Max Johnson threw three touchdown passes and the LSU defense dominated visiting McNeese State in a 34-7 non-conference victory Saturday night in Baton Rouge.
Johnson completed 18 of 27 passes for 161 yards and no interceptions in less than three quarters. He threw two touchdown passes to Kayshon Boutte, who had caught three touchdowns in a 38-27 upset loss at UCLA a week earlier.
The Tigers (1-1) also got a record-setting performance from kicker Cade York, whose 55-yard field goal in the first half was the longest in Tiger Stadium history. He surpassed that with a 56-yarder in the fourth quarter.
The longest kick in LSU history is the 57-yarder that York made in a road victory against Florida last season.
The Tigers offense struggled behind an offensive line missing three starters due to injury but their defense overwhelmed the FCS Cowboys (0-2).
McNeese State quarterback Cody Orgeron, a son of LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, completed 10 of 20 passes for 91 yards with one touchdown and was sacked eight times.
The Tigers punted on their first two second-half possessions before Johnson and Boutte connected on a 6-yard touchdown for a 24-0 lead at the end of the period. York’s second record-setting kick of the night pushed the lead to 27-0.
Freshman Corey Kiner ran 23 yards for an LSU touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
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The Cowboys avoided a shutout when Orgeron threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Williams to complete the scoring.
On its first drive, LSU converted two fourth downs, the second of which was a 19-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Trey Palmer for a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigers recovered a fumble at the Cowboys 28, leading to Johnson’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Boutte and a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
York’s first record-setting field goal pushed the lead to 17-0 lead at halftime.
–Field Level Media