LSU came into Saturday with a real chance to change the conversation, but Alabama shut that door hard. The Crimson Tide turned a tight game into a 31-13 win with 21 unanswered points, and what had been a competitive night in Tiger Stadium ended with LSU’s playoff hopes taking a brutal hit.
The loss also leaves Lane Kiffin’s first year in Baton Rouge looking like it may fall short of expectations. LSU was a 6.5-point favorite and had a chance to land a statement win that could have pushed the Tigers into the playoff picture.
Instead, the path gets steeper from here, with Texas coming to Baton Rouge next week before LSU heads to Tennessee. If the playoff is likely out of reach, the staff now has the harder job: keeping this team engaged and avoiding a messy finish.
The biggest issue on offense was the same one LSU has been fighting all year - finishing drives. The Tigers moved the ball on their opening possession, then settled for a field goal on fourth-and-goal.
That kind of wasted opportunity has become a theme, and it showed again against Alabama. LSU averaged 1.6 points per scoring opportunity, which ranks in the 9th percentile.
Alabama, by comparison, averaged 5.2 points across six scoring chances.
That inefficiency was tied to a broader problem: LSU just didn’t create enough explosive plays. When the big gains aren’t there and the red-zone execution isn’t clean, scoring becomes a grind. The Tigers couldn’t string together enough successful snaps to keep pace.
The run game didn’t help. LSU finished with 33 carries for 77 yards, its worst rushing performance of the season.
The numbers were rough across the board: -0.08 EPA/rush, a 32nd percentile mark. Dilin Jones had 17 carries for 56 yards, and Sam Leavitt averaged 4.09 yards per carry.
LSU’s ground attack is better than it was last year, but it still isn’t strong enough to punish good defenses.
That showed up against Alabama, and it’s a reminder that the unit still has a long way to go before it can do real damage against playoff-level competition. When LSU looks ahead to building its 2027 roster, improving the run game has to be near the top of the list.
For most of the night, LSU’s defense did enough to keep things within reach. Blake Baker’s group got pressure up front and limited space downfield.
But the game flipped late in the third quarter. With LSU up by three, Keelon Russell hit Rico Scott for 57 yards, and Alabama cashed in a few plays later to take the lead.
That sequence changed everything.
Before that, the game was going back and forth. After that, Alabama had the momentum and never gave it back.
The Tide averaged 7.46 yards per dropback, not an outrageous number, but efficient enough to get the job done. LSU’s defensive effort was solid for long stretches, yet the explosive play it surrendered late will be the one people remember.
The fourth quarter was another painful chapter for LSU. In all three losses, the Tigers have had chances to seize control or at least force the issue late.
Against Ole Miss, LSU rallied to tie the game and later had a shot to send it to overtime. At Kentucky, the Tigers had multiple chances to close things out and couldn’t.
Saturday followed the same script in a different way.
LSU led Alabama 13-10 in the second half and spent most of the game in a one-possession fight. But once Alabama retook the lead, LSU answered with a three-and-out. The Tigers just haven’t shown enough consistency to make the clutch plays when they matter most.
If there was one bright spot worth carrying out of the night, it was Jackson Harris. LSU’s receiver was outstanding, hauling in 11 catches for 166 yards and averaging 15.1 yards per catch. He was the one part of the offense that kept showing up.
Harris now has 20 catches for 344 yards over his last two games. The Hawai’i transfer has become one of the nation’s top pass-catchers and a bona fide WR1.
He makes contested catches, he doesn’t drop many balls, and he creates yards after the catch. On a night when so much went wrong for LSU, Harris was the rare constant.
In Other News...
LSU Suddenly Has Another Big Alabama Availability Concern
LSU is still dealing with a thin margin for error heading into its matchup with Alabama, and the latest availability report did not do the Tigers many favors. Linebacker Whit Weeks remains doubtful for the game, while tight end TreyDez Green is listed as questionable because of a knee injury, adding more uncertainty to a roster already missing several players on season-ending injuries.
Alabama, meanwhile, got a cleaner update on its side of the ledger, with receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams and center Racin Delgatty both moved from questionable to probable. For LSU, the concern is less about one injury and more about how many moving parts remain in flux this late in the week, especially against a rival that is trending in a more stable direction. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Get A Huge Boost For Alabama At The Perfect Time
The timing could hardly be better for LSU. Tiger Stadium is set to host Alabama in a Week 10 SEC matchup after a bye week for both teams, and the Tigers appear to be getting a key piece back in tight end Trey'Dez Green after his injury absence. For an LSU offense that can use every available weapon in a game of this size, his return adds another layer to a matchup that already carries plenty of weight.
LSU's defense will also have a chance to lean into one of its biggest strengths against an Alabama quarterback who has taken plenty of punishment this season. Keelon Russell has been sacked 22 times, and the Tigers have built a reputation around getting after the passer. With both teams still chasing playoff positioning, this one in Baton Rouge has the feel of more than just another SEC showdown. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Have Several Week 10 Games Worth Watching Closely
Week 10 brings a slate that should keep LSU fans glued to the scoreboard even before the Tigers take the field, with several matchups carrying real weight for the playoff race and the national rankings. Utah-BYU, Texas-Missouri, Ohio State-Oregon, Georgia-Ole Miss and Miami-Notre Dame all have something at stake, whether it is a chance to improve a resume, protect a spot near the top of the poll or survive a tricky conference test that could reshape the postseason picture.
For LSU supporters, the appeal is not just the quality of the games but the ripple effect they could have on the road ahead. Injuries to key players and the way each team handles those absences could matter as much as the matchup itself, especially with so many contenders clustered together and every result carrying extra weight. By Saturday night, the Tigers may have a clearer sense of which teams are separating themselves and which ones are about to make the playoff conversation even messier. [Read more 🡒]