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Is LSU ripe for the picking?

By Josh Barnhill

Sep 10, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles and the LSU Tigers make their way to Tiger Stadium prior to kickoff against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles and the LSU Tigers make their way to Tiger Stadium prior to kickoff against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports /
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Could Mississippi State be playing LSU at the exact right time for an upset?

If there’s anything we know about the Mississippi State / LSU series, it’s that wins are hard to come by for the Bulldogs. We’ve experienced exactly two of them over the last 24 years (1999, 2014). There have been some close calls like in 2000 or 2009 or 2015 and there have been a number of blowouts too. For the 2016 edition, the Tigers are favored once again but there’s reason to believe State could pull off the upset…

1. Quarterback play for LSU – by now you’ve heard the name Danny Etling. He took over for Brandon Harris against Jacksonville State and did pretty well, but not great. It’s an annual tradition for Les Miles to struggle with QB play and this year is no different.

2. LSU is wearing gold uniforms. The last time they wore gold uniforms (1998) they lost.

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3. Leonard Fournette could be hurt – he sat out vs. Jacksonville State after injuring his ankle in the opener vs. Wisconsin. Their backup would start for just about every other team but Fournette would be a pro bowler in the NFL right now so if he’s not 100% that’s a huge plus for MSU.

4. Since LSU lost the opening game, and with all the drama surrounding Les Miles at the end of last season, there are a lot of grumblings in the fan base. They are almost looking for a reason to get mad. Not that they won’t be fired up to see the Tigers win, because they still have elite talent that could win the SEC, but if MSU could get on top early they could take the crowd out pretty quick.

LSU has a lot of experienced talent that drawfs what MSU has right now. So on paper this game shouldn’t be close. But State has a chance because they have a really good front seven, which if they can limit the running backs and force Etling or Harris to throw downfield (which I’m not sure they can do consistently) it should be good news. The Tigers are likely to throw a lot of short to intermediate passes which in most games would burn up Mullen’s bend but don’t break style of D, so Sirmon really needs to initiate some press coverage even at the risk of getting burnt a time or two. Force LSU to throw downfield.

On offense, State has got to find a running game to open up the play action pass. That’s what made Dak Prescott so electric in this game two years ago. He had Josh Robinson eating up yards on the ground, so he used the play action and got big yardage. Having a running back gaining yards on the gourd opens that up as well as the read option for Nick Fitzgerald. If Mullen can’t find a back who can get yards then we’re just going to have to hope Les Miles screws this one up or we’re going to lose.

It should be a fun game to watch, hopefully the Dawgs can compete for four quarters.

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