LSU’s season is already on thin ice.
A road overtime loss to Kentucky pushed the Tigers closer to the edge in year one of the Lane Kiffin era, and with six games left, the margin for error is shrinking fast. LSU came into the season with a new regime and more than 50 new faces on the roster, but the early results have left them looking a lot like last year’s team: talented enough to keep the conversation alive, but shaky enough to keep putting their own season at risk.
Two problems keep staring LSU in the face. Can it win away from home? And can it stop giving up the kind of explosive plays that flip games in a hurry?
So far, the road answer has been no. The Tigers have already dropped games at Ole Miss and Kentucky, and the latter came after LSU was being controlled in the first half before rallying late. That second straight road loss only adds to the pressure with the rest of the schedule still waiting.
There are only three road games left. Two of them - Auburn and Arkansas - should be manageable on paper, especially given how both SEC teams have struggled this year. The other is a trip to Knoxville to face Tennessee, and that one stands out as a major test.
The big-play issue may be even more troubling. Against Kentucky, LSU gave up 10 explosive plays for 245 yards. The source defines those plays as rushes of more than 10 yards and completed passes of 15 yards or more, and that same problem has shown up again and again against quality competition.
Texas A&M hit LSU for eight big plays and 115 yards. Ole Miss managed 12 for 250.
That’s the pattern LSU has to break if it wants to salvage the season. The Tigers still have two more top-10 opponents left, so the path isn’t closed yet. But every mistake keeps raising the stakes, and one more loss could be the difference between a playoff push in Kiffin’s first year and a season that collapses completely.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Suddenly Has A Quarterback Depth Problem Behind Jared Curtis
Vanderbilts quarterback room took a hit in the loss at Ole Miss, where Blaze Berlowitz left after suffering an injury in game action. Berlowitz had gotten on the field and even helped lead a touchdown drive before the setback, giving the Commodores a brief glimpse of the kind of depth they hoped to have behind starter Jared Curtis.
Now the focus shifts to keeping the position stable moving forward, because the margin behind Curtis is suddenly thinner. With Berlowitz sidelined, Vanderbilt will need either Whit Muschamp or Jack Elliott to step into the backup role, and that puts added importance on how quickly the next option can be trusted if called upon. [Read more 🡒]