Paul Finebaum didn’t spend Sunday talking about the football alone after Alabama’s 31-13 win at LSU. He spent a good chunk of it talking about Kevin Costner, who was along for the pregame spectacle and, in Finebaum’s view, got caught in the middle of a rough night in Baton Rouge.
The actor took part in Tiger Walk with Lane Kiffin and others before the Tigers’ loss to the Crimson Tide, and Finebaum blasted the scene during his weekly appearance on “The Matt Barrie” show.
“I genuinely felt badly for Kevin Costner who looked like an absolute fool walking next to Lane Kiffin yesterday,” Finebaum said. “He’s one of the great actors of his time (and he’s being used) as a stage prop, a carnival act in Baton Rouge.
“I mean Livey (Dunne), Angel (Reese), Shaq. Who they going to get for the next home game? Would anyone want to be seen walking off that bus with Lane Kiffin after this horror show last night?”
If Tiger Walk was the headline before kickoff, Alabama made sure the football became the story by the end of the night.
Keelon Russell played through an ankle injury and threw for three touchdowns as the ninth-ranked Crimson Tide pulled away late. Alabama also came up with several huge stops on fourth down and beat No. 15 LSU 31-13 on Saturday.
The result kept Alabama in strong College Football Playoff position at 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the SEC. LSU dropped to 6-3 and 3-3, and the Tigers’ path from here looks like a long shot at best under first-year coach Lane Kiffin.
Kiffin’s own numbers against Alabama remain brutal. He fell to 0-6 in his coaching career against the Tide, including his previous stops at Mississippi and Tennessee.
LSU had chances to make the game tighter, but couldn’t finish drives. Sam Leavitt completed 35 of 47 passes for 380 yards, though he also threw an interception for the first time in three games.
The Tigers went 0 for 4 on fourth down, and those empty trips were paired with a missed field goal and a turnover in Alabama territory. The end result was just one touchdown for LSU.
One call in particular is sure to stick with Kiffin. Late in the game, he kept the offense on the field on fourth-and-10 from the LSU 25 with eight minutes remaining. Leavitt was sacked, and Alabama scored three plays later.
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LSU Star Took A Shot At Alabama Even After The Loss
Alabamas 31-13 win over LSU was built in the second half, when the Crimson Tide put together three touchdown drives and steadily pulled away from a game that had been tighter earlier on. The result pushed Alabama to 7-2 and left LSU at 6-3, a setback that did more than just dent the Tigers record.
Afterward, LSU safety Ty Benefield pointed the blame inward, saying the loss came down to his own teams mistakes rather than anything Alabamas offense did. It was the kind of postgame assessment that can linger, especially with LSUs playoff hopes now taking a hit and Alabama continuing to build momentum down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's Playoff Hopes Were Slipping Until One Drive Changed Everything
Alabamas playoff push had started to look shaky when LSU nudged ahead late in the third quarter, but the Tide steadied themselves just in time to keep the conversation alive. Kalen DeBoers team leaned into the kind of simple, disciplined football he has stressed all season, staying focused and executing when the game tightened up.
One drive flipped the feel of the night, sparked by Rico Scotts 57-yard reception and finished with a touchdown pass from Keelon Russell to Josh Ford. Ryan Coleman-Williams also made his presence felt in his return from injury, giving Alabama another needed piece as it found a way to answer LSU and protect its postseason hopes. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Fans Got Another Reason To Enjoy Lane Kiffins Misery
Lane Kiffins latest trip through Tuscaloosa ended the same way so many of the others have, with Alabama leaving him looking for answers. LSUs loss to the Crimson Tide pushed Kiffin to 0-6 against Alabama in his coaching career, and it came in a game where the Tide got enough from quarterback Keelon Russell to keep control even after Russell dealt with an injury. For Alabama fans, it was another satisfying chapter in a long-running storyline that has rarely gone their way when Kiffin is on the opposing sideline.
The biggest moment came late, when Kiffins fourth-and-10 decision turned into a sack and effectively shut the door on LSUs chances. It was the kind of call that invites second-guessing immediately, especially in a game already tilted by Alabamas steadier execution. For the Tide, the win was about more than just another conference result. It was also another reminder that Kiffins frustration against Alabama continues to pile up, one loss at a time. [Read more 🡒]