LSU guard Josh Boutte returns after first-half injury

“I can’t image that Danny Etling would not take the first snaps”.

The LSU Tigers have to dominate every available game after dropping their first. “He looked like he was hot so we just kept going”. The biggest weapon returns in the form of All-American Leonard Fournette, the running back who sat out last week due to injury. But from there, the LSU defense was able to make the plays it needed to in order to close out its first SEC win of the season.

MSU quarterback Nick Fitzgerald is stopped by LSU’s Jamal Adams.

Now that Prescott is gone, MSU needs some of that same mojo moving forward from their head coach Dan Mullen. Of course, the key for LSU is Leonard Fournette. Johnathan Calvin was called for running into the kicker for a 5 yard penalty on a successful Colby Delahoussaye field goal, enough to give LSU first down at the Bulldog 13.

The LSU Tigers opened up conference play on a positive note, defeating the Mississippi St Bulldogs 23-20. “I don’t know that that will happen”, he said. Offense didn’t stop rolling.

MSU tried an onside kick with Westin Graves and Harris recovered as the Bulldogs took over at the LSU 32-yard line.

“He came in and did a heck of a job”, said Fitzgerald of Williams.

MSU didn’t attempt another onside kick with two timeouts left. But LSU defensive end Arden Key forced Williams to fumble on 4th and 8, sealing the victory.

Mississippi State, which labored through a stunning, season-opening loss to South Alabama, rebounded with a 27-14 win in their SEC opener against SC last weekend. The Bulldogs ran for 50 yards on 20 carries at time of publish. Are they the team that exploded for 27 points in the second quarter against Jacksonville State or the team that managed just 7 points in the other three quarters of that same game? But he did like what he saw from Williams.

Asked about his decision in naming Etling the guy, he said, “What will go into that decisions will be the game week and how he performed last week”. After three games we still don’t know who good Etling or this team will be. “I think he understands that”. “But, “(Fitzgerald’s) helmet pops off, he’s ready, comes in and doesn’t miss a beat”. This week, Etling would be facing an SEC defense for the first time if he does indeed get the start. However, LSU did not score a point in the second half against State. The Razorbacks outgained the Bobcats (1-1) 350-26 in total yardage in the first half.

“There were a lot of plays to be made in the first half there”, Mullen said. “The score, the crowd, they weren’t anxious about just going as hard as they could”. After a hot 7-0 start, they ran into the wall that was Alabama’s front seven. A more capable drop back passer than Brandon Harris was, Etling provides the balance of a vertical passing threat to the bruising runs of Fournette. “There were plenty of opportunities there for us to make but we didn’t”.

Next week, the Tigers travel to Auburn (1-2, 0-1) for an SEC showdown. However, only a 37-yard Graves field goal at 6:41 resulted. “I think Danny can handle the place and the stage and playing in a televised game in Tiger Stadium”. But his two second-half fumbles enabled Mississippi State to stay in the game.