Baton Rouge, LA—-The LSU Tigers didn’t waste anytime in getting wide receiver Kayshon Boutte involved early. He set the tone for LSU and the rest is history. He finished with five receptions for 42 yards and a carry for 41 yards.
Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels went 10-for-11 for 137 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday night to lead the Tigers to a commanding 65-17 win over Southern in Tiger Stadium.
LSU improved to 1-1 with the victory, while Southern dropped to 1-1 on the year.
The Tigers wasted no time scoring 37 points in the opening quarter, which is the most points scored in a quarter in their school history.
LSU’s 37 points in the first quarter marked the most points in a single period in school history. The previous mark was 35 points, set in the third quarter versus Rice in 1977 and in the fourth quarter at Tulane in 1958.
The Tigers forced three turnovers. Two were on special teams. The third was a pick-six by Micah Baskerville in the first quarter. LSU’s special teams also blocked a punt, which resulted in a safety. The game was essentially over by the half but the real story was the battle of the bands.
The 102k plus fans who filed into Tiger Stadium for the night came to the game to watch the marching bands — LSU’s Golden Band from Tiger Land and SU’S Human Jukebox — both took the field separately and then jointly to entertain the fans.
Despite not having enough seating in the stands during the first half, the visitors took the field first, and were treated like celebrities — by both the crowd and by the LSU marching band. The Southern band was limited to just six minutes on the field, with The Fabulous Dancing Dolls strutting their stuff across the field.
The two bands came together and made history. Baton Rouge’s SEC school and its SWAC school took the same field together at halftime and gave the entire city something to cheer and dance to. Both bands teamed up to perform the classic “Cupid Shuffle” and 102k plus fans went bananas.
The routine was put together by the two band directors — LSU’s Kelvin Jones and SU’s Kedric Taylor.
“It’s been a very unique week, but it was great putting it together,” Jones said after the performance. Kendric’s a brother of mine. Fraternally and spiritually, I’ve known him for decades. Getting a chance to put two iconic programs on the field — something like this broadcast on national TV — it’s a blessing. Really is a blessing.”
This wasn’t the first joint performance between a Power Five marching band alongside an HBCU — they just had one in Chapel Hill a few weeks back — but this one was between two universities that routinely represent the same city on a national and international stage and it was a memorable one.
LSU returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 17, to host Mississippi State in the SEC opener.
