LSU runs past Washington 41-3

BATON ROUGE, La. — Alfred Blue’s explosive runs were tough for Washington to handle.

The rest of LSU’s running backs made it a really long night for the overmatched Huskies.

Blue rushed for 101 yards, including a 21-yard score, and No. 3 LSU racked up 242 yards on the ground in a 41-3 victory over Washington on Saturday night.

Kenny Hilliard added a pair of short touchdowns and fullback J.C. Copeland pounded through the pile for another score for LSU (2-0), which basically ran at will while averaging nearly 5 yards per carry.

Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger was 12 of 18 for 195 yards, including a 32-yard scoring pass to Kadron Boone. James Wright caught five passes for 75 yards.

Keith Price was 17 of 36 for 157 yards for the Huskies (1-1). Normally a good scrambler, Price had trouble with LSU’s speedy defenders, who sacked him four times and intercepted him once.

LSU has won 39 straight against non-conference opponents in the regular season, tying a Football Bowl Subdivision record first set by Kansas State. Next weekend, the Tigers play Idaho, another non-conference opponent, and the game is at home, where LSU has won 19 straight.

Washington managed only 183 total yards, including only 26 on the ground. LSU had 437 yards and dominated time of possession, 33:39 to 26:21.

Only four of the Huskies’ 12 drives ended in LSU territory, and the only scoring drive started on the LSU 20-yard line, where Odell Beckham Jr. fumbled the opening kickoff.

The Huskies were close to converting the turnover into a touchdown, but Jaydon Mickens bobbled a catch as he went out of bounds on the left side of the end zone, forcing Washington to settle for Travis Coons’ 34-yard field goal to make it 3-0.

Australian Brad Wing’s first punt of the season, a 62-yarder into the wind that went out of bounds at the Huskies 4, created an early field position swing that helped LSU to its first score.

After the Huskies failed to muster a first down, LSU’s next drive started on the Washington 38, and soon after Blue burst past left tackle Josh Dworaczyk’s block for his scoring run to make it 7-3.

LSU went ahead 14-3 on Copeland’s 1-yard burst through the line, capping a seven-play, 47-yard drive consisting only of running plays.

The Tigers had opportunities to pull away more quickly than they did, but at least four of Mettenberger’s six incompletions came on accurate passes that were dropped.

LSU had to settle for one of Drew Alleman’s two field goals in the second quarter after Russell Shepard dropped a pass in the end zone that hit him in the numbers.

The Tigers led 20-3 at halftime, but were even more dominant in the second half as they pulled away.

No. 3 LSU 41, WASHINGTON 3

Washington 3 0 0 0– 3

LSU 14 6 14 7–41

First Quarter

Wash–FG Coons 34, 14:03.

LSU–Blue 21 run (Alleman kick), 11:18.

LSU–Copeland 1 run (Alleman kick), 2:11.

Second Quarter

LSU–FG Alleman 18, 10:02.

LSU–FG Alleman 32, 5:03.

Third Quarter

LSU–Hilliard 3 run (Alleman kick), 10:35.

LSU–Boone 32 pass from Mettenberger (Alleman kick), 2:51.

Fourth Quarter

LSU–Hilliard 1 run (Alleman kick), 8:04.

A–92,804.

Wash LSU

First downs 12 24

Rushes-yards 24-26 52-242

Passing 157 195

Comp-Att-Int 17-36-1 12-19-0

Return Yards 1 15

Punts-Avg. 8-37.6 3-54.3

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-Yards 11-74 5-43

Time of Possession 26:21 33:39

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Washington, Eric.Wilson 4-25, Sankey 8-16, Petty 7-9, Price 5-(minus 24). LSU, Blue 14-101, Ford 10-48, Hilliard 13-46, Ware 8-38, Mettenberger 2-7, Neighbors 1-5, Copeland 2-2, Team 2-(minus 5).

PASSING–Washington, Price 17-36-1-157. LSU, Mettenberger 12-18-0-195, Ware 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING–Washington, Seferian-Jenkins 6-51, K.Smith 4-48, Sankey 3-30, Williams 3-19, Mickens 1-9. LSU, Wright 5-75, Beckham 2-40, Blue 2-19, Boone 1-32, Landry 1-20, Ware 1-9.