No team has appeared on LSU’s schedule more often than Mississippi State over the years.
The last two seasons, the Bulldogs and Tigers have missed each other in the expanded SEC. On Saturday, State shuffles down from Starkville into Tiger Stadium for kickoff just after 11:00am.
Head coach Jeff Lebby’s program struggled to shake from the slog it was in when he took over. Thanks in large part due to quarterback Kamario Taylor, the Bulldogs got off to a 4-0 start before Tayllor came up lame and Alabama blasted Mississippi State, 56-21.
Las Vegas calls it a two-touchdown point spread which could indicate how Taylor is feeling. Without concrete knowledge and with a “questionable” diagnosis on the first availability report, we’ll stay away from injury updates. Here are three matchups to keep an eye on between the Tigers and Bulldogs.
SAM LEAVITT VS. STATE SECONDARY
This Bulldog secondary is 15th in a 16-team SEC in passing yards per game. There are some layers to that, but the overall body of work is not great.
Minnesota threw for 279 yards, but the Golden Gophers were behind the entire game and only rushed 15 times for 13 yards. So, that was a great all-around effort by the Bulldog defense.
South Carolina threw for 282 which was a lot. Same with Missouri’s 295 yards and three scores. Alabama threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Those are concerning efforts for Zach Arnett, the former State head coach now defensive coordinator.
This Bulldogs secondary, unlike Kentucky, has only come up with two interceptions all season. Leavitt’s biggest problem has been ball security.
The one player to watch in the Bulldogs secondary is Kelley Jones. He’s a legitimate 6-foot-4 and will be a high draft pick. Teams have really avoided him and targeted other players in the secondary. In 17 targets, he’s only allowed seven catches and has broken up four passes. Jett Jefferson is a good player on the other side, but the numbers suggest State’s leaks in the back end.
LSU transfer Jardin Gilbert starts at safety and overage is not his strength.
If Sam Leavitt can find the same holes in the defense LaNorris Sellers, Austin Simmons and Keelon Russell found, LSU’s offense will be in business. However, turnovers can be costly.
KAMARIO TAYLOR VS. LSU’S SECONDARY
Flip the matchup.
Taylor is an elite passer. He’s thrown for three-plus scores in every game this season and has pumped life into the Mississippi State football program. If he plays on Saturday, and that’s an “if”, he will likely have to remain in the pocket most of the time. That’s fine with him.
He was compromised against Alabama and still threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns. He was picked off twice, once for a score, but he can hang in there and throw with the best in the conference.
Taylor has eight touchdowns and zero interceptions when the ball travels 20-plus yards in the air. Four have gone left, two down the middle of the field and two to the right.
Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss and Kentucky’s Kenny Minchey found the holes in the Tigers’ secondary. Those two averaged 304 yards per game on 67% completion. The rest of the quarterbacks on LSU’s schedule have completed 51% of their passes for 112 yards per game with a combined five interceptions, four more than Chambliss and Minchey.
Taylor is a peer of Chambliss and Minchey. The State backups are peers of the other arms LSU has seen. We’ll find out Saturday which the Tiger secondary sees.
LSU’S DEFENSIVE ENDS VS. STATE’S TACKLES
It’s been a bit of a rough go for State at left and right tackle. Jakheem Shumpert Perkins mans the left side, and Miles McVay handles the right. Pro Football Focus has not graded the duo favorably.
Shumpert-Perkins has been dinged with three sacks among seven pressures. McVay’s allowed eight pressures and has been whistled for a staggering seven penalties.
The Bulldogs have allowed 2.6 sacks a game which is 12th in the SEC. Taylor was brought down five times by Alabama on that compromised foot. LSU’s rush has been very good all year except at the end of the Ole Miss and Kentucky games when it needed to be.
Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross need to get up the field on passing downs and get to the quarterback. Deuce Geralds will also be working against LSU transfer DJ Chester at times. Chester’s PFF grade is a 54.7 in his fourth season as an SEC lineman.
The pass rush should be effective whether Taylor plays or not. It could force him a move a little bit or really unnerve a young backup in Billy Puckett.
