1. WHAT WE LEARNED
Like in the NFL, a win is a win in the Southeastern Conference, so LSU’s 28-25 win Saturday at Mississippi State can hardly be discounted. But the highlights — year-on-year improved defense, big-play offense — were offset by Tigers nearly squandering an 18-point lead in the final 11 minutes that could have been a crippling blow to Ed Orgeron’s coaching tenure. LSU got a victory worth celebrating, but is it equipped to handle even bigger challenges ahead?
2. TRENDING NOW
Despite being without All-American cornerback Derek Stingley, the Tigers’ bend-but-don’t-break-too-much defense did just enough to get the win. LSU did have to resort to a junk defense, a 3-2-6, to do just enough to neutralize Mississippi State’s Air Raid offense that still got its yards, 486 of them. Under the circumstances, and against the backdrop of last year’s embarrassing loss to the Bulldogs, it counts as a step forward under defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. Barely.
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Using a unique defensive scheme designed to eliminate explosive plays, LSU finally stopped Mississippi State’s passing att…
3. FINAL THOUGHTS
As Dennis Green might have said, LSU is the team we thought it was before the Mississippi State game. Fabulously talented, perhaps fatally flawed, and still a mystery to try to handicap at 3-1. With a mostly one-dimensional offense getting little push from its offensive line, the Tigers have their troubles. That said, it looks like every remaining game is winnable except for Alabama and every game is losable except for ULM. What a wild ride.
