Jayden Daniels threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two scores as No. 14 LSU routed Mississippi State 41-14 in the SEC opener for both teams Saturday afternoon in Starkville, Miss.
Daniels completed 30 of 34 passes for 361 yards without an interception and rushed 15 times for 64 yards for the Tigers (2-1), who had 530 total yards. Daniels’ 88.2 completion percentage set an LSU single-game record for a minimum of 25 passes.
Malik Nabers caught 13 passes for 239 yards and grabbed both of Daniels’ touchdown passes. He tied for the fifth most catches in a game in LSU history and had the fourth-most receiving yards.
Will Rogers completed 11 of 28 for 103 yards for the Bulldogs (2-1), who had just 201 total yards. He was sacked four times.
LSU’s first possession of the second half ended the same way its first possession of the game ended — with Damian Ramos kicking a field goal. His second kick increased the Tigers’ lead to 27-7 in the third quarter.
Daniels ran 5 yards for a touchdown that increased the lead to 34-7 later in the third quarter. He added a 1-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter.
Mississippi State’s Mike Wright threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Harmon to complete the scoring.
On its first possession of the game, LSU used 14 plays to drive 77 yards and Ramos kicked a 22-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
On the Tigers’ next possession, Daniels threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Nabers for a 10-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Daniels and Nabers teamed again for a 33-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-seven, producing a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.
A 48-yard completion from Daniels to Nabers led to Josh Williams’ 1-yard touchdown run and a 24-0 lead.
The Bulldogs converted a fourth-and-four on a 5-yard pass from Rogers to Lideatrick Griffin, setting up Griffin’s 9-yard touchdown run on the next play to trim the lead to 24-7 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
