LSU football thrashes Ole Miss in statement victory for Brian Kelly

Things looked bleak for LSU football early. The Tigers had fans thinking about the Tennessee game early on as they went down 17-3 in the first quarter. The Ole Miss offense was rolling. Matt House’s defense had no answer to Lane Kiffin’s creativity and Tiger Stadium fell into an eerie hush. Unlike the game two weeks ago though, Brian Kelly’s men would not simply roll over and let a Top 10 team toss them around on their home turf — not this time around.

The Bayou Bengals battled back throughout the first half, and despite a missed field goal, they only trailed by three at the break. The positive signs were there. How did LSU respond in the face of adversity? They tightened things up on both sides of the ball and put on a masterclass for the remaining two quarters. The Tigers would go on to run the Lane train and his No. 7 Rebels out of Baton Rouge with a 45-20 victory.

LSU football thrashes Ole Miss in statement victory for Brian Kelly

LSU had a couple of impressive wins — vs. Mississippi State and at Florida — on its resume going into this contest. However, it goes without saying that a near-four touchdown win against the No. 7 team in the nation takes the top spot. It was more than another tally in the win column, it was a statement victory for a team looking to establish an identity.

Jayden Daniels commanded the offense with a certain poise and presence unseen in Baton Rouge since Joe Burrow. The Tigers looked unstoppable throughout much of the game on that side of the ball, only penalties and negative plays were able to slow them down. Mike Denbrock has seemingly opened up the playbook and he’s finally allowing Daniels and Co. to play to their strengths. LSU can stack up with nearly anybody out wide in skill positions, especially if those players are put in positions to succeed.

An under-appreciated cog in the Bayou Bengals’ machine recently has been the offensive line. Brad Davis’ unit has been phenomenal over the last two weeks. The linemen’s success in the trenches has allowed LSU to move the ball both in the air and on the ground.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention the defense. Matt House’s men were struggling early on as the Rebels jumped out to a 17-3 lead. The defensive coordinator made some key adjustments and brought on Harold Perkins. These changes completely turned the game on its head. Ole Miss would score three points; the visitors were outscored 42-3 the rest of the way.

In the end, this win is a huge morale booster, but it’s much more than that. Saturday’s victory makes Nov. 5’s clash with Alabama the battle for the top spot in the SEC West. Not bad for a rebuilding year, eh?  Finally, on a softer note, the 25-point win over the Rebels means that Kelly’s squad will officially go to a bowl game. Many doubted the Tigers’ ability to be bowl-eligible come the end of the year after taking a peek at their brutal schedule. LSU has exceeded expectations though, and now the team will be rewarded for all of its hard work.