Max Johnson threw four touchdown passes and visiting LSU held on to defeat Mississippi State 28-25 in an SEC game Saturday afternoon at Starkville, Miss.

Johnson, who threw a career-high five touchdowns in a victory against Central Michigan last week, completed 17-of-27 passes for 280 yards with one interception as the Tigers (3-1, 1-0 SEC) won their third consecutive game after a season-opening defeat at UCLA.

Two of Johnson's TD passes went to Kayshon Boutte, who has eight touchdown catches this season.

The LSU defense contained the Bulldogs' passing offense until the final minutes after Mississippi State had an SEC-record 623 passing yards in a 44-34 victory against the Tigers last season.

Will Rogers completed 47-of-62 passes for 371 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for Mississippi State (2-2, 0-1).

On the second play from scrimmage after halftime, Johnson and Boutte connected on a 64-yard touchdown pass that gave LSU a 14-3 lead.

Johnson then threw a 58-yard touchdown to Trey Palmer to increase the lead to 21-3 with 3:35 remaining in the third quarter.

Rogers threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Makai Polk with 26 seconds remaining in the quarter to cut the Tigers' lead to 21-10.

Johnson threw a 41-yard pass to Kole Taylor to increase the lead to 28-10 with 11:32 remaining in the game.

Rogers threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Austin Williams and a 16-yarder to Jo'quavious Marks with a two-point conversion to cut the LSU advantage to 28-25 with 1:53 remaining. The Bulldogs' ensuing onside kick failed.

LSU forced a fumble on the first possession of the game and Damone Clark returned the ball 35 yards to the MSU 35. The Tigers converted a fourth-and-1 on their way to Johnson's 11-yard touchdown pass to Boutte for a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Bulldogs used 14 plays to drive 80 yards to Nolan McCord's 23-yard field goal that cut the lead to 7-3 and it stayed that way at the end of the first half.

--Field Level Media