Lane Kiffin’s first year leading LSU is absolutely not going according to plan, and now his massive contract is under the microscope after Saturday’s gut-punch loss to Arch Manning and Texas. The Tigers fell to a disappointing 6-4 overall, with a 3-4 record in SEC play, after Texas snatched a shocking 22-21 victory in the final seconds. Arch Manning found Raleek Brown for the game-winning touchdown, a dagger that all but eliminates LSU from the College Football Playoff race. Talk about a brutal blow.
That $91 Million Headache For LSU
Let’s just say if LSU decided to move on from Kiffin this quickly, it would be an incredibly costly move. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported back in December 2025 that Kiffin signed a seven-year, $91 million deal. The kicker? If LSU fires him, they would owe Kiffin a whopping 80 percent of his remaining salary. And get this: that amount is “not subject to offset or mitigation,” according to the term sheet. This isn’t just pocket change; it is 80 percent of a $91 million deal, and there is no way for LSU to lessen that hit. If Kiffin were to leave for another head coaching job, his buyout would start at $7 million, dropping to $6 million in January 2027. Moving on from a coach after just one season would be stunning, but you have to ask questions when the results are this bad, especially against top-tier competition.
Same Old Story Against Ranked Foes
Morgan Moriarty of Sporting News pointed out that Saturday’s loss pushed Kiffin’s record against top-10 foes to a dismal 6-19, and his overall record against ranked teams across his head coaching stints at Tennessee, USC, Florida Atlantic, Ole Miss, and now LSU stands at 15-28. Oof. Stewart Mandel of The Athletic didn’t mince words either, writing that “LSU fans, on the other hand, must be wondering whether there’s an out clause in Kiffin’s $91 million contract.” The Tigers have faced four current Top 25 teams this season: #3 Alabama, #6 Texas, #11 Kentucky, and #19 Ole Miss. They lost to all four. Next up? #8 Tennessee. Not a great look for anyone, especially for a guy making $13 million a year.
Kiffin’s hand-picked portal QB, Sam Leavitt, struggled big-time against Texas, getting picked off three times by Jelani McDonald, with two of those interceptions coming in the end zone. Leavitt now leads the nation with 12 interceptions on the season. Mandel noted that Kiffin looked “nervous and in pain” on the sideline, a far cry from the “cocky guy who used to throw his play sheet in the air.” You have to wonder if the pressure of trying to avoid a fourth loss at a program that has no qualms about firing national championship coaches is getting to him. The losses have been close, for the most part, outside of an 18-point defeat to Alabama. LSU went back-and-forth with Ole Miss before the Rebels scored the go-ahead touchdown with less than seven minutes left, and Kentucky edged Kiffin’s squad by one point after a successful two-point conversion in overtime. LSU even had an 11-point lead in the second half against Texas on Saturday, only to see the Longhorns control the closing stretch and steal the victory.
Ultimately, it was more of the same for Kiffin against a quality opponent. The heat is on for Kiffin, and it is not going to cool down anytime soon, especially with #8 Tennessee up next. This disappointing first campaign puts him squarely under the gun for 2027, and frankly, LSU fans have every right to expect more.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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