As LSU moves into the quieter stretch of its season, the word hanging over everything is the one Lane Kiffin probably least enjoys hearing: caution.
That’s a sharp turn for a coach whose defining moment in LSU’s first month came when he looked at fourth-and-1 from the LSU 43 against Texas A&M and stayed true to himself. LSU hired Kiffin to be bold, and he answered with an aggressive call that turned into a 57-yard touchdown pass from Sam Leavitt to Jackson Harris, a play-action strike that had Texas A&M yell leaders yelling “Oh no!” It was classic Kiffin - the kind of call that screams why LSU wanted him in the first place.
But the season’s tone has shifted. LSU’s first act brought all the noise and drama that came with lawsuits, legal brinksmanship, overflowing emotions and the kind of national storylines that land on “SportsCenter.” Through all of that, the Tigers went 3-1 and climbed back to their No. 11 preseason AP ranking after four games.
Now the story changes. LSU hosts McNeese State on what could be a rainy Saturday night in Tiger Stadium at 6:45 p.m. on SEC Network, and Kiffin has already acknowledged he may consider holding out some key players. That idea comes after a rash of injuries that has hit LSU hard, with at least six major season-ending or long-term losses to important pieces like linebacker Whit Weeks, tight end Trey’Dez Green, Star (safety) Dashawn Spears, and a hamstring issue that has Leavitt listed as a concern.
On paper, this is the softest part of the schedule. ESPN lists McNeese, which is 2-3, as a 53½-point underdog.
LSU could probably get by with backup Landen Clark if Leavitt sits. The Tigers could probably even line up Jontre Kirklin - the wide receiver who had to play quarterback in LSU’s 2021 Texas Bowl - and still come away with the win.
That reality is what makes the decision so interesting. Kiffin does not sound like a coach eager to play it safe, and his weekly news conference made that clear. Still, the logic for protecting bodies now is hard to ignore when the bigger stretch is looming.
And that stretch is where the season gets tricky. LSU goes to Kentucky next Saturday, comes home for Mississippi State, then finishes the month at Auburn.
None of those games will be easy enough for the Tigers to sleepwalk through, even if they’re favored in all three. Any one of them could become the kind of stumble that changes the whole shape of the season if LSU isn’t careful.
That’s the point of this middle act. Survive it, and the final stretch becomes the real stage.
LSU still has back-to-back home games with Alabama and Texas, then a trip to Tennessee, where the atmosphere figures to be every bit as hostile as what Kiffin saw in Oxford a couple of weeks ago. The regular season closes with a post-Thanksgiving trip to Arkansas, which right now looks like the neat counterpart to McNeese at the other end of the schedule.
For LSU, the second act is about getting to the third act in one piece. If that means being cautious now so the Tigers can keep playing for something meaningful in November, so be it.
In Other News...
LSUs Biggest Problem Just Got Harder To Ignore After Kentucky
LSUs overtime loss to Kentucky did more than sting in the standings, it put a sharper spotlight on how thin the margin is for this team heading into a tougher stretch. There were bright spots scattered throughout the game, including Jackson Harris contributing on both ends with a touchdown throw and catch, while Dilin Jones helped keep the offense moving as a receiver and TJ Dottery made his presence felt on defense.
Sam Leavitts night summed up the frustration. He moved the ball well enough through the air to keep LSU in it, but the late turnovers ended up carrying too much weight in a game the Tigers could not afford to let slip away. With the schedule about to get less forgiving, the question is no longer whether LSU has playmakers, but whether it can clean up the mistakes before they start defining the season. [Read more 🡒]
LSU's Bigger Worry After This Win Is Hard To Ignore
LSU got a useful tune-up out of its exhibition win over Central Florida, but the bigger takeaway was how thin the roster looked while still managing an 85-81 result. Will Wades team had to lean hard on its available pieces, and senior transfer Abdi Bashir Jr. and point guard Donovan Dent carried much of the load as the Tigers tried to sort out what this group can be when it is whole.
Bashir poured in 26 points and Dent added 21 points with 11 assists, a reminder that LSU has firepower at the top of the rotation even before the real games begin. Wade is still waiting on additional help to get cleared in time for the regular season opener on November 3, and that uncertainty hangs over an early stretch that should tell a lot about how quickly this team can settle in. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Mississippi State Outlook Suddenly Hinges On One Huge Unknown
The first injury report for LSU and Mississippi State has already added an edge to a matchup that was shaping up as a revealing one for both teams. LSU will head into the game without several players, including Trey'Dez Green and Whit Weeks, while Tylen Singleton is listed as questionable, leaving the Tigers to sort through some notable availability questions before kickoff.
Mississippi States biggest concern is at quarterback, where Kamario Taylor is questionable because of a foot injury. His status looms over the Bulldogs preparation and could shape how they approach the game, with Fridays update expected to carry major weight for a team trying to settle its offensive outlook before facing LSU. [Read more 🡒]