LSU’s 194-Yard Ground Game Found a Three-Part Formula

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LSU did not need one running back to own the night. The Tigers beat Texas A&M with a layered rushing plan: Dilin Jones supplied the base, Harlem Berry supplied the burst, and backup quarterback Landen Clark finished drives near the goal line. Together, the approach gave LSU balance without forcing one player to carry the entire load.

Quick Answer

LSU rushed 38 times for 194 yards and three touchdowns in its 35-6 win over No. 23 Texas A&M on September 26, 2026. Dilin Jones led the Tigers with 63 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, Harlem Berry added 58 yards on seven attempts, and backup quarterback Landen Clark ran nine times for 41 yards and two scores. LSU averaged 5.1 yards per carry and did not lose a fumble.

What made LSU’s running game work?

The official LSU game book shows a backfield that created efficiency through role clarity. LSU gained 203 positive rushing yards, lost only nine and finished with 194 net. The longest gain was Jones’ 36-yard run on the Tigers’ first touchdown drive, but the production did not depend on a single breakaway play.

Jones handled the steadier workload. Berry changed the pace. Clark added a quarterback-run element that Texas A&M had to defend near the goal line. Sam Leavitt also contributed 22 yards on five carries, making the ground game less predictable than a traditional handoff rotation.

The approach complemented the explosive passing game described in TigerHype’s zero-sack Sam Leavitt analysis. Texas A&M could not sell out against the run without exposing itself to deep shots, and it could not sit in coverage without conceding efficient rushing lanes.

Dilin Jones gave LSU the reliable base

Jones carried 14 times for 63 yards and scored from one yard to finish LSU’s first touchdown drive. His 36-yard burst was the Tigers’ longest run, but his value extended beyond rushing. He caught three passes for 22 yards and finished with 85 yards from scrimmage.

Before kickoff, TigerHype argued that LSU should lean on Jones against Texas A&M. LSU did exactly that without overloading him. Fourteen carries were enough to establish a base while leaving room for Berry and Clark to attack different stress points.

Harlem Berry supplied the explosive changeup

Berry’s seven carries produced 58 yards, an 8.3-yard average, with a long of 18. His workload was smaller, but his efficiency forced Texas A&M to respect fresh speed whenever he entered. That matters because a change-of-pace back is most dangerous when the defense cannot treat his substitution as a predictable play call.

The McNeese game offers LSU a logical chance to expand Berry’s menu. More early-down carries, screens and two-back looks could show whether his efficiency can hold when opponents get more film and a larger sample.

Landen Clark became the red-zone closer

Clark, LSU’s backup quarterback, ran nine times for 41 yards and scored twice in the third quarter. His four-yard touchdown made it 28-3, and his two-yard score capped a 75-yard drive for the final margin. The value was not deception alone. Clark ran with enough power and decisiveness to function as a true short-yardage answer.

That package also protects Leavitt from unnecessary goal-line collisions. With Leavitt managing a calf issue, using Clark in selected high-contact situations can preserve the starter while still forcing defenses to account for a quarterback runner.

Why the blocking deserves attention

The line allowed zero sacks and cleared the way for 5.1 yards per rush. Tight end usage also mattered. TigerHype previewed Zach Grace’s blocking role as a way to reshape the offense, and LSU’s balance showed why extra surface area and formation flexibility matter even when the tight end does not record a catch.

The 35-6 final-score report will be remembered for the margin. The sustainable lesson is that LSU produced 506 total yards because the run game and pass protection reinforced each other.

What should LSU carry forward against McNeese?

The answer is not simply more carries. LSU should preserve the distinct jobs: Jones as the stabilizer, Berry as the explosive changeup and Clark as the situational quarterback-run threat. That structure gives Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. answers without making personnel substitutions easy tells.

McNeese also provides a chance to test depth and ball security. LSU did not lose a fumble against Texas A&M, and maintaining that standard while broadening the rotation would make the October 3 game useful beyond the scoreboard.