Three Observations From LSU's Victory Over Georgia State
The Jayden Daniels Show continued in Baton Rouge on Saturday night after another historic performance from LSU's signal-caller.
The Heisman frontrunner totaled over 500 yards and eight touchdowns against Georgia State, further solidifying his case for the 2023 award.
But it was a unique victory for the Tigers after making history in several categories.
Three Observations from Week 12:
The Heisman Campaign Continues for Jayden Daniels
Daniels has been a man on a mission this season. We’re running out of superlatives for the electrifying signal-caller as he carves up opposing defenses week in and week out. On Saturday, it was just another day at the office for Daniels.
The Georgia State defense had no answer for Daniels. He stayed in the game for eight drives and erupted for huge gains on virtually every snap. Eight drives. Eight touchdowns. Again, just another day at the office for the Heisman candidate.
The improvement Daniels has made with his deep ball has been impressive to watch this season with it once again stealing the show in Week 12. The one pass that stood out most was Daniels’ 70-yard touchdown pass to Brian Thomas Jr. to end the first half.
Daniels’ Numbers… 25-for-30 passing for 413 yards and six touchdowns. On the ground? 10 carries for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
The Defense Remains a Struggle
LSU elected to start true freshman cornerback Ashton Stamps on Saturday night with Javien Toviano taking snaps at safety. The defensive backfield has been a work in progress since Week 1 and remained a struggle on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
Georgia State quarterback Darren Grainger deserves his flowers. The veteran signal-caller made the most of his chances with an inexperienced cornerback rotation, utilizing his arm, but also showcasing his dynamic play style with his wheels.
Grainger ended the night going 23-for-29 with 179 yards and one touchdown.
All in all, the defense has remained in a vulnerable spot this season. The scoreboard doesn’t reflect the performance of this unit on Saturday night. In the first half, this group struggled to limit explosive plays, keep tabs on Grainger and utilize Harold Perkins in an effective way.
With one game to go in the regular season, it’ll be intriguing to see how this group ends the year defensively. There were bright spots in the second half with true freshman Ashton Stamps getting in on the action significantly. He ended the night with eight total tackles and a pass breakup, but consistency will remain key for the youngster after allowing a few big plays early.
Wide Receivers Make History, Offense Does It Again
Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. receive the praise on a weekly basis, but Kyren Lacy has continued his emergence as a reliable weapon for this offense.
On Saturday, he made a statement once again after reeling in five passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. It was another big-time performance for the second-year Tiger.
When it comes to Nabers and Thomas, it’s become a routine occurrence that the two put up eye-opening numbers with the one-two punch shining again against Georgia State. The wide receiver tandem combined for 243 yards and 12 receptions on Saturday night with three touchdowns.
The offense may have handled business against an inferior opponent in Week 12, but this unit proved once again how lethal it can be when called upon. It was the seventh game this season the Bayou Bengals tallied 48 or more points.
The LSU Numbers:
Nabers: 8 catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns
Thomas Jr: 4 catches for 103 yards and one touchdown
Lacy: 5 catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
Daniels, Nabers, Lacy and Thomas Jr. lit it up through the air when the rushing attack was nonexistent at times. Now, with one week to go, the Tigers have a chance to end the regular season with their heads held high.
