LSU heads to Kentucky on Saturday with more than just a conference game on deck. This is the start of a seven-game SEC run, the stretch where the Tigers are supposed to show whether the early-season promise was real.
They’ve given themselves a decent platform. Since the Week 3 loss to Ole Miss, LSU has cleaned up enough to build some momentum, even if Texas A&M hasn’t been at its best and McNeese wasn’t much of a test. The Tigers did what they needed to do in those games, and now the challenge is turning that into something steadier against a stronger Kentucky team.
One of the more interesting wrinkles in this matchup is on the sideline, where LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker goes against former LSU offensive coordinator and current Kentucky offensive coordinator Joe Sloan. The two spent every day around each other in 2024 and part of 2025 before Sloan was let go during Kelly’s firing.
Lane Kiffin, though, didn’t sound like he expects that familiarity to swing the game much.
"It probably really neutralizes itself," Kiffin said about the matchup of the assistants. "Like I said, there's a difference with the head coach thing.
When I end up going back to play Coach Saban, I feel like the assistant totally has the advantage when they're on the other side of the ball... It does because the head coach gives the information all the time to the assistant that listens on that other side of the ball, or you're teaching them things about how you do your signals or operations."
Even with that caveat, LSU may still have the edge if knowledge of tendencies and weak spots matters the way it usually does in this kind of game.
The clearest path for LSU is on offense, where the Tigers have been rolling. They’re averaging 547.8 yards per game, good for No. 3 nationally, with 237.8 rushing yards per game and 310.0 passing yards per game. Against McNeese, LSU ran for 367 yards at 6.9 yards per carry and piled up more than 700 total yards.
Kentucky has had trouble holding up against both parts of that attack. The Wildcats are giving up 144.2 rushing yards per game and 4.22 yards per carry, and they rank No. 104 against the pass, allowing 232.4 yards per game.
LSU has also shown it can stay on schedule on the ground. The Tigers have run for at least 140 yards in every game, and Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones is averaging 18.8 carries. The bigger question is quarterback Sam Leavitt’s health and how much he can move.
Leavitt has 262 non-sack rushing yards at 7.5 yards per carry and six rushing touchdowns, but a hamstring injury limited him against Texas A&M and McNeese. He said Tuesday that he expects to be at full strength Saturday, which would give LSU a chance to show he’s more than just a runner and can still produce through the air when he’s right.
Will Stein called him "going to be a difficult person for us to defend."
Leavitt has completed 66.2% of his passes at 8.8 yards per attempt, with two 300-yard games and eight touchdown passes. The issue is the seven interceptions he’s thrown on 168 dropbacks, a career high.
That gives Kentucky a real opening. The Wildcats have forced 10 turnovers, which ranks ninth nationally, and their 100 quarterback pressures lead the SEC.
Third down may be where this game really gets decided. LSU’s offense has been excellent there, converting 41 of 79 attempts for 51.9%, which ranks No. 12 in the country. Kentucky’s defense has allowed teams to convert 45.9% of the time, ranking No. 122 out of 138 FBS teams and last in the SEC.
South Carolina went 8 of 16 on third down against the Wildcats last Saturday, and a lot of those conversions came when LaNorris Sellers extended plays. That’s the kind of skill Leavitt brings as well.
The other side of the matchup is just as uneven. Kentucky’s offense ranks last in the nation on third down, converting 13 of 53 tries for 24.5%, while LSU’s defense sits No. 9 nationally and has allowed 18 conversions on 69 attempts, or 26.1%.
Stein said the issue comes down to execution.
"To be last in the country in any statistical category is not good," he said.
If LSU can force Kentucky into third down, the Tigers have a strong chance to control the game and open this toughest stretch of the schedule the right way.
In Other News...
LSU Gets A Reassuring Injury Report Before Kentucky Game
LSU heads into its SEC matchup with Kentucky carrying the same kind of availability report it was expected to have, with five Tigers ruled out and no late surprises attached to the list. For a team trying to keep its focus on the conference grind, the news matters less for who is missing than for the fact that the absences were anticipated well in advance, leaving the Tigers with a clearer read on how they will line up.
Kentuckys report is a little more layered, with five players out and a mix of questionable and probable tags that could still alter the depth chart by kickoff. The most encouraging sign for the Wildcats is that Jason Patterson and Aaron Gates are not on the injury report at all and are expected to be available, which gives Kentucky some stability as it tries to navigate a shorter margin for error in an SEC game that already carries plenty of weight. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Is Building An LSU Threat Ole Miss Can't Ignore
LSU is nearing the midpoint of its first season under Lane Kiffin, and the Tigers have already shown enough on defense to make the rest of the SEC pay attention. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt has been among those encouraged by what LSU has done on that side of the ball, pointing to a pass rush and overall defensive profile that could keep the Tigers in the race for the SEC Championship as the schedule gets more demanding.
For a team with Kiffin now running the show, the early storyline has been a little different than the usual offensive fireworks associated with his name. LSUs defense has stood out so far, and that creates a different kind of threat for opponents, including Ole Miss, which knows the tougher stretch is still ahead for the Tigers. The real test now is whether that strong start holds up once LSU gets to the hardest part of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Heads Into Kentucky With Major Injury Questions On Both Sides
LSUs injury picture keeps evolving as the Tigers get ready for Kentucky, and the list of unavailable players already includes several significant season-ending losses. Wide receiver Phillip Wright III, safety Dashawn Spears and linebacker Charles Ross are all done for the year, forcing LSU to keep reshuffling pieces on both sides of the ball while trying to maintain its footing in the SEC race.
Tight end Trey'Dez Green adds another layer of uncertainty, with his recovery timeline still unclear even as there is some hope he could return sooner than expected. In the meantime, LSU has been leaning on replacements like safety Tamarcus Cooley and linebacker Davhon Keys, and how well those fill-in roles hold up could shape what the Tigers look like against Kentucky and beyond. [Read more 🡒]