GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NCAAF: LSU at MISSISSIPPI ST

STARKVILLE, Mississippi (Ticker) -- After a slow start, MattFlynn and Louisiana State took advantage of all the help thattheir opponents gave them.


Flynn threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter and thesecond-ranked Tigers took advantage of six interceptions to pullaway for a 45-0 victory over Mississippi State in aSoutheastern Conference West Division matchup on Thursday.

A fifth-year senior who was making just his second start forLSU, Flynn got off to a slow start and the Mississippi Statedefense held its own in the early going. The Tigers led, 3-0,after the first quarter but started to assert themselves justbefore the half.


"Give Mississippi State some credit, they played hard and theymoved around a little bit more than they have done in the past,and they had a good plan," LSU coach Les Miles said. "There arealso some adjustments whenever you put a new offense on thefield."


Keiland Williams scored a pair of one-yard TD runs to cap drivesthat were set up by interceptions. Williams' second TD plungecame with just two seconds left in the second quarter and gavethe Tigers a 17-0 lead.


"It was deflating for us, but that's what happens when you turnthe ball over quickly and that far into your own territory,"Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom said. "It's tough togive up a touchdown that late in the half."


Flynn, who completed 12-of-19 passes for 129 yards, got goingafter the break. He threw an 11-yard TD pass to Early Doucet tocap the first drive of the second half. Another interceptionlater in the quarter gave the Tigers the ball at the Bulldogs'8, and two plays later Flynn connected with Charles Scott downthe middle for 12-yard TD.


"I really feel that Matt managed the game well and put us ingood position by making good throws," Miles said. "He wascertainly a key to our effort."


"We knew that the plays were going to come, we just had toexecute," Flynn said. "We just went out there and moved theball."


While Flynn found his groove, Michael Henig found nothing buttrouble.


The Bulldogs were anemic on offense last year, ranking 104th outof 119 Division I-A teams in rushing (95.17) and 103rd in totaloffense (286.83). It was much of the same Thursday, as Henigthrew six interceptions and Mississippi State (0-1) had just 146yards of total offense.


The six interceptions thrown by Henig tied the school record setby Max Stanbrook in 1949 against Cincinnati.


"It was just one of those nights, I had good protection and Ireally don't know what else to say," Henig said. "I just haveto pick my game up. I have to go back, watch the film and comeback to practice and get better."


"I think it was obvious it was not the best game for Mike,"Croom said. "It is possible he might have been trying to make aplay happen when it wasn't there, which led to turnovers."

Ryan Perrilloux had a TD run and pass in the fourth quarter tocap the scoring while Doucet finished with nine receptions for78 yards for LSU (1-0), which hosts No. 9 Virginia Tech onSeptember 8.

 

NCAAF: LSU at MISSISSIPPI ST

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NCAAF
LSU (2) 45
MISSISSIPPI ST 0 FINAL</div>