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The LSU Tigers overcame last week's gut-wrenching loss to Alabama with a workmanlike 37-17 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday night in Baton Rouge.
Mississippi State took an early lead when Dak Prescott hit Marcus Green for a touchdown, and the two teams stayed within one possession of each other until the end of the third quarter, when J.C. Copeland made it a 30-17 lead for the Tigers. Mississippi State was threatening to make it a one-possession game late in the fourth quarter, but Craig Loston returned a Tyler Russell interception 100 yards for a touchdown.
Zach Mettenberger had his second straight good game, throwing for two touchdowns and making smart decisions with the football. Jarvis Landry had 103 receiving yards and a touchdown, and Spencer Ware also had a touchdown reception. The LSU running game was held fairly in check by the Bulldog defense. Jeremy Hill led the team with 34 yards on 12 carries, followed by Russell Shepard's 33 yards.
For Mississippi State, it was a good effort, but not quite enough. The Bulldogs just could not get any kind of running game going, and they weren't good enough to beat LSU with a one-dimensional offense. Nick Griffin led the Bulldogs with 29 rushing yards. Tyler Russell had an efficient night at quarterback, going 26-38 for 295 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Chad Bumphis was MSU's leading receiver, going for 140 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions.
Box Score Hero: Zach Mettenberger had another nice game for the Tigers, going 19-30 for 273 yards and two touchdowns. Not bad for a guy who has struggled mightily for long stretches of the season.
Rankings Ramifications: LSU and MSU came into the game ranked 7th and 21st, respectively, in the BCS standings. LSU has a chance to rise with the win, and MSU will probably drop out of the Top 25 with the loss.
But Did They Cover? LSU came into the game as a 14.5-point favorite, so they managed the backdoor cover on Loston's interception return.
For More On This Game: For more on the Tigers, check out And The Valley Shook! For more on the Bulldogs, head over to For Whom The Cowbell Tolls. And don't forget to take a look at our SEC blog, Team Speed Kills.
Next Week's Schedule:
LSU: 11/17, vs. Ole Miss
Mississippi State: 11/17, vs. Arkansas
