LSU has already shown it can light up a scoreboard. The real question now is whether that production travels.
Saturday’s trip to Kentucky opens a brutal seven-game SEC run for the Tigers, a stretch that includes four ranked opponents and four road games. The Wildcats will be LSU’s first test away from home, and Will Stein’s team has opened fast enough to make Lexington a tricky stop.
There is plenty to like about LSU’s offense on paper. The Tigers are averaging 43.60 points per game, fourth-best in the SEC, and their 547.80 yards per game lead the conference. But the flash has come with some real issues underneath it, especially when it comes to finishing drives and protecting the ball.
That’s why the road performance against Ole Miss still matters. LSU managed only seven points in the first half of that game and looked out of rhythm until a late push nearly turned it into a comeback. That kind of uneven start is exactly what can sink an offense in a hostile SEC environment.
The good news for LSU is that Kentucky is not the league’s most punishing defense. The Wildcats allow the fourth-most points per game in the SEC at 26.80, and their run defense has been shaky. Still, this is the kind of game that should demand sharper execution than what LSU needed against McNeese State.
Turnovers remain the biggest red flag. Of all FBS quarterbacks, Sam Leavitt is tied for the most interceptions with seven, and only two other quarterbacks have thrown as many.
That kind of trend has to stop. The Tigers have also been too loose in the red zone, and if that part of the offense had been cleaner, they could be sitting atop the SEC in scoring.
What stood out most in LSU’s latest outing wasn’t just the numbers. It was the edge Kiffin wanted his team to keep, even with the game well in hand.
"There was a conversation where they asked me about running the clock in the third and fourth quarters, and I said no. I don't believe in that.
You play the game, and we decide when the game's over by the way that we play and how physical we play," Kiffin said. "I told the guys we don't do that and challenge them to come out and play really well and set a tempo of how you play, regardless whether you're first, second, or third team about how you play at LSU."
That same approach is going to matter on Saturday. LSU has already proven it can overwhelm a weaker opponent. Now it has to show it can put together a full offensive performance on the road in the SEC.
In Other News...
LSU Should Watch One Mississippi State Problem Before Baton Rouge
Mississippi State left Tuscaloosa with a lopsided loss to Alabama, but the bigger concern for LSU is the churn in the Bulldogs lineup. Coach Jeff Lebby said quarterback Kamario Taylor is day-to-day, and the list of injured key contributors also includes running back Fluff Bothwell and linebacker Jalen Smith, leaving the Bulldogs to sort through depth questions during an open week before Baton Rouge.
Parker Puckett is being prepared for a potentially larger role if Taylor cannot go, and that alone changes the feel of the matchup for LSU. The Bulldogs also saw a few players flash against Alabama, which gives Lebby something to build on, but the coming days will be about getting bodies back and stabilizing a roster that suddenly has more uncertainty than it wanted heading into an SEC road test. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Injury Problem Just Got Harder To Ignore In SEC Play
Lane Kiffins latest update on LSUs injury situation only sharpened the concern around a roster already being tested by SEC play. At a press conference, he confirmed that two players are done for the season and that two more are expected to miss significant time, a development that hits especially hard with linebacker Whit Weeks and tight end Trey'Dez Green among the unavailable pieces. Both have been important not just on the field, but in the way they help set the tone for the group.
For LSU, the timing makes the issue even tougher to shrug off. Kiffin made clear his frustration with how many injuries the Tigers have had to absorb, noting the effect it has had on performance and leadership as the schedule stiffens. With a difficult stretch of SEC games ahead, LSU is now trying to manage depth concerns while also replacing some of the voices and production that held the team together. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Leavitt May Change LSU's Offense Again At Kentucky
Sam Leavitts health is becoming a bigger part of LSUs offensive conversation as the Tigers head into their game at Kentucky. The quarterback has spent the past few weeks working back from a hamstring injury he suffered in the win over Texas A&M, and that setback has clearly shaped how LSU has been able to use him. With his mobility limited in recent games, the offense has had to lean more heavily on his arm than on the full range of what he normally brings.
Leavitt said he expects to be fully healthy for Kentucky, which could give LSU another layer to work with if he looks like himself again. The injury forced him to focus more on passing, but a healthier version of Leavitt could change the way the Tigers attack the Wildcats and restore some of the dual-threat element that makes their offense tougher to defend. [Read more 🡒]