INDEPENDENCE BOWL : For LSU, It’s a Victory for Record Book

SHREVEPORT, La. — In a game filled with big offensive and special teams plays, it took the Louisiana State defense to break the Independence Bowl wide open Friday.

Gabe Northern’s 37-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown gave LSU an 11-point lead with 9:20 left in the third quarter. Less than a minute later, Allen Stansberry’s interception set up another score and the Tigers went on to beat Michigan State, 45-26.

Freshman Kevin Faulk rushed for an Independence Bowl record 234 yards and scored two touchdowns. His five-yard run on the second play of the third quarter gave LSU (7-4-1) the lead for good at 28-24.

Michigan State (6-5-1) had seven turnovers. The two in the third quarter helped beat them.

LSU’s Eddie Kennison set a bowl record with a 92-yard kickoff return in the second quarter. He held the record only 13 seconds before Derrick Mason broke it with a 100-yard return.

In all, there were 14 Independence Bowl records set, including the six touchdowns scored by LSU, which last played in a bowl game in the 1988 Hall of Fame Bowl.