Oct 24, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during the second quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
BATON ROUGE, La. — If only for a moment, Jamal Adams resurrected a maligned unit.
Then, he sealed his team’s fate.
Adams, a safety, playing on a special teams unit that ranked 114th out of 128 in special teams efficiency when Saturday began, stripped wide receiver Kylan Towner on a third-quarter kickoff to spark a frenzied stretch that saw LSU score three touchdowns in less than five minutes to put away Western Kentucky, 48-20.
Adams’ strip followed Trent Domingue’s second field goal of the third quarter and paved the way for running back Leonard Fournette to provide some separation, scoring from a yard out three plays later to push the LSU lead to 27-13.
Hilltopper quarterback Brandon Doughty, who completed his first six passes of the half, found Adams on the next drive, flinging an errant throw that easily was intercepted.
Three plays later, Tiger quarterback Brandon Harris created time in a broken down pocket to find wide receiver Tyron Johnson, who wrestled a 61-yard touchdown away from two defenders.
Harris outdueled Doughty — the nation’s second leading passer — with a career-high 286 yards and three touchdowns to three receivers.
Doughty, who attempted a season-high 62 passes, found a wide-open wide receiver Antwane Grant for a 39-yard touchdown strike on the Hilltoppers’ first second-half possession, eluding coverage and streaking wide open down the sidelines to pull the visitors within four at 17-13 after a missed extra point.
Though infrequent, heavy rain fell throughout the first half, it was two huge pass plays that sent LSU into the half with a 14-7 lead.
Harris rolled out on the Tigers’ fifth play from scrimmage, finding a wide-open wide receiver Malachi Dupre in the middle of the field for a 55-yard touchdown — the longest reception of the season for the sophomore receiver to cap a 70-yard drive.
Missing a starting cornerback and with an in-game injury to another, LSU’s secondary held Doughty to 128 yards on a 16-for-30 clip, which included three pass break-ups.
Doughty set up the Hilltoppers’ only score of the first half with the run, handing it to running back De’Andre Ferby who scampered 35 yards to put Western Kentucky in the red zone on its first drive of the second quarter. Two plays later, Doughty shoveled a pass in the face of pressure, connecting with running back Anthony Wales for the tying touchdown.
Harris, who completed just four passes in the first half, countered with a strike to wide receiver Travin Dural from his own 7-yard-line late in the half, resulting in a 67-yard gain.
Five plays later, running back Darrell Williams plunged in from 2 yards out to put the Tigers up 14-7 with 1:25 left.
NOTES: LSU’s defense was without two key juniors — cornerback Tre’Davious White and tackle Christian LaCouture — due to injuries suffered in practice. … Doughty threw a touchdown pass for the 22nd consecutive game, which was the second-longest streak in the nation coming into the game, trailing TCU’s Trevone Boykin by one game. … RB Leonard Fournette rushed for 150 yards, giving him nine straight 100-yard games and tying the LSU school record.
