Daniels, Nabers Unstoppable; Football Rolls Past Mississippi State, 41-14

STARKVILLE — Quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Malik Nabers were an unstoppable force for an LSU offense that accounted for 530 total yards on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium, leading the No. 14 Tigers past Mississippi State 41-14 in the SEC opener.Completing his first 13 passes of the game, Daniels found a rhythm early and never looked back, recording his ninth career 300-yard passing game, finishing 30-of-34 for 361 yards and four total touchdowns, two coming through the air and two on the ground.“Our team, from my perspective, was prepared and excited to be playing on the road against a quality opponent,” said head coach Brian Kelly postgame. “I loved the way they thought about this trip. You can look at it as an early morning start and an hour bus ride, or you can look at it as a great opportunity.”On Thursday, Kelly’s message was simple: start fast, build momentum, and leave no doubt. Message received. In the first half, Daniels and Nabers put on an offensive clinic. Nabers was targeted 10 times and reeled in 10 catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns, finishing the game with 13 catches for 239 yards.“We wanted to start fast,” Nabers said postgame. “We knew it was going to be an early game. We came out here with the right mindset.”Nabers’ first half performance tied Josh Reed for the best half by an LSU receiver. Reed also had 10 receptions against Alabama in 2001, finishing that game with 19 receptions, a single-game record for an LSU receiver. Nabers also recorded four catches of 25+ yards in the first half, which was the most for an LSU player in the opening half of a game since Ja’Marr Chase in 2019 vs. Vanderbilt.Freshman Whit Weeks made the first two tackles of the game for the Tigers and finished with a team-leading eight, along with a QB hurry. Sophomore Harold Perkins finished with four tackles, one sack, and one pass breakup. Andre Sam tallied four tackles of his own.“Whit can run,” Kelly said. “He can go sideline to sideline. If he sees an open gap, he’s going to take it. Greg Penn knows the defense. He’s assignment correct. He’s a main cog and the guys really feel comfortable with him out there.”LSU returns to Tiger Stadium on Saturday night to host Arkansas for a 6 p.m. CT kick on ESPN.Check back shortly for the full recap.