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LSU-Mississippi St. Preview
LSU Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Thursday's game marks the 105th meeting between the teams and it's the first time that both LSU and Mississippi State go into the contest ranked in the top 25. LSU has won 11 straight against MSU, and has a +13 turnover differential over their last four meetings.
- LSU is currently riding a school record 19-game winning streak in games played in September. The Tigers haven't dropped a game in September since a 7-3 loss to Auburn in 2006.
- Despite a heartbreaking 41-34 loss at Auburn last Saturday, Mississippi State has won nine of its last 12 football games, and scored 30 points or more in five consecutive contests.
- Mississippi State has gotten off to a blistering offensive start in the first two games of the season. The Bulldogs have gained 1,176 yards, the most ever over a two-game span in school history. State has rushed for 300 yards in back-to-back contests and gone over 200 yards in five straight and 10 of the last 11 games.
- Thursday's game will pit the SEC's top rushing offense in Mississippi State (321.0 yards per game) against the league's top rushing defense in LSU (45.5 yards per game).
- LSU's eight rushing TDs through the first two games are the most by the Tigers through the first two games of a season since having eight in 2001.
- Jarrett Lee ran his streak of consecutive passes without an interception to 105 straight last week vs. Northwestern State. The 105 straight passes without an interception ties Tommy Hodson (1987-88) as the fourth-longest streak in school history. Alan Risher (1982) holds the school record at 137 consecutive passes.
- Vick Ballard has rushed for 301 yards and four touchdowns over the first two weeks of the season, and currently is ranked third in the nation with a 150.5 yards per game average. His 9.71 yard-per-carry average is tops among any player in the top 15 of rushing yards nationally.
By MATT BEARDMORE
(AP) -- Despite missing its starting quarterback and one of its top receivers, LSU is off to a quick start.
Even on a short week, coach Les Miles expects more good things from his team.
The third-ranked Tigers open SEC play Thursday night when they visit No. 25 Mississippi State.
Quarterback Jordan Jefferson is suspended indefinitely following an arrest stemming from a bar fight Aug. 19 and receiver Russell Shepard is suspended the first three games for an NCAA rules violation, but the Tigers haven't slowed down with senior Jarrett Lee under center.
After leading LSU to a 40-27 victory over then-No. 3 Oregon on Sept. 3 in Arlington, Texas, Lee completed 9 of 10 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown in the first half of Saturday's 49-3 home-opening win over Northwestern State.
Backup Zach Mettenberger replaced Lee for the entire second half, and other Tigers starters also took advantage of the rout to get some rest on a short week.
"Everyone knows what this team is capable of, and yes it is going to be difficult with that quick of a turnaround, but I'm confident we will be fine," said sophomore cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, who leads the team with 14 tackles.
Miles shares that feeling.
"I look forward to it, to be honest with you," he said. "I think the change in schedule will be good for us."
Miles had to be pleased with the Tigers holding the Demons' to minus-4 yards rushing, but LSU faces a Bulldogs team ranked sixth in the FBS with 321.0 rushing yards per game.
Senior Vick Ballard, who ran for a career-best 166 yards in a 59-14 season-opening victory at Memphis on Sept. 1, leads Mississippi State (1-1, 0-1) with 301 yards and four TDs.
Senior quarterback Chris Relf has carried a team-high 40 times for 157 yards.
"We have good balance," coach Dan Mullen said. "Our offensive line does a good job creating seams and gaps, and then we have good balance."
Mullen said the offensive line is one of the most experienced units on the team, but that group could be without senior center Quentin Saulsberry (sprained knee) and senior left tackle James Carmon (leg), who were both injured in Saturday's 41-34 loss at Auburn.
Carmon was on crutches for the second half and watched as Relf was stuffed at the goal line on the game's final play.
"We didn't come up with the big inch," Relf said. "I should have made the play."
The Bulldogs couldn't make a final play the last time LSU was in town, a 30-26 Tigers victory Sept. 26, 2009. LSU stopped Mississippi State three times inside the 3-yard line in the final minutes to win its fifth straight in Starkville.
The Tigers won their 11th in a row in this matchup last Sept. 18, 29-7 in Baton Rouge.
Mullen had to gameplan for Jefferson the last two times these teams met, but now his focus is on pressuring Lee, who has completed 19 of 32 passes for 231 yards with two TDs and no interceptions.
"He's a great manager of the game," Mullen said. "He makes all the throws he needs to throw in the key situations for them, and he puts them in a great position to win football games."
Covering wide receiver Rueben Randle (131 yards, TD) could be a challenge for the Bulldogs, who will also have to slow down the backfield combination of Michael Ford (168 yards, four TDs) and Spencer Ware (119 yards, three scores).
LSU is 68-33-3 versus Mississippi State.
Updated September 12, 2011
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