Kentucky pulled off a wild upset against No. 10 LSU on Saturday, beating them 35-34 in overtime at Kroger Field after a dramatic two-point conversion sealed the win. This loss just pours more salt on the Tigers’ road-game wounds, a frustrating trend that’s been hanging around for a few years now and definitely rolled over into Lane Kiffin’s first season as head coach.
That OT Loss Is Going To Sting
Talk about a gut punch. This game was a back-and-forth slugfest from the jump, with the teams trading the lead seven times in regulation. When it went to overtime, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt did exactly what you’d want, scoring a 15-yard touchdown run that put the Tigers up 34-27 after the extra point. The momentum was right there, begging to be grabbed. But then, the defense. The same defense that had been the team’s strength through its first five games? They just couldn’t hold it. Kentucky running back CJ Baxter punched in a 1-yard touchdown run, and then quarterback Kenny Minchey walked it off with the two-point conversion. Just like that, game over.
The Grades Are In, And Oof.
The Daily Advertiser didn’t pull any punches with their report card, and honestly, can you blame them? LSU’s offense got a C, which feels pretty generous given the outcome. A healthy Sam Leavitt was basically the entire run game, with running backs Dilin Jones and Harlem Berry struggling to find any room to breathe. Sure, the offense managed to be efficient, finishing drives in the red zone with points and keeping pressure on Kentucky, but settling for field goals instead of touchdowns on a couple of drives? That’s a killer. Credit to Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. for being aggressive, even digging deep into the playbook with multiple quarterbacks on the field during two straight plays in the first half. No conservativeness, but still not enough.
Then there’s the defense, which earned a C-. This unit was supposed to be the backbone of the team, known for being great with tackling in space through those first five games. But Baxter was making guys miss on the perimeter all over the place. Kentucky was consistently ahead of schedule, picking up first downs within two plays for much of the game. LSU just couldn’t disrupt their rhythm, and Kentucky scored three touchdowns. The strength of the team just wasn’t strong enough when it mattered most.
This overtime thriller just shines a spotlight on LSU’s ongoing road game struggles under Lane Kiffin. The away-game doldrums that started at Ole Miss are clearly still a problem. The Tigers need to figure out their defense, especially, if they want to turn things around this season and shake off these frustrating away-game trends.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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