LSU left Saturday night with a win, but not the kind that lets a team breathe easy.
The Tigers beat Louisiana Tech 45-14, and the final score eventually looked comfortable. The first half did not. LSU opened the game looking nothing like the group that rolled past Clemson last week, stumbling through a sloppy stretch that had the crowd restless and the sideline irritated.
The biggest damage came from self-inflicted mistakes. LSU turned it over four times in the first half, and one of those giveaways turned into a 100-yard pick six by Bulldogs cornerback Jordan McRae. Even with those breakdowns, LSU still carried a three-point lead into halftime.
Head coach Lane Kiffin didn’t hide his frustration with the way his offense handled the night’s early chances.
“You know, we got to execute better. Sam’s got to do a better job, take care of it all. You know, we made a lot of yards, and we were smooth through that at times, but obviously, the red zone work is where you got to finish drives.”
Whatever was off in the first 30 minutes, LSU found it again after the break. The Tigers flipped the script in the second half, outscoring Louisiana Tech 35-7 and turning a messy night into a lopsided finish.
Trey’Dez Green was one of the main reasons the offense woke up. He finished with six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown, giving LSU a steady big-play threat once the Tigers settled in.
Green said the halftime message was simple: keep trusting the plan.
“You know, it’s football, you’re gonna have bad plays. It’s nothing too major. We came in at halftime, made the adjustments, and we came out and executed the plays that the coaches called for us.”
Kiffin, too, took the long view. For all the sloppiness, he framed the game as a chance for LSU to learn something about itself before moving on.
“Maybe it was perfect for us, you know, that we needed something like that, because in the game, we played well on offense and he was 70 to 7 or something. Maybe it’s what we needed.”
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 🡒]