LSU AT THE BYE WEEK: CONFESSIONS OF A TIGER

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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

After a rollercoaster 8 game stretch, Lane Kiffin's Year 1 LSU Tigers stand at 6-2: six strong, at times even elite victories held down by a pair of close, albeit disappointing defeats, with Kiffin's Tigers showing a myriad of faces to the world:

Against Clemson, LSU destroyed Dabo Swinney's faux Tigers inside the Real Death Valley with such swagger and flexing brutality, Swinney's hapless bunch were lucky to even score a point. Regardless of Sam Leavitt's rusty start as a passer, LSU's quarterback led a barrage of rushing TDs and points that laid down a marker: this team would be fronted by a stingy, superstar-anchored defense, giving their inconsistent, but promising offense constant opportunities to get it right.

When heading to Oxford in Week 3 for a showdown of the millennium, the Kiffin vs Ole Miss headlines and off the field insanity between the two schools played second fiddle to a story of two halves:

The 1st half was the worst display of LSU's season, allowing at will completions from Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss against Corey Raymond and Jake Olsen's secondary, while failing to execute offensively, protect Sam Leavitt, or find a rhythm through the air, ultimately facing a 24-7 halftime deficit that felt much larger.

The 2nd half in Oxford showcased a hungry, resilient LSU squad hellbent on coming back, tying the game at 24-24 before allowing Chambliss & Ole Miss one final drive....and an exhausted Blake Baker defense uncharacteristically let them march down the field & steal the game in the final minute.

For their 2nd defeat, who could forget LSU's gutpunch loss on a 2 point conversion in overtime, 35-34 @ Kentucky, a game the Tigers had in their hands....until Coach Kiffin sidelined his usual offensive aggression, punted the football instead of sealing the win on a 4th and 1, and could only watch on as a disorganized LSU defense surrendered a walk-in, game-winning score on a do or die play.

There were further beatdowns of McNeese and Louisiana Tech as players like Dilin Jones, Jackson Harris, and Winnie Watkins announced themselves as big time offensive playmakers; This was followed by the Tigers' first SEC shutout since 2007 against Mississippi State (31-0), and finally, LSU's most complete outing of the season last weekend vs Auburn (38-17)....

There's been times Kiffin's squad and coaching staff have blown opponents off the field via one explosive play after another...

There's other times LSU's injured star power on both sides of the ball (Whit Weeks, Dashawn Spears, and Trey'Dez Green) cost the team games & held them back...

Sam Leavitt has evolved alongside Kiffin/Weis Jr's offense, starting off as a run-only QB orchestrating a run-first attack, before turning into a more balanced, far more explosive, creative, and expansive offense.

Once in the pits, as far as analysts or pundits rating him as a complete quarterback, Leavitt is now leading the SEC in completions, passing yards, and passing TDs on the back of three straight outings throwing 25+ completions, multiple 300 yard games, notably his career high 388 yard exhibition @ Auburn, now marrying his well known rushing abilities alongside his rising passing strengths to create an unstoppable force.

And while Blake Baker's defensive unit has remained a top 5 nationally ranked group (spending most of the year at #1 overall), facing down & exorcising their well publicized dual threat QB demons (giving up -5 rushing yards on 57 carries against 5 running QBs thus far), they've also had a couple costly (and surprising) moments of weakness on the road vs Ole Miss and Kentucky....

But regardless of these deficiencies, Kiffin's Year 1 roster and staff is a massive upgrade concerning what we've seen from LSU in the post 2019 era:

Only 4 Tigers rushed or received for 1,000 yards since 2019...Jayden Daniels, Ty Davis-Price, plus WRs Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.

Only 1 LSU Tiger cleared the 8 sack threshold since Arden Key set the sacks record in 2016....

Already in 2026, RB Dilin Jones & WR Jackson Harris are on a blistering pace for 1,000 yards each, which would be the first time in 7 years LSU's roster featured a 1,000 yard running back & 1,000 yard receiver on the same squad.

As for sacks, Princewill Umanmielen is only 4 sacks away from topping the program's all time sacks record....ushering in the most productive defensive line LSU has seen in years, replete with star power and depth in equal measure.

Overall, you have a LSU team that's raised the bar on all fronts, racking up enough points & yards to make Brian Kelly blush (even as they kicked off rust for a few games, deal with a problematic O-line, a lack of receiving options outside Harris & Green, and of course Green's injury), while Blake Baker's 2026 defense reminds the fans of a vintage bloodhound gang of yesteryear....only their own injuries getting in the way.

From a 20,000 foot view high above Baton Rouge, beaming down on Tiger Stadium, I ask "what is possible for 2026 LSU???"

Sam Leavitt is putting together all the magical pieces of his dual threat intangibles & developing as a passing artist at a quick rate.

Dilin Jones is the kind of powerhouse running back LSU fans have been waiting years to finally see once again in purple and gold...

Jackson Harris has made himself the clear WR1 target, simultaneously becoming one of the SEC's most dynamic big play merchants.

Blake Baker's defense may be banged up & missing a few key starters for the meat of September & October, however that fact hasn't prevented Princewill Umanmielen, Deuce Geralds, Jordan Ross, Ty Benefield, DJ Pickett, Tamarcus Cooley, Davhon Keys, TJ Dottery and PJ Woodland from producing spectacular performances.

Two of LSU's most reliable and impactful playmakers, linebacker Whit Weeks and tight end Trey'Dez Green are getting healthy again after lengthy injury absences.

Illustrating their consistency, despite their 2 defeats, LSU's total offense, total defense, passing offense, rushing defense, and 4th down conversion percentage ranks 1st in the SEC; Their sacks & TFL totals rate as the 2nd highest, too...

So...looking at every factor, the Tigers should be able to vanquish Alabama, beat Texas, and overcome road trips @ Tennessee, as well as Arkansas, in order to grab 1 of 12 CFP places, plus a likely SEC Championship Game spot??? Right???

Among a cannabalized SEC featuring Texas & Ole Miss already catching 2 losses, Kentucky randomly at 7-1, and a 1 loss Alabama heading into a raucous Death Valley next weekend (where LSU is undefeated), Lane Kiffin's Tigers have proven to be capable of winning in multiple ways & their destiny is right in their hands....set out in front of 'em like a purple & gold tapestry....a blockbuster, innovation superhighway leading all the way to a College Football Playoff berth....

....all LSU needs to do???

Put one foot in front of the other and keep geauxing...

By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

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