LSU’s trip to Lexington ended the way too many SEC road trips have for the Tigers lately: with another loss, another gut punch, and more pressure piling onto a College Football Playoff push that can’t afford many more stumbles.
No. 10 LSU saw a 27-24 lead slip away in the final 97 seconds and then fell to Kentucky 35-34 in overtime, taking its second loss of the season.
The Tigers were ahead when they punted with 97 seconds left, but Kentucky took over at its own 19-yard line and went 63 yards in 1:25 to force overtime with a field goal. In the extra period, Kentucky matched LSU’s touchdown, then finished the job with a two-point conversion.
The loss was LSU’s eighth straight on the road in conference play. Its last SEC road win came on Oct. 19, 2024, when it beat Arkansas 34-10.
Lane Kiffin wasn’t around for most of those defeats, but the issue isn’t new to him either. Since taking over at Ole Miss in 2020, Kiffin has gone 13-13 in conference road games.
This one came down to more than just bad luck late. LSU had more talent on paper than plenty of the Rebels teams Kiffin has brought into hostile buildings, but that hasn’t been enough to solve the Tigers’ road issues. They were sloppy throughout and never fully took control at Kroger Field.
Sam Leavitt’s second-half turnovers didn’t lead directly to points for Kentucky, but they still mattered. Two giveaways killed drives and knocked LSU out of rhythm. The offense also couldn’t lean on the ground game, which managed only 94 yards on 36 carries.
The penalties didn’t help either. LSU was flagged seven times for 50 yards, while Kentucky was penalized just twice for 20 yards.
Now LSU heads deeper into October with two blemishes already on its College Football Playoff résumé, and the road doesn’t get any easier. Mississippi State, Alabama, Texas and Tennessee still remain. Given the investment LSU made in this roster, the pressure will only grow on Kiffin to deliver in those games and keep the playoff picture alive.
Kentucky, meanwhile, keeps building real momentum under first-year coach Will Stein. The Wildcats now have a road win over Texas A&M and a victory over LSU, and Stein has quickly overhauled the offense in a single offseason. Right now, Kentucky is quietly putting together a playoff résumé of its own.
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Lane Kiffin confirmed Orgeron is back around the program and spoke about both his health and his presence with the Tigers. Even so, Orgeron is not expected to be on the sideline for the Kentucky game, leaving his return in a sort of middle ground for now: close enough to matter, not quite complete enough to answer every question about how this comeback will look moving forward. [Read more 🡒]