LSU left Week 1 looking like it had arrived in a big way. Then Louisiana Tech showed up and reminded everybody that September football still comes with rough edges.
The Tigers handled the Bulldogs and got the win, but the way the first half played out had people in Baton Rouge doing a double take. LSU went into halftime with only a 10-7 lead, and for a team that had just blown past Clemson in prime time, that was enough to spark some panic. The gap between the first two outings was obvious: one night looked like a statement, the next looked like a test.
That doesn’t mean the Tigers suddenly stopped being talented. They still had more than enough firepower to finish the job, and they did exactly that.
But the Louisiana Tech game also served as a reminder that this group is still sorting through growing pains with so many new faces in place. Week 1 made everything look easy.
Week 2 brought the kind of adversity that exposes where the cracks still are.
That’s what makes this weekend’s trip into SEC play against Ole Miss feel so important. LSU has already shown it can overwhelm an opponent when everything is clicking, but the first half against Louisiana Tech didn’t exactly scream “ready for conference play.”
The defense, though, has been a different story entirely. LSU’s start on that side of the ball has been flat-out suffocating.
Against Clemson, the Tigers had given up only 72 yards of offense through three quarters before the starters came out. Against Louisiana Tech, they were even tighter, allowing just 12 yards through three quarters and giving up zero net yards in the first half.
That’s not just good defense. That’s a group smothering people.
The next challenge is a major one, because Ole Miss brings an elite-level offense to the table. If LSU keeps playing defense like this, that matchup could get very uncomfortable for the Rebels.
Then there’s Leavitt, who remains the key piece in Lane Kiffin’s offense. Kiffin has said the system is only as good as the quarterback running it, and that’s why the program brought in Leavitt to steer the attack.
The turnovers were the obvious concern - he threw three interceptions - but the full picture was still encouraging. In the first half, he completed 17 of 27 passes for 234 yards.
That kind of production suggests the fit is still there, even if the learning curve hasn’t vanished. There will be rough stretches as he keeps getting comfortable, but there’s also room for him to clean things up and settle in. For LSU, that growth is part of the package now.
In Other News...
LSU Turned A Routine Tune-Up Into A Halftime Mess
LSU came into its meeting with Louisiana Tech expecting a routine tune-up, but the first half turned into something far messier than the Tigers had in mind. The defense did its part, stacking up sacks and forcing turnovers, yet the offense never found a steady rhythm, and the run game was especially stalled with only 44 yards on 23 carries.
Much of the unease traced back to Sam Leavitt, whose first-half line included three interceptions, one of them returned 100 yards for a pick six. Even with LSU still carrying a 10-7 lead at the break, the kind of sloppy play that usually gets smoothed out in a lopsided matchup was hanging around long enough to make the Tigers sweat a little harder than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffins Oxford Return Just Made LSU-Ole Miss Even More Personal
LSU and Ole Miss each took care of business in their most recent games, which only adds to the buildup for an SEC matchup that already had plenty of edge. The Tigers now head into a game that is as much about emotion and familiarity as it is about the standings, with Lane Kiffin set to walk back into Oxford in a very different role than the one Ole Miss fans remember.
Kiffins move to LSU has given the rivalry an even sharper personal twist. He brought four players with him through the transfer portal, including two who are being sued by Ole Miss for breach of contract, which only heightens the intrigue around a reunion that was already drawing plenty of attention. For LSU, it is another important conference game. For Ole Miss, it is a chance to welcome back a former coach who left with plenty of storylines in tow. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Heads Into A Lane Kiffin Showdown With Extra Emotion
With Lane Kiffin back in the spotlight and LSU headed into Oxford for a Week 3 meeting with Ole Miss, the buildup has carried an extra layer of emotion well beyond the usual SEC buzz. The game is set for national television, and the storyline naturally brings plenty of attention to the Rebels side as they prepare to face the former coach who once led their program.
Trinidad Chambliss called the whole situation "weird," which fits the mood around a matchup that has plenty of noise attached to it. Still, the Ole Miss quarterback made clear the Rebels are trying to keep the focus where it belongs, on football, even with all the surrounding storylines threatening to take over the conversation. [Read more 🡒]