The LSU Tigers bounced back in a major way Saturday night, dominating No. 23 Texas A&M 35-6 at Tiger Stadium.
After suffering their first loss of the season against Ole Miss last week, the Tigers responded with one of their most complete performances of the season. LSU improved to 3-1 and picked up its first SEC win under head coach Lane Kiffin.
LSU Defense Shuts Down Texas A&M
The biggest story of the night was LSU’s defense.
The Tigers completely frustrated Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed, holding him to just 106 passing yards on 10-of-26 passing. Reed was also sacked four times and finished with minus-13 rushing yards.
After Texas A&M had beaten LSU by double digits in each of the previous two meetings, the Tigers came out determined to prevent another repeat.
LSU’s defense controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the night and consistently forced the Aggies into difficult situations.
Sam Leavitt Leads the Offense
While the defense dominated, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt put together an impressive performance.
Leavitt completed 17 of 23 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns. His biggest target was Jackson Harris, who caught six passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
Harris gave LSU a 14-3 lead in the second quarter with a 16-yard touchdown reception.
Then, early in the third quarter, Leavitt found Harris again on a 57-yard touchdown pass that pushed the lead to 21-3.
LSU Pulls Away in the Third Quarter
The Tigers completely took over after halftime.
LSU scored 21 points in the third quarter, turning a competitive first half into a blowout.
Landen Clark added two rushing touchdowns, while the LSU defense continued to force Texas A&M off the field.
Safety Tamarcus Cooley also intercepted Reed in the third quarter, adding another big play to an already dominant defensive performance.
By the end of the third quarter, LSU had built a 35-6 advantage.
A Statement Win for LSU
The victory was exactly the response LSU needed after last week’s loss to Ole Miss.
The Tigers finished with 506 total yards while holding Texas A&M to just 278 yards. LSU also limited the Aggies to only 13 rushing yards before accounting for sacks.
Texas A&M falls to 2-2 and 0-2 in SEC play, while LSU improves to 3-1 and 1-1 in the conference.
LSU came into the night looking for a response.
The Tigers delivered one in a big way.
A 35-6 win over a ranked SEC opponent gave LSU momentum heading into the rest of conference play.
