After LSU’s first loss against Ole Miss, the Tigers bounced back with a big home victory over Texas A&M.
They will try for a repeat performance Saturday against Mississippi State. Kickoff is 11 a.m. in Tiger Stadium (ESPN).
LSU (4-2, 1-2 SEC) is coming off a 35-34 overtime loss at Kentucky. The Tigers dropped from No. 10 in the AP Top 25 and the AFCA Coaches Poll to No. 21 in both.
Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1), which had a bye last week, is ranked No. 16 in the AP poll and No. 19 in the coaches poll. The Bulldogs fell to Alabama (No. 6 AP, No. 7 coaches) 56-23 in their last game Oct. 3.
Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is listed as questionable for the game. He suffered a lower-leg/foot injury against Missouri on Sept. 26, per media reports. Taylor wasn’t at full strength against Alabama but played until leaving the game in the fourth quarter. He was subsequently seen in a walking boot.
Taylor is off to a great start. Despite the injury, he leads the SEC in yards passing per game at 290. He has 17 touchdown passes with just four interceptions.
If Taylor can’t play, either Parker “Billy” Puckett or AJ Swann will likely replace him. Head Coach Jeff Lebby hasn’t made a definitive statement about either except to say the competition between them for the backup role has been close. Puckett replaced him against Alabama and completed 3-of-6 passes.
Anthony Evans III leads the conference in receiving yards per game at 114.8. He has 40 receptions.
The Bulldogs are averaging 177.8 yards rushing. Fluff Bothwell leads the team with 403 yards on 74 carries.
Mississippi State ranks second in the SEC in total offense at 487.0 yards per game and 13th in defense at 379.60.
LSU is still without preseason All-America tight end Trey’Dez Green and linebacker Whit Weeks, both injured. There is no timeline for their return. Defensive back DaShawn Spears suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener.
During his Monday press conference, Head Coach Lane Kiffin said the Tigers miss their playing ability and leadership abilities.
The offense has performed well even without Green. The Tigers rank first in the SEC in total yards at 524.83 yards per game and defense at 250.67.
Kiffin lamented LSU’s inability to get touchdowns in the red zone and close the game against Kentucky with a late three-point lead.
“Man we do really good things and we don’t finish drives on both sides of the ball well enough to have that type of stats,” he said. “Down there a lot of times we’re just missing plays. I know that sounds really general. Whether it’s a guy open in the end zone and we don’t see him and we flush over here or we miss a block here. Inability to stop the run in the red zone. It’s a problem.”
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has completed 117-of-173 passes for 1,496 yards and 10 touchdowns and 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He ranks fourth in the conference in average yards per game.
Dilin Jones ranks seventh in the conference in rushing at 80.33 yards per game. Winston Watkins Jr. is sixth in receiving yards per game at 69.33 yards per game. He has 29 catches,
The Tigers struggled in the running game against Kentucky with just 94 yards.