The rout was real yesterday in Music City. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase turned in record-breaking performances in a 66-38 thrashing of the Vanderbilt Commodores (0-3, 0-2). LSU beat Vanderbilt for the eighth consecutive time. This marked the first meeting between the two teams since 2010.
Picking the Vanderbilt secondary apart, Burrow threw 25-of-34 for 398 yards and six touchdown passes in three quarters. He sat most of the fourth quarter. The LSU Tigers (4-0, 1-0) have always had a stingy defense. Now, the Tigers have a high-octane offense, and that’s scary dangerous for all opponents. The Tigers scored their most points this season, and most ever in regulation against an SEC opponent.
“Score, be aggressive,” says LSU coach Ed Orgeron.
The Tigers’ aggressive approach has paid off in every game thus far, and Saturday was no different. Burrow tossed four of his school-record touchdown passes to the same guy; Chase. The sophomore caught TDs of 64, 25 and 51 yards in the first quarter, adding a 16-yarder in the third. He finished the game with 10 receptions for 229 yards. This was the most by an LSU receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. had 204 against Furman in 2013.
Joe became both, the first LSU quarterback to throw for 350 yards or more in three consecutive games, and his 357 yards passing by halftime was the most in school history. LSU led 28-7 after the first quarter; 38-17 at halftime; and 59-31 after the third.
The Commodores went right down the field, scoring on their first drive. They scored their most points yet this season, but were clearly dominated. The two turnovers didn’t help matters. The bright spot for the black and gold was running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. The Tigers entered the day second in the SEC defending the run, giving up just 80 yards a game. They gave up a 41-yarder to Vaughn on Vandy’s first offensive play. Vaughn later broke loose for a 52-yard TD run in the third quarter — the longest run this season for the SEC’s top returning rusher. Vaughn finished with 20 carries for 130 yards.
The Commodores got two sacks on the day, by Jaylen Mahoney and Kenny Hebert, after coming into the game as the only FBS team without one.
The Vanderbilt Commodores’ College World Series Champion baseball team was honored midfield at halftime.
