LSU’s College Football Playoff dreams took a brutal hit. The Tigers, once pegged as serious contenders for the big dance, are now reeling at a 4-2 record after a stunning overtime upset loss to Kentucky. And let me tell you, head coach Lane Kiffin is not holding back on why things went sideways.
Kiffin Blasts ‘Fundamentally Unsound’ Execution After Crushing Loss
Kiffin immediately pointed to a serious lack of execution, especially on defense. Remember that punt the Wildcats ran back for a touchdown in the second quarter to take the lead? Yeah, that one. Kiffin was fuming about it to reporters, saying, “If you don’t execute, you don’t execute.” He went on, talking about a player who “doesn’t tackle him, and he goes outside” on that long punt return. He hammered home that if you’re not doing “fundamentally sound stuff, you get exposed versus good teams.” And exposed they were, especially on D. Kentucky’s CJ Baxter absolutely gashed them for 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and QB Kenny Minchey wasn’t much better, throwing for 246 yards. He even practically walked into the end zone on Kentucky’s two-point conversion in overtime. That’s a killer, man.
Missed Chances Haunt LSU as Kentucky Forced Overtime
What really stings is how many chances LSU had to put this game away. Kentucky missed what should’ve been a game-tying field goal in the final minutes! Think about that, they gifted LSU a chance to ice it, but the Tigers couldn’t get the first down they needed. Then, Kiffin said they “turned the ball over” when they were ahead, blowing another opportunity to end it. “When the chance comes in the fourth quarter, you can’t let ’em hang around,” Kiffin blasted reporters. He knew it too, saying, “We had the ball ahead and then we turned the ball over. And another chance to end it there so they don’t get it back. Obviously, things go the other way, you look at yourself first.” You cannot cough up chances like that against good teams on the road. And sure enough, Kentucky marched right back down the field, tied it up, and sent it to overtime. Offensively, Sam Leavitt actually had a pretty sound game, throwing for 275 yards and two touchdowns, but even he threw an interception and fumbled once. Every single mistake was magnified.
This loss makes LSU’s road to the CFP unbelievably tough. It’s still salvageable, Kiffin admits, but they’ve got Mississippi State, Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee all ranked and still on the schedule. They’re probably gonna have to win out against that gauntlet, which feels like a mountain after this performance. Kiffin summed it all up perfectly, putting the blame squarely on everyone: “This goes on all of us. We had all kinds of chances to close the game out and win the game, and didn’t do it. You let people hang around on the road at night in the SEC, that’s gonna happen.” Man, those words have got to sting. They gotta fix this execution issue now, or those CFP dreams are officially dead.
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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