LSU Great Reverses Course on Lane Kiffin & Co.'s Playoff Hopes After Auburn Win: 'Season Was Kind of Over'

Despite the setback against Kentucky, there is still plenty of reason for optimism around LSU. The Tigers bounced back with a win over Auburn, offering a much-needed boost to their season. For Tyrann Mathieu, however, the loss to Kentucky briefly made it feel as though all hope was lost. But the Tigers’ response has renewed the belief that they can get back on track and keep their bigger goals within reach.

“I had to say, bro, when they lost to Kentucky, I thought the season was kind of over, you know?” Mathieu said on his podcast on October 26. “I really did, and I was like, man, no way. Two losses. Like, come on, man. We’re definitely not playing for the championship, the SEC championship, right?”

After a 38-17 win over Auburn, LSU is now sitting at a decent 6-2 record this season. But things looked a little different when the Tigers were 4-2. The loss to Kentucky had everyone thinking that Lane Kiffin won’t be seeing the CFPs in his debut year. The Tigers started strong with 2 wins in the season and then got the taste of their first loss against Kiffin’s former program, Ole Miss. This loss gave their momentum a major hit.

However, they redeemed themselves with 2 more comprehensive wins against the Aggies and McNeese, just to lose against Kentucky in week 6. The Tigers lost 34-35 in overtime, which raised plenty of questions, as their performance was way below expectations. They had plenty of chances to take away the win, but they made many blunders, which were very costly for them.

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LSU entered the game with an offense that could attack both through passing and rushing. However, against Kentucky, the Tigers managed just 94 net rushing yards. After Kentucky missed its second field goal, LSU had an opportunity to hold on to its lead and close out the game. But the Tigers faced a fourth-and-1 situation, and they ended up punting the ball back to Kentucky.

The defense tried its best to hold Wildcat’s offense, but their WR, Brock Coffman’s, returned a punt all the way for a touchdown, which gave Kentucky seven points through special teams. LSU was still leading late in the game when Sam Leavitt fumbled.

That costly turnover gave Kentucky another opportunity to tie the score. By the end of the game, LSU’s defense raised the white flag as they allowed Kentucky to score on the drive that tied the game, forcing overtime. The defense then gave up the touchdown in overtime that ultimately sealed the 35-34 loss. However, when everyone had lost hope in them, even Mathieu, they learned from their mistakes and earned back-to-back wins.

“But I got to kind of walk back that thought, you know? I think we’re right where we need to be,” Mathieu added on the same podcast. “I think we’re right where we need to be. We got a couple of losses, and we got some motivation. We got some good wins, some big wins at the right time. I think the next three weeks, including the bye week, plus Alabama and Texas. I think that’ll be the tail end of the season.”

For Mathieu, these losses have turned the script around for the Tigers, and this was exactly what they needed to find their momentum again. After losing to Kentucky, LSU rebounded with a 31-0 win against Mississippi State. Leavitt had an excellent game with 289 yards and 4 touchdowns, and it was a turnover-free performance.

Then they went on to a 38-17 win against Auburn, with Leavitt again putting up career-best stats. Leavitt completed 32 of 45 passes for 387 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Tiger offense is right where it should be, and it will have to stay the same for the next half of their season after the bye week. They will face Texas and Alabama next, who won’t go easy on them.

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