Stephen A. Smith didn’t see LSU’s loss to Ole Miss as a hit to Lane Kiffin’s stock. If anything, the performance on Monday’s First Take only sharpened his view that Kiffin has already changed the conversation around the program in Baton Rouge.
Smith said the people he knows around LSU are thrilled with what Kiffin has done for the Tigers, stressing that the coach has brought the program back into the spotlight.
“Everybody that I know that comes from LSU is very, very pleased with Lane Kiffin because he's put LSU back on the map. He's made them relevant, and that is what I love.
“Now, I was scared to death, Paul, when they went down 17 to nothing. I was like this: 'Oh my God, they're getting their asses whipped.
This is not good. This is not good.'
“But the second that Lane Kiffin came back and they tied it at 24, I said, 'Okay, he's good.
"If they had gotten blown out, it would have been very, very bad. But the fact that they came back and tied it... I don't think this takes anything away from Lane Kiffin."
Smith’s message to Kiffin was simple: keep doing what you’re doing, even if critics don’t budge.
“And Lane, don't change, because Paul Finebaum ain't gonna change. There's nothing you can do to change his mind about you, Lane Kiffin.
There's nothing you can do. Nothing.”
LSU now turns to Texas A&M on Saturday in Tiger Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
In Other News...
LSU Fans Are Debating What Really Happened In That Viral Stadium Fight
The Ole Miss-LSU game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium had enough heat on the field already, but the attention spilled into the stands and concourses as multiple security incidents unfolded during the afternoon. Video from the scene quickly spread online, showing a physical struggle between an LSU fan and law enforcement that left visible injuries and gave the game an ugly side story LSU followers could not ignore.
Adding to the confusion, there was also a separate altercation in the concourse that ended with a security guard being struck, and an 18-year-old was later arrested on charges that included aggravated assault and resisting arrest. What still has fans debating is which incident that arrest is actually tied to, since the details have not been clearly connected yet. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Football Now Faces A Serious Off Field Case Beyond Campus
LSU football is now dealing with a serious off-field matter that stretches well beyond the program itself, with a criminal investigation underway after an alleged sexual assault involving an LSU player and a student on campus in October 2025. The East Baton Rouge District Attorneys Office has confirmed it is reviewing the case and has asked multiple agencies for all relevant reports and evidence, putting the situation squarely in the hands of both university and law enforcement officials.
LSU said it followed its Title IX process after the incident was first reported by the student-athlete and is cooperating as the investigation continues. For a program that already lives under a national spotlight, the case adds another layer of scrutiny at a time when the details remain limited and the legal process is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Loss Puts Sam Leavitt Under A Spotlight He Cant Escape
After LSUs loss to Ole Miss, the focus quickly shifted to Sam Leavitt, and not in a way any quarterback welcomes. Lane Kiffin stepped in to defend him, pointing first to the pressure Ole Miss brought and the way Leavitt had to operate with the rush closing in. Kiffin also made clear that Leavitts legs were a real part of the answer, even if the passing game never found the level LSU needed.
Leavitts performance now sits at the center of a larger conversation about what LSU can and cannot ask of its offense in tough matchups. Kiffins defense of the quarterback offered some context, but it also underscored the bigger issue: the Tigers still need cleaner execution through the air if they want to turn pressure-packed games into wins. [Read more 🡒]