LSU matched up with a Mississippi State team missing a lot of offensive weapons, and the defense could have taken its opponent lightly and attempted to sleepwalk through this game. Fortunately, it did not. The Tigers treated this game as if Kamario Taylor were still playing quarterback and attacked the beleaguered offense.
One of the players who came out early and made a statement throughout the game was Jordan Ross, and because of his efforts, Ross is the MVP of this game.
Ross had been a little quiet
since his breakout performance in Week 1 against Clemson, and people began to wonder if that was just a flash in the pan and whether he would be able to show up again. Well, he did just that.
Ross finished with six total tackles, four solo tackles, one sack, 2.5 tackles for loss, one pass defended, and one forced fumble.
Ross was all over the line of scrimmage, and his impact set the tone for the rest of the defense. With Ross flying around, you began to see other players, like DJ Pickett, feed off that energy and start showcasing their own physicality.
If this defense can bring that type of energy and physicality week in and week out, then it will begin to round itself out.
Having a player like Ross deliver the performance he did was especially important with the loss of Princewill Umanmielen. Hopefully, Umanmielen will return against Auburn on Saturday. If he does, and Ross can put together another performance like this one, then the challenge will shift to Auburn having to make plays against a dominant defensive front instead of LSU’s front having to focus on keeping the quarterback in check.
Who was your game MVP, and how do you think the Tigers match up against the War Eagles on Saturday?
