AFTER THE ROAR: LSU throttles Texas A&M behind 500 yards of offense

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Death Valley was far from underwhelming on Saturday night.

The LSU Tigers bounced back in a massive way, taking down Texas A&M at home 35-6 to improve to 3-1 on the season at the end of September.

The game started slow with both teams trading punts before LSU got a strong second drive offensively, going 82 yards in eight plays as Dilin Jones found the endzone from a yard out to put the Tigers up 7-0. By the end of the first half, it was 14-3 in a game where LSU’s defense was getting after Marcel Reed and the offense was quietly making things happen.

LSU proved that they are a second half team in this one as well.

The Tigers came out of the locker room and just seemed to suffocate the Aggies, putting extra pressure on the offensive front, sacking Reed several times in the backfield, and making one of the biggest plays of the season early in the third quarter.

On a close fourth and one, Sam Leavitt took the snap, did a play action fake to the running back, and found Jackson Harris who slipped through the A&M defense untouched for a 57 yard touchdown pass that put the Tigers up 21-3 and essentially ended the game.

“Quality win for our team” Lane Kiffin said after the game. “Two SEC teams that were ranked in the top 25 and we win 35-6 while really dominating the numbers, 500 to 197. That’s a product of doing things right and that makes me feel good as a coach.”

Sam Leavitt had his best game as a Tiger as he finished 17-23 for 312 yards and two touchdowns. He added an interception to the stat line in the third quarter and got 22 yards on the ground. The Tigers offense was able to average over 5 yards a carry and 194 yards as a team. Jackson Harris led all receivers with six catches for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Defensively, Ty Benefield and TJ Dottery led the way with seven tackles each, but it was Deuce Geralds who made a big name for himself with four tackles, two tackles for a loss, and a sack. Princewill Umanmielen also sacked Reed, adding to his national lead at seven sacks through four games.

The Tigers will now welcome McNeese State to Death Valley on October 3 with kickoff set for 6:45 p.m.

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