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How it happened: LSU lost three fumbles, didn't convert a third down until the 3rd quarter and Zach Mettenberger was shaky for much of the game. LSU's defense held Towson to 103 passing yards and the Tigers won 38-22.
Tiger MVPs: WR Odell Beckham Jr. was the only one who stood out on offense. He ended his sophomore slump with five catches for 128 yards and two touchdown catches. It was his first 100-yard receiving game of his career. On defense, linebacker Kevin Minter was in on nine tackles, two of them for a loss.
Turning Point: Towson grabbed a 9-7 lead with just five minutes left to go in the 2nd quarter. That's when LSU finally woke up. Mettenberger led the Tigers on a 6-play, 62-yard drive, capped off on a nice 27-yard touchdown pass to Beckham. LSU would score 24 unanswered points to relieve fears of a massive upset.
What the victory means: Towson was LSU's last chance to get the passing game going before the schedule gets more difficult. But Mettenberger was just 12 of 21 for 140 yards through three quarters. He ended up completing 15 of 26 for 238 yards and two touchdowns. It's concerning he was sacked four times and lost another fumble.
Stat of the Game: Kenny Hilliard's fumble in the 1st quarter was the first time an LSU running back had fumbled in 225 carries. Michael Ford would fumble later in the game. It was another costly turnover in the red zone.
Out of Bounds: Not much of an atmosphere for the final non-conference game of the year. The opponent and weather kept many ticket holders at home. The stadium was about half full. I heard one person say in the press box that the Tampa Rays outdrew LSU on Saturday.
Up next: LSU travels to the Swamp to take on 11th ranked Florida on October 6th. The Gators didn't play on Saturday and they must be licking their chops after watching LSU's offense struggle to develop any consistency. But maybe this LSU team plays to the level of its competition.
