By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU true freshman wide receiver Corey Barber Jr. caught four passes in the first half for 45 yards, including touchdowns of six and 12 yards, as the Tigers took a 35-0 lead at the break.
No. 11 LSU quickly took a 49-0 lead with two touchdowns in the third quarter.
Barber, the No. 9 receiver in the nation out of Clay-Chalkville High in Pinson, Alabama, near Birmingham, Alabama, in the class of 2026, came into the game with one catch for 15 yards in three previous games. His 6-yard TD catch from quarterback Sam Leavitt put the Tigers up 28-0 with 4:01 to play in the second quarter. Minutes later, Leavitt found Barber again for a 12-yard TD and 35-0 lead with :57 to go.
Sophomore running back Harlem Berry also got more playing time than usual as he carried 10 times for a team-high 89 yards in the first half. Dilin Jones started as usual at running back and gained 79 yards on 16 carries. Eugene Wilson III also caught four passes for 58 yards.
Wide receiver Winnie Watkins Jr. grabbed three passes for 40 yards, and wide receiver Jackson Harris caught three for 17 yards.
LSU edge rusher Damien Shanklin is not dressed out for this game as he was last week. https://t.co/AcTcCmOOU5
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 4, 2026
Roman Mothershed, who was moved to tight end from wide receiver last week, caught two passes for 11 yards with a 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead.
Barber, Berry and Mothershed were listed by Tiger Rag last week among eight reserve players to watch against McNeese State.
Leavitt started the game despite nursing a hamstring injury and showed no signs of the injury as he completed 18 of 23 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.
Backup quarterback Landen Clark started the second half for the Tigers. He scored on a 3-yard run for a 21-0 LS:U lead with 7:37 to go before halftime.
Talked to Cecil Collins outside Tiger Stadium tonight. Then talked to Kevin Faulk in the elevator before McNeese State game. All that’s missing is Rondell Mealey and Kendall Cleveland from the 1997 backfield. Collins also played at McNeese in 1998.
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 3, 2026
McNeese State opened the game with a 30-yard drive in seven plays, which was the longest opening drive by an LSU opponent this season. But it ended when LSU safety Tamarcus Cooley intercepted quarterback Jake Strong and returned it 21 yards to the McNeese 48-yard line, setting up the Tigers’ first score.
LSU outgained McNeese in the first half 347 yards to 31 and had 20 first downs to two.
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