LSU survives first-half Tulane scare

Despite a poor offensive performance in the first half, LSU was able to top Tulane, 34-9, in front of 58,769 people at the Louisiana Superdome on Saturday.

The Tigers (5-0) led by one at the half (10-9), but pulled away in the second half with three rushing touchdowns. LSU entered the game No. 2 in both polls, but after the win, the Tigers are No. 1 in The Associated Press poll and still second in the USA Today Coaches poll.

LSU got two rushing touchdown each from Jacob Hester and Charles Scott and two field goals from Colt David. The Tigers won the total yards battle, 391-227, including 134 yards on the ground. Tulane rushed for 88 yards in the game.

Hester started off the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run on the first LSU possession of the game. Tulane got on the board with a safety when LSU was called for holding in its own end zone with just under six minutes left in the first half. After the Green Wave scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive, they took their only lead of the game before LSU put together a late drive that ended when David hit a 36-yard field goal with seconds left in the first half, giving his team a 10-9 advantage. David had a 31-yard field goal with 8:51 in the third quarter and Hester added a 1-yard run about two minutes later. Scott’s rushing touchdowns were 35 and 3-yard efforts in the fourth quarter.

Matt Flynn threw for 258 yards on 16-of-29 passing with an interception. Safety Craig Steltz and linebacker Kirston Pittman led the Tigers with seven tackles each.

LSU will now play its third SEC game of the year on Saturday when No. 9 Florida comes to Baton Rouge. The Gators (4-1 overall, 2-1 in SEC) are coming off a 20-17 loss to Auburn on Saturday. Florida was fourth in both polls before the loss and now sit at ninth in both polls. The Gators are averaging 42.8 points per game and allowing 19.6 to opponents.

The 17 points were a season low for Florida, who is led offensively by quarterback Tim Tebow (1,297 passing yards, 11 touchdown passes, 433 yards rushing, eight touchdowns rushing). Tebow’s favorite targets are Percy Harvin and Cornelius Ingram, who each have three touchdowns receiving and have combined for over 700 yards receiving so far this year.

For the second time this year, ESPN GameDay will be coming to Baton Rouge.

The program will air from the Parade Grounds in the center of campus beginning on Friday. ESPN’s College GameDay was on site when the Tigers posted a 48-7 win over ninth-ranked Virginia Tech in Tiger Stadium.

LSU and Florida square off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in a nationally-televised contest on CBS. It will be LSU’s first prime time regular season game on one of the big three non-cable networks since 1981.

ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot is hosted by Chris Fowler with analysis from Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard. This year will mark the 21st season of college football coverage by GameDay with 14 of those years being on the campus of college football’s top game of the week. This week’s trip marks the sixth time College GameDay has visited LSU for a football game.

BASEBALL SIGNING CLASS NAMED NO. 1

According to Collegiate Baseball, LSU has the top recruiting class in the nation.

The editors of Collegiate Baseball said LSU’s recruiting haul is simply amazing when you consider that nine players were drafted, and it includes eight high school All-Americans and three first-team Junior College All-Americans among the 19 players the Tigers brought in.

The newcomers have joined LSU’s veteran players for a five-week fall practice period that began on Sept. 15 and continues through Oct. 23. The 2008 regular season begins Feb. 22 when the Tigers play host to Indiana in Alex Box Stadium.

SOCCER WINS ONE

The Lady Tigers did not lose last week after posting a 1-0 win over Mississippi State on Friday and playing Ole Miss to a 1-1 tie on Sunday. Both games were in Baton Rouge.

Against MSU, Michelle Makasini had the lone score in the game. Against Ole Miss, Roslyn Jones registered the only Tiger goal in the contest.

LSU improved to 7-1-3 overall and 1-0-1 in the SEC. The Lady Tigers will conclude their four-game homestand with games against Tennessee on Friday at 7 p.m. and Georgia on Sunday at 1 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL TEAM SHINES

The No. 22 Lady Tigers picked up two SEC road victories this week at the hands of Auburn on Friday and Georgia on Sunday. Against Auburn, LSU was led by Kyna Washington (18 kills, 19 digs, three blocks and two service aces), Brittnee Cooper (14 kills), Marina Skender (12 kills) and Lauren DeGirolamo (eight blocks, nine kills).

In the match against Georgia, Cooper had 16 kills, which was a career high.

Angela Bensend added 12 kills and DeGirolamo had 10 kills and four blocks.

LSU improved to 13-2 overall and 5-1 in the SEC.

The Lady Tigers return back home for two matches this weekend (Alabama on Friday at 7 p.m. and Mississippi State on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.).

(Photo by STEVE FRANZ

• LSU) Jacob Hester and the Tigers will be put to the test against No. 9-ranked Florida on Saturday.