU Tigers.

This season, it’s a little different. LSU started the season out slow with a tough loss at UCLA but has since bounced back with strong wins over a pair of cupcake opponents. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, started the season off 2-0 but lost this past weekend to Memphis after some bewildering officiating. Momentum seems to side with the Tigers heading into this game.

Here are the five most important players for LSU as they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs this Saturday.

LSU vs Mississippi State: Wide receiver ‘Tale of the Tape’

A look at the tale of the tape for the WRs. Who has the edge in this game?

If you love the passing game, this might be the game for you. Neither team has shown the ability to run the football consistently. Both teams rank at the bottom of the SEC and in all of the FBS. On the flip side of that coin, both teams love to throw the football.

Both Will Rogers and Max Johnson rank among the top 20 in FBS for yards per game. With the added emphasis to the passing game, the wide receivers will play a major role in this game.

Breaking down how the WRs compare

Which team has the best trio of receivers?

Boutte	Palmer	Bech		Polk	Walley	Williams
So	Jr	Fr	Class	Jr	So	Sr
6-0	6-0	6-2	Ht	6-3	6-0	6-3
190	180	207	Wt	200	180	200
20	10	10	Rec	25	14	14
223	77	155	Yards	226	166	149
11.2	7.7	15.5	YPC	9.0	11.9	10.6
6	1	1	TDs	1	3	0

Everything revolves around Kayshon Boutte for the LSU Tigers. He is the most dynamic receiver in the game, Jake Peetz needs to continue feeding him throughout the game. Which is a huge reason they moved him around from outside receiver to in the slot, looking for the biggest mismatch.

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Trey Palmer has one touchdown this season and didn’t play against Central Michigan. He needs to get it rolling against Mississippi State to provide some help to Boutte. Palmer and Jack Bech should get plenty of favorable looks with most of the attention going to Boutte. Don’t forget about an emerging player in Deion Smith, who was PFF’s highest-graded receiver in week three.

For the Bulldogs, there are plenty of options in the receiving game for the LSU defense to account for. Former Cal transfer Makai Polk leads the team in yards, while running back Jo’quavious Marks leads the team in receptions. A staple of the ‘Air Raid’ attack leans heavily on the quick passing game, getting the ball into their backs is essentially an extension of the run game.

When it comes to scoring, Jaden Walley is the guy leading the way with three receiving touchdowns. Eli Ricks and Derek Stingley Jr need to be on their game to limit the scoring opportunities. The pass rush will need to apply pressure to Rogers early and often.

In terms of the receivers, we give the edge to LSU.

LSU vs Mississippi State: Recent history includes close calls and upsets

Looking back over the last 10 meetings in the series between LSU and Mississippi State.

Revenge, redemption. Whatever you want to call it, LSU needs to get a victory as they open SEC play against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Both teams are 2-1 and looking to improve from disappointing 2020 campaigns.

Dating back to 1999, Mississippi State has only defended their home turf in two of those games. That 1999 season the Bulldogs defeated LSU 17-16, which snapped a seven-game win streak in the series for LSU. The only other loss came in that dreadful 2017 game, more on that momentarily.

Overall, LSU leads the series 75-36-3. The very first recorded meeting came in 1896, the Tigers won 52-0. In their first eight games of the series, LSU held Mississippi State to just 22 points. LSU has lost only four times to the Bulldogs since 1999.

We look back over the recent history between these two teams. Over the last 10 games, LSU got the better end of the deal in seven of them. During that span, we saw blowouts, upsets, and disappointing games. In the three losses, LSU was outscored by 45 points combined. In the wins, LSU outscored the Bulldogs by 110 points.

Expert Picks for LSU-Mississippi State, can the Tigers get revenge from 2020?

Will we get a repeat of 2020 or a new ending? Expert picks for Saturday’s LSU-Mississippi State game.

Big matchup coming on Saturday from Starkville, Mississippi. The LSU Tigers go on the road to open SEC play against Mississippi State for the second-straight year. This time around there are two different quarterbacks under center with Max Johnson and Will Rogers. We compared the two passers in our ‘Tale of the Tape’.

Neither team has much of a running game as they are ranked No. 13 and No. 14 in the SEC. LSU is ranked No. 120 in the country, while the Bulldogs have the worst rushing offense in the country at No. 130. Can either team get the run game going to help out the offense? Odds are that it would be LSU that would likely be the one to do it.

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Currently, the LSU Tigers are favored in this game by 2.5 according to Tipico Sportsbook. We check in with the experts for this one, who wins on Saturday?

Kerry Miller, Bleacher Report

Who’s ready for a repeat of that stunning start to SEC play last fall? Neither of these teams runs the ball well and both defenses have done well to defend the run, so it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if Max Johnson and Will Rogers combine for something like 110 pass attempts in this one. And if it plays out that way, I like Mississippi State at home in a four-hour barn-burner. – Miller

Mississippi State 45, LSU 42

Pete Fiutak, College Football News

Everyone’s going to be into the offensive side, but the defenses are going to be the difference.

