Is LSU overrated? That was a question posed to the ESPN talking heads prior to kickoff in last night’s game between the Bayou Bengals and the fighting Crooms of Mississippi State in Starkville. And after last night’s game, one would have to say that based solely on last night and nothing else, the answer to that question is yes. Forget the score. Everything you need to know about LSU and how good they may or may not be can be found in the first quarter and a half of that game. You know, the part where, despite Michael Henig’s two bonehead turnovers, the Tigers managed to muster only a field goal. I heard some talk in postgame that maybe offensive coordinator Gary Crowton was trying not to tip his hand, trying not to give Virginia Tech too much to look at leading up to the season’s best nonconference game next weekend in Baton Rouge. But come on. You mean to tell me in the first half, the Tigers barely managed to score 17 points off four Henig interceptions on purpose? No way. Defensively, LSU is an absolute nightmare. Glenn Dorsey is every bit as good as advertised and Tyson Jackson looks better because he plays with Dorsey, who is hands-down the best defensive lineman in America. Jonathan Zenon and Chevis Jackson may be the best pair of corners in college football and Craig Steltz looked like a dominant safety last night but offensively, there are big question marks starting with the unit’s ability to sustain a drive and score in the red zone. You have to be concerned about that if you’re Les Miles given that this team has to find a way to score points against Virginia Tech next week and Virginia Tech’s defense is a lot tougher than Mississippi State’s. LSU really leaned on the defense for most of the first half but against a better opponent, they may not be able to lean that long. One thing became unmistakably clear last night: LSU isn’t ready for USC. They may not even be ready for Alabama.

This is Slyvester Croom’s last year in Starkville and last night solidified that. What I don’t understand about Mississippi State’s gameplan last night is why they abandoned the run. The most effective and sustained drives of last night’s game for MSU came when they handed sophomore Tony Dixon the ball and let him break tackles and make plays. Given two quick, stupid interceptions, why in the world would you trust Michael Henig to continue throwing the ball? Especially in the rain?!? It defies logic. You have to wonder if the Mississippi State coaching staff looked up at the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter, saw the score and panicked. But make no mistake, Henig is the reason Mississippi State lost that ballgame last night. You cannot throw four interceptions in the first half against any college football team, let alone the second best team in the country, and expect to win or even compete in games. It was always a bad situation in Starkville for Slyvester Croom but Michael Henig really sealed his coach’s fate last night. Getting shutout at home on national television is never good for job security.

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Patrick Donohue is a reporter and sports columnist at The Destin Log in Destin, Fla.