LSU left Auburn with a 38-17 win on Saturday, and the scoreboard told the story early: the Tigers jumped in front in the first quarter and never gave it back. It was LSU’s first road win since 2024, and both sides of the ball had a hand in making it look comfortable.
The offense was the headliner. LSU rolled up 552 yards and cashed in on six of its 10 drives, turning the game into a steady push downhill.
Sam Leavitt was at the center of it all, completing 32 of 45 passes for 387 yards and four total touchdowns. He looked calm in the pocket, handled the red zone much better, and, just as importantly, didn’t put the ball in danger.
He also added a three-yard touchdown run in the first half.
Dilin Jones gave LSU the kind of balance it had been looking for. He handled 21 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown, his highest yardage total since Week 3.
If the run game keeps moving like that, LSU’s offense becomes a much tougher problem to solve. Jones has settled in well with the backfield and turned in one of his strongest outings of the season.
Jackson Harris kept stretching the field and making Auburn pay. He set career highs with nine catches and 178 receiving yards while adding two touchdowns.
He’s clearly become Leavitt’s go-to target. Harris did leave in the fourth quarter with an injury, but he told his teammates he’ll be fine.
The supporting cast showed up, too. Winston Watkins Jr. and Eugene Wilson III both had solid afternoons, and LSU’s receivers consistently won against Auburn’s secondary.
Trey’Dez Green was back after missing multiple weeks and wasted no time making an impact. He caught a red zone touchdown in the first half and finished with five receptions for 50 yards.
Zach Grace added three catches for 33 yards.
Up front, LSU’s offensive line turned in its best performance of the year. Leavitt was never sacked, and the Tigers finished with more than 160 rushing yards. Jordan Seaton was flagged for a couple of holding penalties, but overall this was the kind of night Lane Kiffin had to like from the protection unit.
The defense was every bit as sharp. LSU piled up seven sacks overall and kept Auburn from getting its rushing game rolling.
Princewill Umanmielen shook off an injury scare from last week and came through with a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Jordan Ross was even more disruptive, finishing with two sacks and a pass deflection as he continues to surge as a pass rusher over the last few weeks.
TJ Dottery and Davhon Keys each posted seven tackles and a sack, and both linebackers helped keep Byrum Brown under control as a runner. Auburn’s quarterback did break loose for a 34-yard rushing touchdown, but that was LSU’s one real miss on defense.
The secondary held up, too, allowing only one passing play of 20 yards or more. PJ Woodland and DJ Pickett were physical and disciplined, keeping plays in front of them, while Ty Benefield added a sack. Blake Baker’s unit backed up the offense and delivered another strong showing.
In Other News...
LSUs New Backcourt Just Changed The Feel Around This Team
The first time LSU rolled out its full roster in the exhibition against Florida State, the Tigers came away with an 89-87 loss, but the bigger takeaway was the new look in the backcourt. Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark were the standouts, giving LSU the kind of perimeter play that can change the tone of a team quickly. Dent finished with 24 points and nine assists, while Clark added 21 points and eight rebounds, and together they helped make the Tigers look far more dangerous than a box score loss might suggest.
For a team that has been searching for a clearer identity, that mattered. LSU still has plenty to clean up before the regular season opens Nov. 3 against LSU New Orleans Privateers, but the exhibition offered a first real glimpse of how this group can function when its key pieces are on the floor together. Even in defeat, the Tigers left with something useful, which is the kind of early sign a coaching staff can build on. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Changed The Playoff Conversation With This Road Breakthrough
LSUs trip to Auburn came with a little more weight than a typical October road game, and the Tigers handled it with the kind of authority that can shift the national conversation. A 38-17 win gave LSU its first SEC road victory in more than two years, a notable breakthrough for a team that needed proof it could travel, control the game and still look like a playoff contender away from Baton Rouge.
Sam Leavitt and Jackson Harris helped fuel the offense, while the defense kept Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown from finding much rhythm. At 6-2, LSU has put itself back into the thick of the College Football Playoff race, and the bigger question now is whether this performance was a one-night surge or the start of a legitimate late-season push. [Read more 🡒]
LSU May Have Finally Found The Receiver This Offense Needed
Jackson Harris has gone from intriguing transfer to one of the most productive pieces in LSUs passing game over the past month, and his latest outing gave the Tigers another look at what the offense can become when he is featured. The redshirt junior from Hawaii turned in a career night in the win over Auburn, finishing with nine catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns, the kind of performance that changes how defenses have to treat LSU on the perimeter.
Over the last five weeks, Harris has been one of the most consistent players in the offense, piling up 31 catches for 517 yards and seven touchdowns while steadily building chemistry in a receiver room that has clearly taken a step forward. Lane Kiffin has already pointed to Harriss work ethic and the growth of the group, and the bigger question now is whether this surge is the start of something lasting for an LSU passing attack that has been searching for exactly this kind of reliable playmaker. [Read more 🡒]