No. 4 LSU scored its most points in a non-overtime game since 1977, smashing Vanderbilt by a 66-38 score at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday afternoon.
LSU (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) scored four first-quarter touchdowns in just 4:35 of possession time, opening a 21-point lead at the end of the period.
Quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 357 yards and four touchdowns and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had 199 yards receiving and three scores - both totals in the first half alone - for an offense that racked up 419 yards before the break.
Burrow finished 25-of-34 for 398 yards and six touchdowns and no interceptions, with Chase catching 10 for 229.
Vanderbilt running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn rushed for 130 yards and two scores. Vandy got defensive touchdowns from outside linebacker Elijah McAllister and cornerback Randall Haynie.
Trailing 38-17, the Commodores (0-3, 0-2) tried an onside kick to start the second half, which LSU linebacker Micah Baskerville returned to the Vandy 6. Burrow hit wide receiver Racey McMath for a touchdown on the next play.
Vaughn answered with a 52-yard scoring run, but Chase caught his fourth TD of the game - a 16-yarder from Burrow in tight coverage - with 9:29 left in the third.
Vaughn galloped 45 yards through a gaping hole on the right side on the game's first snap. Seven plays later, he dragged a pile of defenders into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown run.
But LSU raced five plays in 73 seconds on its first drive, evening the score on Burrow's scoring strike to wide receiver Justin Jefferson and kicker Cade York's PAT.
After Vandy's three-and-out, Burrow hit Chase with a short pass just across mid-field on the next snap, as he out-ran the Vandy defense for a 64-yard score.
After another Vandy three-and-out, the Tigers added a third touchdown just 10:02 into the game on running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire's 9-yard rushing score.
After the Tigers held Vandy on downs at their 30, Chase scored LSU's fourth touchdown of the first quarter on a 25-yard pass from Burrow.
With 1:56 left in the second quarter, Chase added a 51-yard catch-and-run for his third score of the first half.
Baskerville blocked and recovered a punt for a third-quarter score with 7:22 left, giving the Tigers a 59-24 advantage.
The Tigers scored 72 against Texas A&M last year, but that came in seven overtimes. Saturday's scoring output was otherwise LSU's most points since a 66-7 win over Wyoming on Nov. 26, 1977.
LSU starting linebacker Michael Divinity exited the game with a second-quarter leg injury and didn't return.
Vanderbilt honored its 2019 national championship baseball team before the game.
--Field Level Media