The LSU Tigers went into the fourth weekend of the 2015 NCAA football season undefeated and on the road against Syracuse. After their game on Saturday, the 8th-ranked Tigers were 3-0 and looking forward to next week’s challenge. They’re also happy with one of the key players that has brought so much success this season. Running back Leonard Fournette isn’t just helping them win — he’s got himself in the lead position to win the Heisman Trophy.
Last week, Fournette ran for over 200 yards as the Tigers trounced Auburn to move to 2-0. On Saturday, some mistakes and a lot of penalties helped Syracuse stay in the game, but as ESPN recapped, LSU still ended up winning 34-24.
In the meantime, Fournette ran for an LSU road rushing record of 244 yards. Had it not been for an illegal formation penalty, he would have easily broken the single-game record of 250 yards.
Not so fast! 87-yarder by #LeonardFournette called back; motion penalty; would have topped 300 http://t.co/Mq0eNusELR pic.twitter.com/21aTJJHlR4
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) September 26, 2015
It was the fifth straight 100-yard rushing game for Leonard Fournette and the eighth of his young career. He became the first LSU running back in history to rush for 200 yards in consecutive games, and one of only three LSU backs ever with multiple 200-yard rushing games.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED pic.twitter.com/h0lGNJ9X22
— The LSU Logo (@LSU_Logo) September 26, 2015
Early in the game, he gained 48 yards to set up his 14-yard scoring run, but it came on a busted play. LSU quarterback Brandon Harris was trying to avoid a sack and flipped the ball to Fournette who just took off. He wasn’t entirely ready, but he made it work.
“I was blocking, it was second-and-long, and when he was going down I said, ‘Brandon, Brandon,’ and he tossed me the ball. I almost dropped it. I just wanted to put our team in a good situation.”
Later, he had a 62-yard touchdown run that was not taken away after he broke through the middle of the line and couldn’t be caught.
As Deadspin stated, it’s far too early to put anyone’s name on the Heisman Trophy just yet, but it’s hard to find someone else making as strong a case for it as Leonard Fournette. Through three games, he has 631 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground and he’s averaging over 210 yards per game rushing.
Leonard Fournette is not just paving his way to the Heisman Trophy, he’s plowing over defenders to get there. Luckily for LSU, they’re following his path to being undefeated and hoping it continues all the way to a championship.
[Image via Getty Images/Ronald Martinez]