Number 8 LSU didn't need a clean performance to move to 2-0 on the season. The Tigers survived four first half turnovers, including three Sam Leavitt interceptions, to pull away from Louisiana Tech 45-14 on Saturday night in Death Valley. The win comes one week after their 51-10 statement win over Clemson.
Lane Kiffin tried leaning on the run game early but Louisiana Tech was not letting up on defense, holding the Tigers to just 44 rushing yards in the first half on 23 carries. The passing game stumbled through a rough patch in the first two quarters as well with Sam Leavitt throwing 3 interceptions. One interception proved to be costly, as Leavitt threw it right to the defender who returned it for a 100 yard pick six. Nothing seemed to go right for the Tigers as they went into the half up 10-7. Although the offensive side struggled, the LSU defense suffocated the Bulldogs all throughout. They held Louisiana Tech to zero yards total in the first half.
LSU came out of the half showing improvement on offense, finishing the third quarter with a couple field goals to go with a Sam Leavitt rushing touchdown and successful two point conversion. The Tigers carried a 24-7 cushion into the fourth quarter.
The floodgates opened from there for LSU. Leavitt punched in his third rushing score of the night to start the fourth, then found Trey'Dez Green for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 38-7. Louisiana Tech answered right back with a 67 yard touchdown strike from quarterback Blake Baker, but Landen Clark's 7 yard touchdown run put the finishing touches on a 45-14 final score.
LSU piled up 528 total yards compared to Louisiana Tech's 140 yards after they came off a monster 80-6 win last week. LSU had 381 yards through the air and 147 on the ground, while holding Louisiana Tech to just 143 passing yards and -3 total rushing yards on 31 attempts. The Tigers' defense recorded 7 sacks and forced three turnovers of its own, turning a sloppy offensive night into a blowout on the scoreboard. Sophomore CB DJ Pickett picked off Blake Baker, while true freshman Deuce Geralds and star transfer TJ Dottery each recorded themselves a forced fumble.
Leavitt finished 25/38 passing for 344 yards and a touchdown through the air, adding three more scores with his legs. The three interceptions, including the pick six, were the one blemish on an otherwise dominant Tiger performance. LSU also lost a fumble by Eugene Wilson III, giving the Tigers four total turnovers against a Louisiana Tech team that couldn't turn any of it into more than seven points at a time.
LSU controlled the clock for over 34 minutes and finished a perfect 3/3 on field goals. LSU heads to Oxford next Saturday for the Magnolia Bowl against Ole Miss in a top 25 showdown at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, with ESPN's College GameDay expected back in town for the SEC opener.
— Eric Palmer, TigerSources