Joe Burrow, LSU start hot, roll Ole Miss by 45-16 margin

LSU rode arguably its best half of any game this season to a lopsided defeat of Ole Miss on a rainy Saturday evening — its seventh victory in the past nine Magnolia Bowl meetings.

The No. 5 Tigers (5-0, 2-0) scored a season-best 28 points before halftime to spark their 45-16 roll past the visiting Rebels (3-2, 0-2) in the late-night tilt in Tiger Stadium.

Coach Ed Orgeron's previous highest-scoring half came with 27 points against Miami to start the season.

But junior quarterback Joe Burrow and the offense started even hotter and more efficiently Saturday.

Ole Miss actually scored first, with a 30-yard field goal by Luke Logan six minutes into play.

The 3-0 deficit marked the first time LSU failed to score first in a game this season.

But the Tigers rattled off 28 straight points on its next four drives from there.

First, Burrow found freshman wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase for an impressive, acrobatic catch over tight coverage along the sideline of the end zone.

Then running backs Nick Brossette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire added 4- and 3-yard touchdown runs, respectively, to Chase's 21-yard grab.

And Burrow hit sophomore wide receiver Justin Jefferson on the next possession with enough space for the Destrehan product to take off to the races for a 65-yard score — the first of his career.

LSU climbed ahead, 28-3, at that point, with 7:41 still remaining in the half.

Ole Miss would add 17-yard field goal by Logan with two seconds left in the second quarter and an eventual third-quarter touchdown.

But the Rebels would never trim their deficit below 15 points.

Burrow completed 12 of 16 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns to six different receivers in the opening half — led by the long Jefferson score and five completions to junior wide receiver Stephen Sullivan for 50 yards — and also paced the team's rushed attack with 58 yards at that point.

The Tigers' third quarter was once again less productive, but provided its own positive takeaways.

Ole Miss finally reached the end zone on a 1-yard Scottie Phillips run with 3:45 remaining in the period.

But, just as questions of LSU's continued third-quarter struggles began to emerge, Burrow and company engineering a quick answer.

LSU marched 67 yards downfield on their next five plays, highlighted by a 52-yard pass to freshman wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. and capped by a 5-yard scoring connection between Burrow and sophomore receiver Justin Jefferson.

That touchdown, which pushed the margin back to 35-13, marked the Tigers' first in any third quarter this season.

LSU's only previous third-quarter points had come on Cole Tracy field goals — two against Miami and one at Auburn.

Logan and Tracy traded field goals of 40 and 26 yards, respectively, to move the scoreboard to 38-16.

Burrow then put the exclamation point on the win with a 35-yard dart to the end zone with 2:56 left to play.

The quarterback finished the evening 18-for-25 with 292 yards to nine different receivers, three touchdowns and no interceptions, as well as a game-high 96 rushing yards on nine carries.

Brossette and Edwards-Helaire added 72 and 67 rushing yards, respectively.

Jefferson's 99-yard outing on five catches was the best among all receivers.

Sullivan finished with five receptions for 50 yards, and Marshall provided his 52-yarder.

Sophomore wide receiver Racey McMath, from Edna Karr, caught two passes for 42 yards, and Chase, Brossette, running back Lanard Fournette, tight end Foster Moreau and wide receiver Jonathan Giles each added one reception.

Eight different Tigers recorded rushes, as well, with Jefferson, Sullivan, fullback Tory Carter and freshman running back Chris Curry all joining Burrow, Brossette, Edwards-Helaire and Fournette.

LSU finished with 573 total yards in all, and Ole Miss provided another 167 yards on 17 penalties.

Sophomore cornerback Greedy Williams' 10 tackles and one pass breakup led the defense.

Sophomore safety Grant Delpit intercepted a pass on the second play from scrimmage to help set the tone and recorded the team's lone sack.