Neither one will be dominant – both passing games will work – but Mississippi State will do a better job of controlling the ball and the tempo, and the defensive side will take over when it needs to.

Neither team will run well, and at home, Mississippi State’s short-range passing attack will be a bit more effective. – Fiutak

Mississippi State 26, LSU 24

CFN Expert Picks:

Mississippi State votes- 5

LSU votes- 10

Consensus: LSU wins

CBS Sports Simulations

LSU hasn’t been tested since its Week 1 loss to UCLA, but the model sees the Tigers as the more balanced team in this matchup. The simulations show Mike Leach’s squad barely cracking 50 yards of rushing, while LSU goes for over 100 on the ground. With both teams easily topping 300 yards of passing, that’s a big difference in the sides. LSU takes this one by seven points in the simulations, covering almost 60 percent of the time. – CBS Sports on how LSU wins

LSU vs Mississippi State Prediction, Game Preview

LSU vs Mississippi State prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, September 25

LSU vs Mississippi State prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, September 25

LSU vs Mississippi State How To Watch

Date: Saturday, September 25
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, MS
How To Watch: ESPN
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

LSU (2-1) vs Mississippi State (2-1) Game Preview

Why LSU Will Win

The passing game is working.

This is still a work in progress, and beating McNeese State and Central Michigan hardly prove that the Tigers are back to being at a high level – especially after losing to UCLA to kick things off – but QB Max Johnson has been great. Keeping up in a possible firefight won’t be a problem.

On the other side, it’s hard to generate sacks against the quick-hitting Mississippi State offense, but pressure matters. LSU leads the nation in sacks and tackles for loss – it’s going to make Bulldog QB Will Rogers press a bit for an attack that already doesn’t do anything down the field.

– Week 4 College Football Expert Picks

Why Mississippi State Will Win

The passing game is working … sort of.

It’s a whole lot of dinking and dunking, and there’s no running game whatsoever to fall back on. While the LSU corners are future NFL starters, the pass defense hasn’t been anything special. It’s not as bad as 2020 – starting out by giving up 632 yards in the opener against MSU – but it’s still hardly a rock.

Rogers threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-29 loss to Memphis – HE WAS DOWN on that punt return, and … sorry, but I digress – for an O that dominates the time of possession. That’s helped by a defense that’s doing a fantastic job of getting off the field in a hurry – the Bulldogs lead all SEC teams in third down stops.

– Week 4 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

Everyone’s going to be into the offensive side, but the defenses are going to be the difference.

Neither one will be dominant – both passing games will work – but Mississippi State will do a better job of controlling the ball and the tempo, and the defensive side will take over when it needs to.

Neither team will run well, and at home, Mississippi State’s short-range passing attack will be a bit more effective.

LSU vs Mississippi State Prediction, Line

Mississippi State 26, LSU 24
Line: LSU -2.5, o/u: 56
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5

Must See Rating: 3.5

5: Muhammad Ali film by Ken Burns
1: Dear Evan Hansen

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LSU currently leads the nation in sacks and yards lost

When it comes to getting to the quarterback, LSU is among the best in the country.

The LSU Tigers had one area they needed to improve upon after last season. Their defense ranked 39th in the nation with 24 sacks a season ago. Bo Pelini exits and in comes Daronte Jones, the defense has already seen a bump in production when rushing the passer. The team went from 2.4 sacks per game to 5.7 this season through three games.

Their 17 sacks are tied with Marshall for the top spot in the nation. They are the top team in terms of yards lost on sacks with 118. At the top of the individual leaderboard, edge defender BJ Ojulari has 4.5 sacks. Tied with three others but he leads with 35 yards lost on sacks.

For his efforts against the Central Michigan Chippewas, Ojulari was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.

.@Bj_O9 is the @SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week!
🔗https://t.co/VEeruy5wTL pic.twitter.com/LvpXMAWY6M

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 20, 2021

Pass Rusher	Sacks	TFLs	Pressures	QB Hits
Ojulari	4.5	4.5	9	2
Anthony	3.5	4.0	7	0
Smith	3.0	3.5	10	0
Gaye	1.0	1.0	2	0

Maason Smith has really come on strong in the early going and the team is going to rely on him off the edge. After losing Andre Anthony for the season due to a knee injury, it is going to be all hands on deck for this one. Ali Gaye is expected back against Mississippi State, so his return will be huge.

Head coach Ed Orgeron stated they will use a three-man rotation at defensive end with Gaye, Smith, and Ojulari. The trio will get their opportunities as the Bulldogs have allowed a total of 34 pressures through three games. Will Rogers has been sacked six times this season, on average twice a game.

Mississippi State’s offensive line will be tested as they are tasked with slowing down the No. 1 pass rush in the country.

LSU vs Mississippi State: Running Backs Tale of the Tape

Previewing the running backs in the LSU-Mississippi State matchup.

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When it comes to running the football, these two teams are really struggling in that area. The bright spot for the LSU Tigers is freshman runner Corey Kiner. Despite leading the team in rushing after back-to-back solid performances, head coach Ed Orgeron stated that Ty Davis-Price is still the starter but Kiner would get plenty of opportunities.

