LSU had the kind of afternoon that can sink a season in a hurry.
The Tigers went into Saturday with a shot to shove themselves into the College Football Playoff conversation, but instead they got flattened by Alabama, 31-13. The loss drops LSU to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in SEC play, and with three losses now on the board, the path to the 12-team field looks awfully narrow.
What makes it sting even more is how the game looked on paper. LSU piled up more than 450 yards of offense and controlled the clock, moving the ball with relative ease for long stretches.
But once the Tigers got near the end zone, everything tightened up. A missed field goal, two failed fourth-down tries and an interception in Crimson Tide territory turned promising drives into empty possessions.
The quarterback numbers tell part of the story. Sam Leavitt completed 35 passes for 380 yards, but the bigger number was the one LSU never turned into points. The offense kept finding space between the 20s and then kept coming up short when it mattered most.
The issues up front were hard to ignore, either. LSU’s offensive line came into the game as a concern, and Alabama made it a problem. The Tigers managed just 2.3 yards per carry on the ground, and Leavitt spent plenty of the afternoon under pressure.
There will be plenty of noise about Blake Baker’s defense, and it wasn’t a clean performance. But the unit wasn’t the main reason LSU lost.
Alabama didn’t bulldoze the Tigers on the ground, yet Keelon Russell was sharp and efficient, finishing 17-of-24 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 12 yards per completion and hit a few explosive plays through the air that kept Alabama in control.
The coverage had that familiar soft, bend-don’t-break feel, and it bought LSU some time. It just didn’t hold up all the way through. The Crimson Tide eventually made the Tigers pay.
LSU’s pass rush, usually one of its strengths, also failed to show up in a meaningful way. The only two sacks came from the defensive backs.
And for all the frustration, there’s one stat that really captures the weirdness of the day: LSU had a receiver put up 11 catches for 166 yards in Jackson Harris, and still only managed 13 points.
It’s a rough result from top to bottom for LSU, and the schedule doesn’t ease up. Texas comes to town next week after beating Missouri.
In Other News...
LSU Just Suffered Another Alabama Gut Punch At Home
Another Alabama visit to Tiger Stadium ended the same way LSU fans have seen far too often, with the Crimson Tide leaving Baton Rouge with control of the rivalry and the Tigers left to sort through the damage. Alabama won 31-13, extending its recent success in Death Valley and adding another frustrating chapter to a series that has tilted heavily in the Tides favor on LSUs home field.
The numbers told part of the story, since LSU actually outgained Alabama in total yards, but the Tigers could not turn that edge into points when it mattered. Missed fourth-down chances and a missed field goal left LSU empty on too many promising drives, and coach Lane Kiffin said the focus now has to shift to moving forward after a loss that felt all too familiar. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Get A Huge Boost For Alabama At The Perfect Time
LSU comes out of its bye week with a chance to reset for one of the biggest games on its calendar, and the timing could hardly be better. Tiger Stadium will host Alabama in a Week 10 SEC matchup, and the Tigers are expected to get tight end Trey'Dez Green back from injury just as the offense needs another reliable piece for a game with major playoff implications.
LSU's defense has built its reputation on getting after the quarterback, and that pass rush will be pointed at Alabama's Keelon Russell, who has already been sacked 22 times this season. With both teams coming in off a break and the stakes rising for their postseason hopes, the return of Green adds another layer to a matchup that could swing the direction of the SEC race. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Have Several Week 10 Games Worth Watching Closely
Week 10 brings a slate that should keep LSU fans glued to scores well beyond Baton Rouge, with several matchups carrying real playoff weight. Utah-BYU and Texas-Missouri both have the feel of games that could shake up the rankings, while Ohio State-Oregon and Georgia-Ole Miss bring together teams with national expectations and plenty at stake. Miami-Notre Dame adds another layer to the weekend, with postseason positioning hanging over nearly every snap.
For LSU supporters, the appeal is not just the marquee names but the ripple effect those results can have on the larger SEC and playoff picture. Injuries to key players and the way each contender handles them could matter just as much as the final score, especially with rankings still in flux and postseason paths tightening. By the end of the weekend, the Tigers could have a much clearer sense of where the field stands around them. [Read more 🡒]