POSTGAME: LSU topples Rice, 42-10

The LSU Tigers played their last home game of the season Saturday night against the Rice Owls, winning 42-10 in Tiger Stadium.

The lopsided matchup was everything we expected to be, as the Tigers consistently dominated in all phases of the game.

LSU won the toss, and elected to receive to kick off the action. Despite a couple of dropped passes from Justin Jefferson early on, the Tigers were still able to piece together a touchdown drive with ease. They put seven on the scoreboard in less than four minutes, with a two-yard run by running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Rice was eaten up by the LSU defense as they tried to respond on their opening offensive drive, capping off with quarterback Parker Towns taking a sack for a five-yard loss that promptly brought on a punt.

Orgeron said earlier in the week that we could expect to see some interesting moves made by the team during this game, and that included Jontre Kirklin making an appearance at quarterback. It didn’t go as planned though, as Kirklin lost the ball, placing Rice at the LSU 35 nearly halfway through the first quarter.

Rice put together an effort on offense for a 52-yard field goal attempt, but it remained 7-0 as the kick went left.

LSU did damage quickly as they took the field again, with Burrow sending a 38-yard laser to Stephen Sullivan to give the Tigers a two-score lead on a drive that was just three plays long.

The Tigers never looked back after they’d seemingly instantly gained the momentum from the beginning, putting the brakes on just about everything the Owls tried to generate on offense, barring a 51-yard field goal.

Between a 2-yard rushing touchdown by running back Nick Brossette, a 13-yard touchdown reception by Foster Moreau, the Tigers were already up 28-3 by halftime.

It took LSU just over five minutes to return to the end zone in the second half, after 45-yarder from Burrow to Jefferson set up a two-yard touchdown run for Brossette to extend the lead to 35-3.

Quarterback Myles Brennan made his long-awaited appearance with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter, with his first pass attempt resulting in an incompletion intended for Moreau.

Lanard Fournette also entered the game at running back, getting in on the action quick with a pair of short rushes and 1-yard reception. The drive ended in LSU’s first punt of the evening, as Brennan failed to get the chains moving.

Brennan had more success on his second showing of the day, driving 80-yards downfield and nailing a 39-yarder to Jefferson to set Fournette up for a three-yard touchdown rush at the top of the fourth quarter.

LSU will play its last game of the season next week as they take on the Texas A&M Aggies (6-4) on the road.