LSU beats Mississippi State: 29-7

LSU beats Mississippi State: 29-7

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/breaking/103217124.html

Though the Tigers won 29 to 7, LSU's home opener against Mississippi State Saturday night began as a football game in the literal sense and finished as a turnover festival.

Josh Jasper's successful footwork put four field goals on the board in the first half with no touchdowns for either team.

Mississippi State's five turnovers fueled points for the Tigers in the second half with both Jordan Jefferson and Stevan Ridley running the football in for scores and Jasper kicking his fifth field goal.

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No. 15 LSU beats Mississippi State 29-7

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100918/SPORTS030102/100918020/1287/SPORTS/No.-15-LSU-beats-MSU-29-7

BATON ROUGE - Patrick Peterson's remarkable interceptions gave a boost to the star cornerback's Heisman Trophy credentials and took the pressure off LSU's inconsistent offense.

Josh Jasper set an LSU record with five field goals, and Peterson had two of the 15th-ranked Tigers' five interceptions in 29-7 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday night.

Stevan Ridley rushed for a 2-yard touchdown for LSU (3-0, 2-0 SEC).

Fellow cornerback Morris Claiborne also had two interceptions and defensive tackle Drake Nevis had the other when defensive back Tryann Mathieu hit Bulldogs quarterback Tyler Russell as he threw.

Peterson tipped the ball to himself on both of his interceptions. He snagged his second one with one hand as he fell, then held it up while still on the turf to the delight of a crowd that was charged up for LSU's home opener.

Russell was intercepted three times. Chris Relf, who played the first half and was shaken up on a scramble early in the third quarter, threw the other two.

Vick Ballard's 2-yard TD run got Mississippi State (1-2, 0-2) as close as 12-7 before LSU pulled away.

Jefferson came into the game looking to silence a crescendo criticism that rose after he went 8 of 20 for 96 yards a week earlier at Vanderbilt.

Although he moved the Tigers inside the Bulldogs 35 four times in the first half, all four possessions ended in field goals for a 12-0 halftime lead. On the fourth of those drives, the Death Valley crowd booed the LSU offense's inability to get in the end zone.

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Pickin’ & kickin’

Interceptions, FGs give Tigers easy win over Bulldogs

Save for a few drives in the second half, crisp and well-executed offense wasn’t exactly a prominent feature for either team Saturday night when LSU and Mississippi State tangled at Tiger Stadium.

That was a major problem for the Bulldogs as they took aim again at a signature Southeastern Conference victory.

Not so much for the 15th-ranked Tigers, largely because of their tenacious defense and the right leg of kicker Josh Jasper.

LSU picked off five State passes and Jasper booted a school-record five field goals as the Tigers churned past the Bulldogs 29-7 on a sultry night in front of a crowd of 92,538.

“Our defense continues to play at a very high level,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “Certainly the number of turnovers that we got and the short field were very significant.

“I felt like the opportunity to control the ball down in the red zone, we would’ve liked to finish with sevens. In the first half we had four possessions down in the red zone and we kicked threes. We would’ve liked to have had sevens. If we have sevens there, it makes the score much different.”

Instead, the Tigers (3-0, 2-0 SEC) had to settle for field goals and Jasper came through, connecting on four field goals on four first-half possessions for a precarious 12-0 halftime lead that seemed like it could’ve — and probably should’ve — been much more.

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Familiar frustration

Turnovers plague Bulldogs in loss to LSU

The Mississippi State Bulldogs had plenty of reasons to believe.

A first half in which LSU seemed to dominate left State down only 12-0 after they held the Tigers out of the end zone four straight times.

The Bulldogs took the second-half kickoff, and even though LSU took out starting quarterback Chris Relf with a bell-ringing blow to the cranium by safety Karnell Hatcher, State still found the end zone. The 81-yard march completed by the dual threat of quarterback Tyler Russell was the Bulldogs’ longest of the season.

Now MSU trailed just 12-7 with 8:11 left in the third quarter. A wave of concern rippled through Tiger Stadium, except for the regions occupied by Mississippi State’s players and its cowbell-clanging faithful.

“We felt if we came out in the second half and drive for a touchdown we’re right back in the game,” Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said.

“We knew we needed to score, and on that first drive we did,” linebacker K.J. Wright said.

“We had the momentum going,” Russell said.

Momentum and then … nothing. Nothing but the familiar frustration of yet another loss to LSU, this time by a 29-7 count.

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Jasper kicks way into record book

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/featured/103220614.html

When the LSU offense failed to convert scoring chances into touchdowns Saturday night, the Tigers called on senior kicker Josh Jasper’s right foot. Jasper responded with a record-setting performance, making all five of the field goals he attempted in a 29-7 victory over Mississippi State in LSU’s home opener.

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Time Out for Sept. 19, 2010

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/featured/103221709.html

Quick. Name the Southeastern Conference’s early leader. Florida? Nope. Alabama? Hardly. While one of only four SEC teams that has already played two league games, 15th-ranked LSU has the best record in the conference three weeks into the college football season. Arkansas and Auburn are both 1-0. Likewise for Florida and South Carolina.

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Josh Jasper sets LSU record with five field goals

http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2010/09/josh_jasper_sets_lsu_record_wi.html
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Defense, Josh Jasper make it easy for LSU in 29-7 win over Mississippi State
http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2010/09/defense_josh_jasper_make_it_ea.html

Five turnovers give LSU a cushion

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LSU comment of the day: Players like Patrick Peterson don't come around too often

http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2010/09/lsu_comment_of_the_day_players.html