What We Learned About LSU After Its Loss to Kentucky

LSU's 35-34 overtime loss to Kentucky showed that moving the ball and creating touchdowns still are not enough for this team to finish a road game.

The Tigers had opportunities to win in regulation. A turnover, an unsuccessful attempt to run out the clock and a late defensive breakdown gave those opportunities back.

Kentucky exposed three problems LSU must address before another close game reaches its final possessions.

LSU needs a running game it can trust when everyone expects a run

LSU entered Lexington with an offense capable of attacking through the air and on the ground. Against Kentucky, that balance did not hold.

The Tigers finished with only 94 net rushing yards. Kentucky made LSU work for its offense, and the inability to control the ground game became especially costly when the Tigers needed to protect a late lead.

After Kentucky's second missed field goal, LSU had another chance to finish the game. The possession ended with a punt on fourth-and-1.

Kiffin's decision deserves scrutiny, but the problem extends beyond whether he should have gone for it. LSU needed to earn a first down before reaching that decision.

A successful rushing attack must do more than produce yards when the defense is spread out. LSU needs to move the chains when the opponent knows a run is coming. That is how a team turns a three-point lead into a win without asking its defense to make another stop.

Defensive stops mean little if LSU cannot secure the next one

The defense had stretches that kept LSU in the game. Kentucky scored no points in the third quarter, and LSU prevented the Wildcats from immediately cashing in on Leavitt's interception.

But those stops did not carry through to the possessions that decided the result.

Kentucky reached scoring range at the end of regulation, then converted third-and-8 in overtime when Kenny Darby turned a short catch into a 22-yard gain to the LSU 1. CJ Baxter scored on the next play.

LSU needs to finish tackles as well as drives. Forcing a short throw on third-and-long achieves little when the receiver gains enough yards after the catch to set up a touchdown.

The question before kickoff was whether LSU's improvements would travel. Kentucky showed that a defense can make several important stops and still fail the test if it cannot finish the last possessions.

LSU's mistakes are spreading responsibility across the team

This loss cannot be assigned entirely to the defense or Leavitt.

Brock Coffman's punt-return touchdown gave Kentucky seven points through special teams. Leavitt lost the ball late with LSU ahead. The defense allowed the tying possession and the overtime touchdown.

Kiffin summarized the missed opportunities in his postgame remarks.

“All three phases of the game could have won this game,” he said.

That is the most useful assessment of the loss. LSU does not have one isolated mistake to correct. It needs the offense to protect possessions, special teams to finish tackles and the defense to get off the field when the game is on the line.

The offensive improvement against Texas A&M remains evidence of what LSU can do. Kentucky supplied evidence of what still goes wrong.

The Tigers can create enough scoring chances to win. They have yet to prove they can consistently handle the possessions that decide whether they actually do.

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