(13) LSU 59, Arizona 13
Preview - Box Score - Recap
By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer
September 7, 2003
AP - Sep 7, 1:40 am EDT
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TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- LSU made a rare trip to the West and came away with its most one-sided road win in 45 years.
Matt Mauck completed nine of 10 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown, then watched the reserves finish off 13th-ranked LSU's 59-13 rout of Arizona on Saturday night.
Joseph Addai carried 18 times for 86 yards and a pair of scores in LSU's most lopsided road victory since the Tigers beat Tulane 62-0 in 1958.
Not that it impressed LSU coach Nick Saban much.
``There are things we're going to have to get better at when we play good football teams,'' he said.
It was the third-worst home loss for the Wildcats, behind a 75-0 beating by Michigan State in 1949 and a 65-12 loss to Colorado in 1958.
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The Tigers (2-0) had not won a nonconference road game since a win at Tulane in 1994, but their first game against a Pac-10 foe in 19 years was no contest.
Mauck scored on a four-yard run and connected with Michael Clayton on a 48-yard touchdown play as the Tigers scored on their first six possessions and led 38-0 at the half.
``With this offense, if we execute and do the things we're coached to do, we should be able to do that every game,'' Mauck said. ``But obviously I was a little surprised by how many points we were able to score so quick.''
LSU didn't punt until eight minutes remained in the game.
``They just thoroughly whipped us,'' Arizona coach John Mackovic said.
A crowd of 46,110, many of them lured by Arizona's 42-7 season-opening victory over UTEP a week earlier, watched as the Wildcats (1-1) succumbed quickly.
``They weren't as fired up as I thought they'd be,'' LSU safety Jack Hunt said. ``The little bit they had, we snuffed it out the first two series. We let them know we were here to play.''
AP - Sep 7, 1:19 am EDT
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The gathering included more than 5,000 rowdy LSU fans who drowned out the Arizona crowd as the margin grew.
``I didn't even feel like we were playing an away game,'' Saban said.
The Tigers took the opening kickoff and went 80 yards in 15 plays, converting three third-down situations on the way. LSU got a break when, on third and seven from its 23, Mauck's 12-yard pass to Clayton was ruled complete when replays showed the receiver dropped the ball.
Addai's 1-yard touchdown plunge capped the drive, which consumed the first 6:25 of the game.
After Arizona went three-and-out, Shyrone Carey's 35-yard punt return set up Ryan Gaudet's 47-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 4:23 to go.
On the Wildcats' next possession, quarterback Nic Costa was hit by Lionel Turner and fumbled. LSU's Kirston Pittman recovered at the Arizona 9. Two plays later, Addai scored on an eight-yard option play.
The next time they had the ball, the Tigers converted on third-and-18 when Mauck threw to a wide-open Clayton for a 21-yard gain to the Wildcats' 34. Mauck's four-yard keeper on an option play made it 24-0 with 12:52 remaining in the in the half.
Mauck's 48-yarder to Clayton put LSU up 31-0 with 9:32 still to go in the half.
Marcus Randall, who was 10-for-15 for 162 yards, replaced Mauck and threw a 55-yard scoring pass to Devery Henderson to make it 38-0 with 5:20 left in the half.
LSU gained 125 yards in the first quarter to Arizona's minus-5. The Tigers had a 331-67 yardage advantage by halftime.
The Wildcats' two quarterbacks, Costa and Ryan O'Hara, were a combined 1-for-12 for 19 yards in the first half.
Mauck returned to the game to direct a scoring drive to start the second half, then left for the night.
Arizona got two late touchdowns on Zeonte Sherman's 1-yard return of Alley Broussard's fumble and Clarence Farmer's 11-yard run.
``I'm very shocked,'' Costa said. ``We felt we really had a good game plan. I don't if we were overconfident or what happened.''
Skyler Green's 62-yard punt return wrapped up LSU's scoring with 5:40 to go.
LSU has outscored its first two opponents 108-21.
