Mississippi State routs No. 12 LSU 37-7

Posted September 16, 2017 7:00 am

By DAVID BRANDT

Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald (7) celebrates his three-yard touchdown run against LSU during the first half of their NCAA college football game against in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) The Associated Press

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Nick Fitzgerald threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores to help Mississippi State rout No. 12 LSU 37-7 on Saturday night.

Aeris Williams led the Bulldogs with 146 yards rushing and averaged 6.3 yards per carry. Mississippi State (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) beat LSU for just the second time in 18 tries dating to 2000.

"There is nothing more fun than just going out there and kicking someone's butt, for the lack of a better term," Fitzgerald said. "We had a great time. We were very physical. We knew we were going to move the ball on them. We knew if we played how we were supposed to play, we'd be fine."

LSU (2-1, 0-1) easily won its first two games of the season, but was overmatched by Mississippi State on both sides of the ball. The Tigers were also sloppy - two touchdown plays were negated because of penalties. In all, LSU was penalized nine times for 112 yards.

"We shot ourselves in the foot," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. "And there's no one but us to blame."

Fitzgerald was 15-of-23 passing for 180 yards. Keith Mixon caught six passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Jace Christmann made the first three field goals of his career, connecting from 30, 45 and 27 yards.

LSU tied it at 7 in the second quarter on Darrel Williams' 10-yard touchdown run. But Mississippi State responded with 30 straight points.

LSU's Danny Etling completed just 13 of 29 passes for 137 yards. Derrius Guice had 76 yards rushing.

"I mean, I'm embarrassed," LSU defensive lineman Greg Gilmore said. He added that "we're an aggressive football. But we've got to play smart."

THE TAKEAWAY

LSU: It's not just that the Tigers lost, but how they lost. Mississippi State dominated LSU at the line of scrimmage on most plays and the Tigers looked undisciplined and overmatched. LSU has nonconference games over the next two weeks against Syracuse and Troy to get things right before jumping back into SEC play.

Mississippi State: It's a huge win for the Bulldogs, who now have a very interesting road game against Georgia next weekend. Mississippi State has a very good running game with Fitzgerald and Williams, and the defense is playing very well.

UP NEXT

LSU hosts Syracuse in a nonconference game next Saturday.

Mississippi State goes on the road to face Georgia next Saturday.

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25

LSU running back Derrius Guice (5) is tackled by Mississippi State defenders during the first half of their NCAA college football game against in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) The Associated Press

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen gestures toward the officials after a favorable call during the first half of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) The Associated Press

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron looks at a replay on the end zone screen during the first half of their NCAA college football game against Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) The Associated Press

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