LSU has record-setting offensive showing in 66-38 win over Vanderbilt

Joe Burrow throws LSU record six touchdown passes in win over Commodores

If you blinked or got up in between commercial breaks, you might've missed the Tigers first two offensive possessions.

Six plays and two touchdowns with drive times of 1:13 and 11 seconds. This is what senior quarterback Joe Burrow was talking about in player interviews Monday when he said he wants this offense to be the mold for future LSU offenses.

Well the senior backed up his words, passing for 144 yards on 6-of-7 passing and two touchdowns, 10 minutes into the game, en route to a 66-38 win for the Tigers in their SEC opener.

The afternoon would only get better for Burrow and the LSU offense as the senior would go 25-of-34 for 398 yards and six touchdowns.  Burrow's 357 passing yards in the first half were the most yards in a first half any quarterback in the last 15 years has thrown against an SEC team. 

“I think that Joe is a fantastic player,” Orgeron said. “He has a fantastic coach, Steve is a great coach, we have a great plan and as long as we can protect the quarterback we're going to make big plays here at LSU and I expect that.”

The six touchdown passes broke the single game record for an LSU quarterback, a record accomplished with four minutes to go in the third quarter.

It seems every game, Burrow is in sync with all three of his stud receivers but focuses in on one in particular on a given day. Saturday in Nashville was Ja'Marr Chase day, who after being a healthy scratch against Northwestern State, caught 10 passes for 229 yards and four touchdowns. Chase became the first LSU receiver to go for over 200 yards in a  game since Odell Beckham Jr. went for 204 yards against Furman in 2013.

“Well, I said on the head set, I said that's called recruiting,” Orgeron said. “We knew he was an excellent player. He was committed to Florida, we fought, we got Mickey Joseph the credit, he went down there and fought and had a great relationship with his parents, and we always felt that he could be that type of player. Proud of him.”

The trio of Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall combined for 16 catches for 322 yards and five touchdowns. With Chase' latest hat trick, all three starting LSU receivers have had a three touchdown game now. Marshall did it against Georgia Southern, Jefferson against Texas and now Chase against Vanderbilt.

The 28 first quarter points the Tigers would go on to score, tied for the most points in the first quarter in program history, and needed only 4:35 of the play clock. LSU scored all five first half touchdowns in under three minutes Saturday, bringing the season total up to 22 drives in which the team has accomplished that feat.  In the 2018 season, LSU scored touchdowns in under three minutes 23 times the whole season.

The run game was even able to find its footing after uneven play in the first three weeks. Junior Clyde Edwards-Helaire led the way with 106 yards on 14 carries while freshman John Emery added another 51 yards on nine carries and a touchdown.

While the offense was breaking records left and right, the defense endured a third straight shaky start to a game. A 75-yard first drive from Vanderbilt was capped off by a five-yard touchdown run by Commodore running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Vaughn ran for 130 yards on 20 carries and two scores on the afternoon.

“No, we're not happy at all,” Orgeron said. “There's the first drive we have a guy playing a four technique, he's got the B gap, he jumps in the A gap. We got a three technique, jumps into the A gap, goes in the B gap. So that had nothing to do with the offense. We can't make any excuses about tackling, blocking and tackling and fitting our gaps and hopefully getting some guys healthy. We need to get Lawrence healthy, Logan healthy, we're basically played with our second team D-line out there right now.”

The LSU secondary had an up and down day as missed tackles reared its ugly head at times, leading to a second Vaughn touchdown in the second half. However, freshman Derek Stingley recorded the team's first interception of the season in the third quarter. The freshman was a frequent target of Vanderbilt quarterback Riley Neal, but did a fine job, when covering Commodore receiver Kalija Lipscomb.

"Was everything pretty? No it wasn't, but we worked hard and made some big plays," Orgeron said after the game.

LSU will have a couple of weeks to get healthy after multiple players including Justin Jefferson, Terrace Marshall and Michael Divinity all suffered injuries that forced them out of the game. Burrow looked to be favoring his left leg after a sack in the first half but remained in the game. 

The added rest should benefit the team, which won't take the field again until Oct. 5 against Utah State in Tiger Stadium.