SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 24, 2011

Jarrett Lee threw three touchdown passes and No. 3 LSU survived a second-half scare from No. 16 West Virginia to pull away for a 47-21 victory on Saturday in Morgantown, W.Va.

The win was LSU’s third over a ranked opponent this season and the Tigers beat West Virginia for the second straight year. LSU (4-0) extended its nation-best regular-season non-conference winning streak to 36 games.

After West Virginia (3-1) cut the lead to 27-21 late in the third quarter, Morris Claiborne ran the ensuing kickoff back 99 yards for a touchdown. Claiborne broke two separate tackles and snuck up the left sideline to suck the life out of a re-energized crowd at Milan Puskar Stadium.

Mountaineers quarterback Geno Smith was 38-of-65 for 463 yards, including 187 to wide receiver Tavon Austin. Smith had two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Michael Ford had two rushing touchdowns for LSU, giving him five on the season.

West Virginia outgained LSU in the first half but trailed 27-7 because of three turnovers, the most costly of which came in the final minute.

With 37 seconds left in the second quarter, LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu tipped a pass up in the air at the line of scrimmage, intercepted it and returned it to the 1-yard line. Two plays later, Lee hit Chase Clement for his third touchdown pass of the half to give the Tigers a 20-point cushion at the break.

West Virginia battled poor field position throughout as all six of LSU punter Brad Wing’s punts pinned the Mountaineers’ inside the 10-yard line.