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Don’t forget about Tigers defense

Leonard Fournette was definitely the talk of the nation as he returned to the LSU lineup with an explosion, and not just a bang, against Ole Miss on Saturday night.

Fournette ran for a school record 284 yards with highlight-reel touchdown runs of 59, 76 and 78 yards. Fournette was definitely the catalyst for the Tigers’ 38-21 victory against the visiting Rebels.

However, the LSU defense must be given nearly as much credit as Fournette for the LSU victory – the third in a row with Ed Orgeron as interim coach.

Linebacker Duke Riley celebrates as Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly looks on following a defensive stop during the second half
Linebacker Duke Riley celebrates as Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly looks on following a defensive stop during the second half (Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sport)
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A questionable play call late in the first half resulted in a Danny Etling sack and fumble. Taking over inside the Tigers’ 10, Ole Miss scored a touchdown. Quarterback Chad Kelly’s two-point conversion run sent the teams into the locker room tied at 21-21.

The momentum was squarely on the side of the Rebels, who were going to get the second-half kickoff. The LSU defense, which appeared to be out of sorts when Kelly led a 77-yard touchdown drive on Ole Miss’ first series of the game, slammed the door after halftime.

The Rebels’ first third-quarter possession ended when Duke Riley and Davon Godchaux combined to stop Akeem Judd for no gain on a third-and-one play. Following the ensuing Ole Miss punt, Fournette broke the tie with his 78-yard scoring run.

The Tigers defense had no thought of letting Kelly engineer an answer. The Rebels went three-and-out once again with Kelly being sacked on two of the plays – by Arden Key and Godchaux. Following another Ole Miss punt, LSU made it a two-possession game on a 44-yard field goal by Colby Delahoussaye.

The next Ole Miss series was yet another three-and-out. On third-and-six, Donte Jackson and Tashawn Bower combined to drop Judd one yard shy of a first down after he caught a pass from Kelly.

The LSU offense was unable to deliver a knockout punch until the midway point of the fourth quarter. But, the Tigers defense had no intention of permitting Kelly to initiate a rally. Late in the third quarter, Ole Miss finally recorded a first down only to have Riley intercept a pass two plays later.

The Rebels would register only one more first down until the final two minutes of the game. LSU’s defense was dominant over the last 30 minutes against Kelly, one of the best quarterbacks in the country. In the second half, Ole Miss gained 104 yards and picked up six first downs.

Saturday’s victory was the most meaningful for Orgeron in his one month as Tigers interim coach. Ole Miss was certainly better than Missouri and Southern Mississippi. However, the Rebels are far from a Southeastern Conference contender as evidenced by their 3-4 record.

What happened at Tiger Stadium on Saturday was a huge positive for the LSU defense. Going against a high NFL draft prospect in Kelly, the Tigers would have kept Ole Miss out of the end zone after its first possession if not for Etling’s late second-quarter fumble.

It’s necessary to comment on Fournette. Playing for the first time since coach Les Miles was fired, Fournette was a man with a mission. He had a determined demeanor. That attitude combined with some excellent blocking and a below-average Ole Miss run defense led to Fournette’s big night.

Offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger had a good plan for using Fournette. He carried the ball 16 times. On two occasions, Fournette took himself out of the game. He admitted after the game that he was out of shape and must work on his conditioning.

Derrius Guice, who had gained at least 155 yards in the three games Fournette missed, also had 16 carries – most in the fourth quarter. Guice chipped in with 57 rushing yards and scored the game-clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The LSU passing game was efficient. Etling completed 19 of 28 passes (68 percent) for 204 yards and one touchdown – a 40-yard throw to DJ Chark. Etling’s two bad plays were the fumble and an interception deep in Ole Miss territory when the Tigers could have put the game on ice.

With the results of Saturday, LSU is still in the hunt for the SEC West title. After whipping Texas A&M, Alabama is the lone unbeaten in the division. Auburn, which routed Arkansas, joins the Tigers and Aggies as one-loss teams.

LSU’s second step in this challenging second half of the regular season comes after a bye. In two Saturdays, No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Alabama comes to Tiger Stadium. As has been the case in recent years, LSU must defeat the Tide to stay alive in the Western Division race.

The three ingredients the Tigers need to pull off an upset of Alabama were present Saturday.

First, Fournette was a game-breaking running back. Second, Etling led a productive passing attack. Third, the defense was dominant in the second half. The script must be the same for LSU in two weeks.

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