The LSU Tigers dominated the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday, cruising to a 31-0 victory. The Tigers were against the wall, and Lane Kiffin's team responded with a big-time win.
However, LSU hasn't left a game unscathed this year. Princewill Umanmielen and Jackson Harris exited the game with injuries and didn't return.
They join a long list of injured players on the roster.
Too Many Injuries to Overcome?
The Bulldogs were without starting quarterback Kamario Taylor, but Kiffin said his team is banged up as anyone.
"I know you're going to talk about injuries, and that'll be a storyline, but hey, there ain't any team in America that has more significant players standing on the sideline than us," Kiffin said. "So not a lot of pity there."
Umanmielen left in the first quarter, and Harris limped off the sideline in the third quarter. Jordan Ross stepped up in Umanmielen's absence, recording a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss. Kiffin didn't have a firm update on either player after the game.
"Yeah, both didn't return, which again not a lot of pity for injuries, all the ones coming in, the two number sevens don't play for us and haven't been playing, and then another significant player in him [Umanmielen] goes out early and wasn't able to return," Kiffin said. "The doctors held him, which obviously was the right thing to do, so that's all I got for you."
Kiffin isn't wrong. Trey'Dez Green, Whit Weeks, and Dashawn Spears were already out for this game. If Umanmielen and Harris miss time, the Tigers' depth is thin. LSU deserves credit for hanging on without its key stars, but eventually, they won't have enough firepower to win.
"We had a lot of people sitting on our sideline and won 31-0," Kiffin said. "This team was built to be a championship team with significant players and starters that I still say can match up with anybody if we were healthy. And when those injuries happen, it's hard."
While some star players are recovering, LSU has to stay afloat. The Tigers will hit the road to face Auburn, which is coming off a big-time upset over Georgia. While it's an early kickoff, Joran-Hare Stadium will be rocking next week.
After the Auburn game, LSU will get a much-needed bye week before a difficult stretch against Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee. Hopefully, Kiffin's team will be healthier by then.
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