Updated on Sunday, Sep 7, 2003 2:39 am EDT
Preview - Box Score - Recap
By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer
September 7, 2003
AP - Sep 7, 1:40 am EDT
More Photos
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- LSU made a rare trip to the West and came away with its most one-sided road win in 45 years.
Matt Mauck completed nine of 10 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown, then watched the reserves finish off 13th-ranked LSU's 59-13 rout of Arizona on Saturday night.
Joseph Addai carried 18 times for 86 yards and a pair of scores in LSU's most lopsided road victory since the Tigers beat Tulane 62-0 in 1958.
Not that it impressed LSU coach Nick Saban much.
``There are things we're going to have to get better at when we play good football teams,'' he said.
It was the third-worst home loss for the Wildcats, behind a 75-0 beating by Michigan State in 1949 and a 65-12 loss to Colorado in 1958.
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The Tigers (2-0) had not won a nonconference road game since a win at Tulane in 1994, but their first game against a Pac-10 foe in 19 years was no contest.
Mauck scored on a four-yard run and connected with Michael Clayton on a 48-yard touchdown play as the Tigers scored on their first six possessions and led 38-0 at the half.
``With this offense, if we execute and do the things we're coached to do, we should be able to do that every game,'' Mauck said. ``But obviously I was a little surprised by how many points we were able to score so quick.''
LSU didn't punt until eight minutes remained in the game.
``They just thoroughly whipped us,'' Arizona coach John Mackovic said.
A crowd of 46,110, many of them lured by Arizona's 42-7 season-opening victory over UTEP a week earlier, watched as the Wildcats (1-1) succumbed quickly.
``They weren't as fired up as I thought they'd be,'' LSU safety Jack Hunt said. ``The little bit they had, we snuffed it out the first two series. We let them know we were here to play.''
AP - Sep 7, 1:19 am EDT
More Photos
The gathering included more than 5,000 rowdy LSU fans who drowned out the Arizona crowd as the margin grew.
``I didn't even feel like we were playing an away game,'' Saban said.
The Tigers took the opening kickoff and went 80 yards in 15 plays, converting three third-down situations on the way. LSU got a break when, on third and seven from its 23, Mauck's 12-yard pass to Clayton was ruled complete when replays showed the receiver dropped the ball.
Addai's 1-yard touchdown plunge capped the drive, which consumed the first 6:25 of the game.
After Arizona went three-and-out, Shyrone Carey's 35-yard punt return set up Ryan Gaudet's 47-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 4:23 to go.
On the Wildcats' next possession, quarterback Nic Costa was hit by Lionel Turner and fumbled. LSU's Kirston Pittman recovered at the Arizona 9. Two plays later, Addai scored on an eight-yard option play.
The next time they had the ball, the Tigers converted on third-and-18 when Mauck threw to a wide-open Clayton for a 21-yard gain to the Wildcats' 34. Mauck's four-yard keeper on an option play made it 24-0 with 12:52 remaining in the in the half.
Mauck's 48-yarder to Clayton put LSU up 31-0 with 9:32 still to go in the half.
Marcus Randall, who was 10-for-15 for 162 yards, replaced Mauck and threw a 55-yard scoring pass to Devery Henderson to make it 38-0 with 5:20 left in the half.
LSU gained 125 yards in the first quarter to Arizona's minus-5. The Tigers had a 331-67 yardage advantage by halftime.
The Wildcats' two quarterbacks, Costa and Ryan O'Hara, were a combined 1-for-12 for 19 yards in the first half.
Mauck returned to the game to direct a scoring drive to start the second half, then left for the night.
Arizona got two late touchdowns on Zeonte Sherman's 1-yard return of Alley Broussard's fumble and Clarence Farmer's 11-yard run.
``I'm very shocked,'' Costa said. ``We felt we really had a good game plan. I don't if we were overconfident or what happened.''
Skyler Green's 62-yard punt return wrapped up LSU's scoring with 5:40 to go.
LSU has outscored its first two opponents 108-21.
Updated on Sunday, Sep 7, 2003 2:39 am EDT