LSU-Washington pregame notebook
LSU can tie the FBS record for consecutive regular season non-conference victories against Washington on Saturday night. The Tigers have won 38 straight non-SEC regular-season games. Kansas State owns the record with 39 consecutive victories from 1993-2003.
By defeating the Huskies, LSU can match the school record for consecutive home victories. The school record is 19 set during stretch from 2005 through 2007. The Tigers' last home defeat came against Florida in 2009.
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LSU leads the Southeastern Conference in one category - rushing offense (316.0 yards per game). Kenny Hilliard, who rushed for 141 yards last week against North Texas, is second in the SEC to Florida's Mike Gillislee, who ran for 148 yards against Bowling Green.
Odell Beckham's punt return for a touchdown last week was the 18th Tigers special teams score since Les Miles became coach in 2005. LSU has a touchdown punt return in three of its last four games. Tyrann Mathieu returned punts for touchdowns against Arkansas and Georgia last season.
The Tigers have a 21-4 record against current teams in the Pac-12 Conference. Under Miles, LSU has won all four of its games against Pac-12 teams - Arizona State (2005), Arizona (2006), Washington (2009) and Oregon (2011).
The Tigers can extend three other winning streaks Saturday night -- 22 September victories, 14 regular-season victories and 11 Tiger Stadium night game victories. Since becoming LSU coach, Miles has a 44-6 record in Tiger Stadium.
Zach Mettenberger's 19 completions against North Texas matched the second most by a LSU quarterback in his first career start since 1980. Ryan Perrilloux had 20 completions against Middle Tennessee in 2007. Herb Tyler (North Texas/1995) and Josh Booty (Georgia/1998) had 19 completions.
Both Hilliard and Alfred Blue ran for 100 yards against North Texas. Under Miles, the Tigers have a 27-2 record when a back rushes for 100 yards. The losses came against Arkansas in 2007 and Georgia in 2008. Jacob Hester had 126 yards against the Hogs and Charles Scott had 144 yards against the Bulldogs.
Washington won its season-opener at home against San Diego State 21-12. Coach Steve Sarkisian has a 20-19 career record. Saturday's game is Washington's first at a SEC stadium since 1983 when the Huskies lost to LSU 40-14.
Washington played host to the Tigers three seasons ago with LSU coming away with a 31-23 victory. The Huskies have a 2-9 record against teams currently in the SEC, including a 1-2 record against Texas A&M. The other Washington victory came against Florida.
Washington used six true freshmen against San Diego State with two starting - wide receiver Jaydon Mickens and safety Shaq Thompson. There are only four seniors in the Huskies' top 22 - center Drew Schaefer, fullback Jonathan Amosa, defensive end Talia Crichton and cornerback Desmond Trufant.
Quarterback Keith Price set a career high with 25 completions against the Aztecs. Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins caught a career-high nine passes last week. Seferian-Jenkins had 538 receiving yards as freshman in 2011.
Price is the current Washington career leader in completion percentage (65.9) and passing efficiency (155.0). He holds three school season records - completion percentage (66.9), passing efficiency (161.9) and touchdown passes (33). He sets those three records last year.
Huskies Athletic Director Scott Woodard is a Baton Rouge native. He was a LSU administrator when Mark Emmert was the school's chancellor.
Saturday's game will be televised on ESPN with the crew consisting of Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter). LSU had won 20 consecutive games on ESPN until it lost to Alabama in last season's national title game.
The Tigers' previous defeat on ESPN also came against Alabama in 2002. The last time LSU lost a game on ESPN to a team other than Alabama occurred in 2001 when it was beaten by Tennessee.
TEAM STATISTICS
LSU rushing yards per game: 316.0
Washington opponents rushing yards per game: 199.0
LSU passing yards per game: 192.0
Washington opponents passing yards per game: 128.0
LSU completion percentage: 73.1
Washington opponents completion percentage: 52.6
LSU points per game: 41.0
Washington opponents points per game: 12.0
LSU third-down conversion percentage: 50.0
Washington opponents third-down conversion percentage: 46.2
LSU fourth-down conversion percentage: 0.0
Washington opponents fourth-down conversion percentage: 66.7
LSU sacks allowed: 2
Washington opponents sacks allowed: 4
LSU turnovers: 1
Washington opponents turnovers: 3
LSU opponents rushing yards per game: 76.0
Washington rushing yards per game: 106.0
LSU opponents passing yards per game: 143.0
Washington passing yards per game: 222.0
LSU opponents completion percentage: 38.1
Washington completion percentage: 71.4
LSU opponents points per game: 14.0
Washington points per game: 21.0
LSU opponents third-down conversion percentage: 33.3
Washington third-down conversion percentage: 60.0
LSU opponents fourth-down conversion percentage: 0.0
Washington fourth-down conversion percentage: 0.0
LSU opponents sacks allowed: 0
Washington sacks allowed: 3
LSU opponents turnovers: 2
Washington turnovers: 1
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
LSU top rusher: Kenny Hilliard - 13 carries, 141 yards, 2 touchdowns
Washington top rusher: Bishop Sankey - 22 carries, 66 yards, 1 touchdown
LSU top passer: Zach Mettenberger - 26 attempts, 19 completions, 192 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Washington top passer: Keith Price - 35 attempts, 25 completions, 222 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions
LSU top receiver: Jarvis Landry - 8 catches, 82 yards, 0 touchdowns
Washington top receiver: Austin Seferian-Jenkins - 9 catches, 82 yards, 0 touchdowns
LSU top kick returner: Odell Beckham - 4 punt returns, 75 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 kickoff return, 26 yards
Washington top kick returner: Jaydon Mickens - 3 kickoff returns, 47 yards
LSU top kick-scorer: Drew Alleman - 2-of-3 on field goals; 5-of-5 on extra points
Washington top kick-scorer: Travis Coons - 3-of-3 on extra points
LSU top punter: Jamie Keehn - 3 punts, 41.0-yard average
Washington top punter: Korey Durkee - 5 punts, 37.2-yard average
LSU tackles leader: Lamin Barrow - 7 tackles; Eric Reid - 7 tackles
Washington tackles leader: Sean Parker - 8 tackles
LSU interceptions leader: Eric Reid - 1 interception
Washington interceptions leader: Tre Watson - 1 interception
LSU sacks leader: No sacks
Washington sacks leader: Travis Feeney - 1 sack; Andrew Hudson - 1 sack; Josh Shirley - 1 sack; Desmond Trufant - 1 sack