Looks like Leonard Fournette’s ankle is just fine along with the rest of his body as he established dominance in his first game since Auburn. That was the deciding factor in a game that started out less than stellar for the Tigers, but came away with the 38-21 win.
After being forced to go three-and-out on the opening drive, the Rebels got on the board first with a quick match down the field that ended with Chad Kelly connecting with Van Jefferson on a 15-yard pass. Another three-and-out led to Ole Miss making it 10-0 late in the first quarter with a 46-yard FG from Wunderlich.
But the Tigers still had Fournette ready to go off at any moment and that’s what he did with a 54-yard dash to the endzone to make it a three point deficit.
One of the bigger issues of the game was the fact that LSU couldn’t hold onto the ball as they fumbled it three times in the game. The first of which came after a botched handoff from Etling to DJ Chark that gave Ole Miss the ball in LSU’s territory. But the defense would get the ball right back with Donte Jackson picking off Chad Kelly at the one yard line. The Tigers would turn that into a touchdown with Etling finding a wide open Chark for a 40-yard pass and take the lead.
Ole Miss would cut into that lead with another field goal from Wunderlich, but the man who wears number seven for LSU would turn on the jets again for a 76-yard run to make it an eight point lead.
The Rebels would tie things up in the closing minutes of the half after a fumble from Etling led to a TD run from Akeem Judd and a keeper from Chad Kelly for the two-point conversion gave them the momentum heading into the locker room.
But that momentum would be short lived as Fournette struck gold again, this time it was from 78 yards out to give them the lead back early in the third quarter. After another three and out, LSU put three points on the board with a 44-yarder from Colby Delahoussaye to make it 31-21.
The final nail in the coffin would come in the fourth quarter when Derrius Guice would get is first touchdown of the night with a six yard run.
LSU (5-2, 2-1 SEC) have a bye week before welcoming the top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0 SEC) inside Death Valley with kickoff to be officially announced on Monday.
-Clint Domingue