Sylvester Croom

Omarr Conner

Jerius Norwood

JaMarcus Russell directs the offense.

Skyler Green

Early Doucet rambles.

Xavier Carter sets sail to pay dirt.

Ali Hightower makes a tackle.

Ronnie Prude corrals Derek Pegues.

• After the Monday night game, they had only three days to practice before hitting the road Friday for the Saturday afternoon encounter.
• OT Andrew Whitworth, one of the team leaders, said the goals for the week were simple: heal, master a simplified game plan, and execute it properly.
• DT Kyle Williams did a slow burn the rest of the week after blowing a 21-0 halftime lead against Tennessee. We had an opportunity to put a good football team away. We got complacent. We can't let that happen again.
• The best cure for the hangover from Monday night was getting back on the football field Saturday.
• The player in most need of Listerine to wash away the bad taste was sophomore QB JaMarcus Russell, who suffered through a terrible second half, including a blatant INT that set up UT's Q4 TD that brought them to within three. In the sixteen days between Arizona State and Tennessee, the Mobilian went from hero to goat. If he just goes out there, relaxes, and plays ball, said Coach Les Miles, we count on him to make some big plays. If he just goes out there and plays like he's capable, that's all we ask.
• After two games, LSU had allowed 355.5y passing per game. The defense was determined to reduce that number and fast.

Fortunately, the opponent didn't provide nearly as big a challenge as Tennessee.

• The Bulldogs stood at 2-2 after losing to Georgia 23-10 the previous Saturday. They also absorbed a 28-10 beating from Auburn. The Tigers had beaten MSU 51-0 in Baton Rouge in '04.
• Head coach Sylvester Croom, who coached with Bo Pelini with the Green Bay Packers, said he didn't expect any tricks from Pelini. He pretty much knows my philosophy, and I know his. So really it is going to come down to the players executing and playing good football.
• Croom installed part of the West Coast Offense in 2004, his first in Starkville, and added more this season.
• MSU's dual-threat QB Omarr Conner presented a challenge for an LSU defense that leaned on a soft zone coverage.
• The Bulldogs boasted two fine runners in senior Jerious Norwood, coming off a 1000y season, and Derek Pegues.

• Q1: The Tigers deferred and kicked off for the third straight time.
  Conner completed a 3rd down pass to move the chains. Then two snaps later, on the sixth play of the game, lightning struck. Omarr found Joey Sanders wide open down the left sideline and floated a pass to him for a 66y TD without a hand laid on him. Tiger fans listening on the radio or watching on pay-per-view had to think, "Here we go again." Mississippi State 7 LSU 0 (12:46)
  SS Jessie Daniels took responsibility for the blown coverage. As the offense lined up, he tried to shift LB Ali Highsmith into flat coverage. But when Highsmith didn't hear the call, Daniels moved over himself and left Sanders unchecked. I was still kind of panicking that nobody was covering the flat. The check that I made, the corner is supposed to cover the flat, and I'm supposed to be over the top. I messed up. We can give up a 5y gain but not a play like that.
  When the LSU defense gathered on the sideline, tempers flared. After the second half against Tennessee, nobody was in the mood for any more breakdowns. The play also conjured up the nightmare of the end of the Capital One Bowl when Iowa scored on a busted coverage. But Daniels defused the situation by confessing his mistake. Everybody on the sideline was really frustrated, and we just came together and said, if we played frustrated, then we're going to make more errors. We just calmed down and, after that, we communicated and were on the same page.
  The refocused Tiger D forced three straight three-and-outs the rest of the period.
  After punting on their first position, the LSU offense started clicking the next time it got the ball, traveling from the MSU 48 to the 13 from where Colt David booted a 30y FG. The key play was JaMarcus Russell's pass to Early Doucet for 20y to the 14. Mississippi State 7 LSU 3 (5:02)
  The next LSU possession put the Tigers in front for good. Blessed with good field position again - their own 43, they gained a first down at the MSU 44 on a bubble screen to Skyler Green for 8 and an Addai run for 5. After a repeat of the 8y screen to Green, Russell handed the ball to WR Xavier Carter on an end-around. The world class sprinter streaked past three Bulldogs and raced 36y to pay dirt. LSU 10 Mississippi State 7 (2:19)
  The visitors got the ball back in the last minute of the period, and Russell started another march with a completion to Doucet for 16 to the MSU 30.

• Q2: It took only two plays to extend the lead. Skyler Green scampered for 11 with still another bubble screen. Then JaMarcus fogged the ball to Dwayne Bowe in the EZ from the 14. LSU 17 Mississippi State 7 (14:45) The Bulldogs finally started moving the ball again, reaching the LSU 31 before bogging down. Keith Andrews' FG try from the 47 slid wide right.
  After forcing a punt, the Maroons cranked up another drive during which LB Ken Hollis made a play that electrified the Tigers. Conner threw a screen pass to Jerious Norwood. Hollis roared over and leveled Norwood as well as Daniels, who was chasing the ball carrier. Jesse's chin strap popped loose, and his helmet went airborne. Both men needed medical attention. Norwood was diagnosed with a mild concussion and didn't return. (He ended his four-year career against LSU with 17y on 25 carries.)
  Hollis: I was in the zone covering in the flat, and I saw a running back running at me, and I ran across the field thinking the safety was going to come up and make the tackle. I just came in and hit him. I hit both of them. Both of them were on the ground hurting after that. I double-checked on them because I didn't want to hurt anybody that bad. Ken agreed it was the hardest hit he'd ever delivered.
  After the game, Norwood said he had no recollection of the collision. I don't know who hit me or what happened.
  The play gained 19y to midfield. Several more completions gave the Dogs a first down on the 31. After two runs gained 7, Conner rolled to his left, spotted WR Keon Humphries open in the EZ and threw the ball toward him. But Ronnie Prude darted in front of the receiver and grabbed an INT that deflated the home team.
  Connor: I saw the guy (Humphries). He was wide open. But I didn't see the guy (Prude) coming back side. That's my fault. You can't control what happens on the field. You just have to play it one play at a time, and they made it.
  Neither team threatened in the last 2:40.