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David Ching, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Leonard Fournette nursing ankle injury; out for LSU home opener

College Football, LSU Tigers, Jacksonville St. Gamecocks

BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU running back Leonard Fournette did not play in Saturday night's 34-13 win over Jacksonville State as he continues to nurse a left ankle injury.

The Heisman Trophy contender was in a purple tracksuit, watching warm-ups, about 30 minutes prior to kickoff.

Coach Les Miles said late this week that Fournette's status would be a game-time decision and acknowledged after Saturday's win that he didn't have any intention of playing Fournette as the team took the field for pregame warm-ups. 

"I have to be honest with you, after he moved around, I don't think it's something that he wanted to do, and we're fortunate to have talented backs," Miles said. 

Fournette reinjured his left ankle late in LSU's 16-14 loss to Wisconsin last Saturday. He initially sprained the ankle in an August scrimmage and missed a week of practice, though Miles has said the injury is not a serious one.

Miles wasn't definitive about Fournette's status for next week's SEC opener against Mississippi State but sounded optimistic that he would be ready to play. 

"We should certainly see him back healthy here pretty quick," Miles said. 

Fournette accounted for 176 of LSU's 257 total yards against Wisconsin, a season after leading the FBS in rushing yards per game (162.8).

In his absence, running back Derrius Guice rushed for 155 yards, including a 4-yard TD and a 44-yard run to set up another LSU score.

"[Fournette] told me 'don't be nervous, do what we always do and just seize the moment because it's here now. You can't turn back,'" Guice said. "I just had to step up and take over while he wasn't there.

"That's a guy I look up to, and I want to be like him. Him having faith in me and giving me advice is always much-needed for me. Hopefully I can do it every time my name's called upon. That's the goal."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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