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LSU-Vanderbilt Preview

Sep 7, 2010 - 8:35 PM By NOEY KUPCHAN STATS Writer

No. 12 LSU (1-0) at Vanderbilt (0-1), 7:00 p.m. EDT

After nearly suffering a letdown in its opener, LSU hopes to avoid what would be a significantly bigger one.

The No. 19 Tigers seek a better effort from start-to-finish Saturday as they begin SEC play against Vanderbilt, which has gone about two decades without a win in this series and nearly a year without one against any opponent.

LSU (1-0) will be looking for its seventh straight win over the Commodores (0-1), a streak that dates back to Vanderbilt's 24-21 home victory Sept. 22, 1990.

The Tigers have outscored the Commodores 139-42 in the last six meetings, including a 23-9 victory last season behind a mistake-free performance from quarterback Jordan Jefferson. That defeat was part of an 0-8 record in SEC action for Vanderbilt, which has lost nine straight overall since defeating Rice on Sept. 26.

Jefferson also led the way for the Tigers against then-No. 18 North Carolina last Saturday, completing 15 of 21 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the 30-24 victory. He hooked up with receiver Rueben Randle for a 51-yard TD late in the second quarter to put LSU up 30-10.

However, the Tigers failed to score in the second half and had to survive a late surge by the Tar Heels, who were without many of their players due to suspensions for multiple infractions.

LSU coach Les Miles, 18-9 since leading the Tigers to the 2007 national title, was far from pleased after his team was held to 313 total yards and committed five turnovers.

"We won a football game tonight in very sloppy fashion," Miles said. "If we just play efficient football, this game is not even close. We've got to tie up some loose ends right now."

Return specialist Patrick Peterson played a huge part in the Tigers' victory. He picked apart a depleted North Carolina special teams unit for an 87-yard TD in the second quarter and went on to set a school record with 257 return yards.

"I expect he will have more evenings and Saturday afternoons like that in his career." Miles said.

The junior cornerback was recently named to the watch list for the 2010 Jim Thorpe Award, given to college football's best defensive back. Peterson, also on the Lott Trophy and Nagurski Trophy watch lists, is the reigning SEC special teams player of the week.

"(Peterson) is a corner that could probably play for most NFL clubs right now." Vanderbilt coach Robbie Caldwell said.

Though the Commodores lost 23-21 to Northwestern last Saturday in its season opener, Caldwell was pleased with the performance after having to start nine new players.

"We had 400 yards of offense and the defense played well," he said.

Zac Stacy ran for a 33-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but Vanderbilt failed to convert the two-point conversion due to a botched snap.

The Commodores also received a good performance from junior quarterback Larry Smith, who was 19 of 30 for 240 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 48 yards.

Smith, though, was held to 88 yards passing and completed just 11 of 24 attempts against LSU last season. He was sacked three times, intercepted once and ran for minus-6 yards on 13 carries.