Jayden Daniels ran for three touchdowns and threw two touchdown passes as host LSU handed No. 7 Ole Miss its first loss of the season, 45-20, in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge, La.
Daniels, who had three touchdown runs and three touchdown passes in a 45-35 victory at Florida a week earlier, passed for 248 yards and ran for a game-high 121 yards.
The Tigers (6-2, 4-1 SEC) joined the Rebels (7-1, 3-1) and No. 6 Alabama as the only one-loss teams in the SEC West.
Jaxson Dart passed for 284 yards and Malik Heath had eight catches for 145 yards to lead the Rebels, but they were outscored 42-3 after taking a two-touchdown lead in the second quarter.
Daniels threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Mason Taylor to give LSU a 24-20 lead midway through the third quarter.
The Rebels drove to the Tigers 9 on the ensuing possession, but Dart was intercepted by Joe Foucha in the end zone.
Daniels ran 11 yards for a touchdown that increased the lead to 31-20 with 14:18 remaining. He added a 17-yard scoring run, and Jayden Williams’ 1-yard touchdown run completed the scoring.
On the first possession of the game Ole Miss drove to Quinshon Judkins’ 6-yard touchdown run.
LSU then reached the Rebels’ 6 before settling for Damian Ramos’ 23-yard field goal.
Judkins ran 3 yards for a touchdown on the next possession to increase Ole Miss’ lead to 14-3.
The Tigers drove into scoring range again, but Ramos missed a 42-yard field goal, leaving the Rebels with their 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter.
Jonathan Cruz’s 32-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter pushed the lead to 17-3.
LSU responded with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Jaray Jenkins, then forced Ole Miss to punt for the first time in four possessions.
The Tigers’ next drive ended with Daniels running 3 yards for a touchdown that tied the score at 17.
Cruz’s 48-yard field goal with 4:08 remaining in the second quarter gave the Rebels a 20-17 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media