Unlike the Lincoln Riley version of the ‘Air Raid’ offense, Mike Leach prefers to sling it around. Last season in 11 games, the Mississippi Bulldogs finished dead last in rushing in the SEC. With just 43.9 yards per game, the only team under 100/yards per game. This year through three games they are slightly better at 45.3.

These two run games are below the century mark on a per game basis, LSU comes in at 85.7.

How do the running backs measure up?

You might want to sit down when you read these numbers.

Jo’quavious Marks	Dillon Johnson	vs	Ty Davis-Price	Corey Kiner
5-10	6-0	Ht	6-1	5-10
195	215	Wt	232	213
Sophomore	Sophomore	Class	Junior	Freshman
22	15	Att	27	23
83	79	Yards	72	130
3.8	5.3	YPA	2.7	5.7
2	1	TDs	0	2
22	16	Rec	2	0
94	116	Yards	26	0
1	0	TDs	0	0

We are going to give a slight edge to the LSU Tigers in the battle of the running backs. Both Dillon Johnson and Corey Kiner are slightly more effective based on their yards per attempt. The Tigers are a little more reliant on their run game than Mississippi State.

Runner	YAC	YAC/attempt	Missed Tackles Forced	10+ yard runs
Marks	45	2.05	2	1
Johnson	47	3.13	0	3
Davis-Price	56	2.07	5	1
Kiner	102	4.43	13	5

It appears that the most impactful running back of the four main ones is freshman Corey Kiner. LSU needs to find more opportunities to get the ball in his hands.

LSU vs Mississippi State: Quarterback Tale of the Tape

A look at Will Rogers and Max Johnson in our QB Tale of the Tape

Saturday will feature a pair of young quarterbacks looking to duke it out. Both of them played in six or more games last season but neither saw action in the LSU-Mississippi State game from a season ago. Last year’s starters in Myles Brennan (injury) and KJ Costello (NFL free agent) are gone, it turns to Max Johnson vs Will Rogers.

How do the two quarterbacks measure up?

The battle of the sophomores in our ‘Tale of the Tape’.

Will Rogers	vs	Max Johnson
6-2	Ht	6-5
210	Wt	219
Sophomore	Class	Sophomore
122	Comp	70
163	Att	108
74.8	Comp %	64.8
1,083	Yards	863
6.6	Yards/Att	8.0
8	TDs	11
1	INTs	2

Both quarterbacks are heading into their sophomore campaigns where they started multiple games as freshmen in 2020. Rogers played in nine games and started six. Johnson would appear in six games while starting two. Both are looking for the upper hand this weekend in Starkville. The Bulldogs throw it a lot more than the Tigers, Rogers has 55 more attempts this season.

Looking at the numbers, it appears that Johnson takes more shots down the field with slightly better yards per attempt. Both have limited the turnover throws this year, Johnson has just three in nine games. Rogers has eight in 12 games in his career.

Both defenses will need to get ready for both quarterbacks to throw it all over the field with the lack of a run game. LSU and Mississippi State are the two worst running teams in the SEC.

We will give the Bulldogs a slight edge in deep-ball passing. Rogers has nine attempts on the season with seven completions. Only one pass caught for over 20+ yards from Johnson didn’t result in a touchdown.

Quarterback	Comp	Att	Comp %	Yards	YPA	TDs	INTs
Rogers, MSU	7	9	77.8	207	23.0	3	0
Johnson , LSU	5	11	45.5	148	13.5	4	0

These two gunslingers might just put on a show on Saturday afternoon.

Redemption week has arrived for the LSU Tigers

LSU and Mississippi State are almost too similar, it could make for an interesting game on Saturday.

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We all know the story, the LSU Tigers suffered an embarrassing loss last season as they opened the season. The defending national champions fell to the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a fashion that many want to forget.

For the team, it isn’t about redemption or getting revenge but going 1-0 in SEC play. The storylines are really for the media and the fans, the team wants to focus on winning the game and setting themselves up for a run at the SEC West title.

Both teams coming in with identical 2-1 records, although a mistake by the officiating crew might have cost them a game against Memphis. After escaping with a one-point victory over Louisiana Tech, the Bulldogs knocked off North Carolina State 24-10 before Saturday’s letdown.

These two teams are very similar in that they are the two worst rushing teams in the SEC through three weeks. LSU has accumulated 257 yards in that span, while Mississippi State has just 136 yards. The only two schools in the conference with less than 3.5 yards per attempt. They combine for five rushing touchdowns

They both have to win through the air. Mike Leach’s Air Raid attack leads the conference with 361 passing yards per game. LSU comes in at No. 4 with 303.3 yards passing per game. The Tigers lead the SEC with 11 touchdowns through the air. The passing defenses will be tested in this game, could be see another high-scoring affair?

It is likely with the Bulldogs ranked dead last in the conference as they have allowed 243.3 yards passing per game with five touchdowns through the air. LSU is dead last with six touchdowns allowed. Get your popcorn ready this week. these two teams could be lighting up the scoreboard.