LSU’s first season under Lane Kiffin is already veering into dangerous territory after the Tigers fell on the road to Kentucky in overtime.
That loss pushed LSU deeper into a hole in a year that already came with plenty of turnover. The program brought in a new regime and more than 50 new faces on the roster, but the results so far look uncomfortably familiar to last season. With six games left and two losses already on the board, the margin for error is getting thin fast.
The biggest issue facing LSU is pretty clear: this team still has to prove it can win away from home, and it still has to clean up the explosive plays it keeps giving up.
The road record is blank so far. LSU has already lost at Ole Miss, and in that game the Tigers were buried in the first half before mounting a second-half push. Against Kentucky, they dropped a second straight road game, this one in heartbreaking overtime fashion.
There are still three road games left, and two of them look manageable on paper. LSU still has trips to Auburn and Arkansas, both of which have struggled in SEC play this year. Tucked between those games, though, is a trip to Knoxville to face Tennessee, which stands as another major test.
The other problem is LSU’s habit of allowing chunk plays. Against Kentucky, the Wildcats ripped off 10 big plays for 245 total yards. In this case, big plays are defined as rushes of more than 10 yards and completed passes of 15 yards or more.
That pattern has shown up in other recent games, too. Against Texas A&M, LSU gave up eight big plays for 115 yards. Against Ole Miss, it allowed 12 for 250 yards.
With two top-10 opponents still left on the schedule, LSU’s season is far from over. But if the Tigers keep bleeding explosive plays and keep coming up short on the road, the rest of the year could get away from them quickly. One more loss could be the difference between a playoff push in Kiffin’s first year and a season that collapses into a major disappointment.
In Other News...
Arkansas Heads Into Vanderbilt With Its Offense Under Pressure
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Vanderbilt now offers the next chance to show whether Arkansas can settle into a more reliable rhythm and handle the kind of in-game adjustments that separate a functional offense from an inconsistent one. For a team trying to prove it can execute cleanly and adapt when things go sideways, this game carries extra weight because the answers matter as much as the result. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas' Fourth Quarter Failure Left One Offensive Question Looming
Arkansas spent much of the night searching for an offensive rhythm, and the stretch that mattered most came in the fourth quarter of a 24-17 loss to No. 15 Tennessee. Ryan Silverfield reviewed the defeat with an eye on how the Razorbacks handled the critical downs, including a third-and-10 call that ended with a running back draw and helped underscore how hard it was for the offense to stay on schedule late.
The broader issue was even more troubling for Arkansas, which went 0-for-9 on third downs of three yards or more and never quite found a way to keep drives alive. Silverfield also discussed Braylen Russells role and development, noting the need for him to grow into a more complete back as the Razorbacks keep sorting out what this offense is capable of when the game tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Recruiting Pressure Is Growing At The Worst Time
Recruiting churn has started to hit Arkansas at an awkward point, with running back Dent backing off his pledge and reopening his recruitment. His decision makes him the third Razorbacks commit to do the same in the 2027 class, following Odafe Oruru and Darion Moseley, a stretch that adds pressure to a cycle the staff had hoped to stabilize earlier.
Even with the recent setbacks, Arkansas still has several in-state commitments in place and is working to stay in the mix for other targets. The Razorbacks 2027 group sits at No. 46 overall right now, leaving plenty of room to climb, but also plenty of urgency if the staff wants to keep the class from slipping further. [Read more 🡒]