LSU FAFO VS ALABAMA, 31-13
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
It may be a blessing in disguise there won't be a 2027 meeting between LSU and Alabama, because for the 4th season in a row, under 3 different head coaches (inc. 2025 interim Frank Wilson), our LSU Tigers caught their 3rd loss of the season & imploded 31-13 inside a sold out, star-studded Tiger Stadium.
Starting the afternoon like it was a party, Death Valley soon became the scene of a wake during a hellish 2nd half:
Despite out-gaining Alabama in total yards 457 to 285, driving inside enemy territory 8x, running 81 plays to Alabama's 53 (with 47 LSU snaps inside the Alabama half), flying up & down the field for 27 1st downs compared to the Tide's 13, allowing only 79 rushing yards, as the Tide went 3/11 on 3rd down & racked up 7 penalties, none of those metrics mattered:
Ultimately, in a visual that recalled Brian Kelly-era offenses, LSU couldn't finish inside the red zone, scoring just 2 field goals & 1 TD, turning the ball over twice (including another Leavitt interception), turning the ball over on downs 4 more times (including 2x inside the 10 yard line), playing pitiful special teams, and Kalen DeBoer's Tide punished every 2nd half mistake as they dropped 21 unanswered points to end the game amid an emptying, funereal Tiger Stadium.
LSU had a few strong outings, WR Jackson Harris (166 yards, 11 catches) and TE Trey'Dez Green (85 yards, 10 catches) tried to take the game over at times, while QB Sam Leavitt statistically stood out with 380 passing yards and 35 completions, but Leavitt's 2nd half interception & poor play inside the red zone derailed the Tigers' offense vs Alabama.
Settling for field goals early, abandoning the ground game even earlier (a season low 77 rushing yards on 33 carries, running 15 more passing plays, uncharacteristically), refusing to take any downfield shots (aside from a botched double pass trick play), as Leavitt routinely held on to the ball just long enough to miss wide open receivers or create his own sacks, Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr's offense, led by their quarterback, orchestrated the Tigers' 3rd defeat.
Defensively, Blake Baker's group fought off Keelon Russell and Co for 2 1/2 quarters until the dam broke loose, limiting Russell to just 206 passing yards, 17 completions and 25 on the ground...however, Saturday's loss turned into "death by 1,000 cuts":
If Baker's defense can't turn their abundance of pressure into sacks or tackles for loss, they will allow teams to hang around, specifically considering how this unit doesn't force many turnovers, and that's exactly what transpired vs Alabama:
Moving Russell out of the pocket and working the entire backfield sideline to sideline, forcing LSU's front seven to chase (just 2 sacks & 3 TFLs), Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb made sure to wear down LSU's defense as each completion went for chunk or explosive yardage right in the face of maximum pressure, with Russell finding his tight ends as much as his receivers (an X factor LSUODYSSEY wrote & spoke about this past week).
Despite Baker's defense doing well for most of the game with their backs firmly against the wall (thanks to LSU's appalling offensive display), their obvious 2nd half exhaustion, post snap disorganization, coupled with key injuries to starters Whit Weeks and Dashawn Spears, led to 3 passing scores and stuck out horribly when it mattered most.
10 of Russell's rushing yards arrived on a big 3rd and 9, while young safety Jhase Thomas was caught napping in coverage on Alabama's game-sealing pass play to, you guessed it, a tight end; Elsewhere, WR Rico Scott punished LSU on a 57 yard grab, TE Cederian Morgan reeled in a 25 yard TD, and TE Kaleb Edwards snatched another 25 yarder, slipping through Tiger coverage.
Plus, adding insult to injury, Russell had a hurt ankle nagging him during the game, Ryan Coleman-Williams was just back from injury, and their best rusher was also missing due to injury....and all of these chunks & big gains added up until LSU's doors broke off the hinges and Alabama busted through.
There were failings in all 3 phases:
Allowing a 32 yard punt return that set up the Tide inside the red zone while also making a rash of other poor plays on special teams, defensively giving up big plays on eye candy RPO fakes or TEs blocking and releasing into the flat, missing wide open targets in the passing game, all 3 phases ultimately failed...
Still, the story of Saturday's loss is all about the Tigers' 2026 inability to carve out an offensive identity over the preceding 8 games....an overriding failure to decide or even identify the team they need to be in order to beat top opponents.
Is this a running team that believes in their ground game and a balanced attack???
Somehow, we witnessed Leavitt passing the ball nearly 50 times vs Alabama...
Is this an up tempo, fast paced offense spreading out their opponent and gutting 'em over the middle?
We've seen flashes up and down the field, but suddenly the pace grinds to a halt inside the red zone, draining the team of both momentum & points.
Is this a squad that keeps it conservative and leans on their defense???
That was how LSU lost @ Kentucky...
Unlike Baker's defense, with their aggressive mentality, Kiffin / Weis Jr haven't found their offensive identity yet....which is the most confounding and frustrating part of LSU's 3 defeats & overall performance in 2026.
This is a squad that doesn't know what they do best, winning & losing games each week in a different manner than the week before, still figuring out who they are on many different levels...and when LSU's investment into the Kiffin project reaches just under $300 million (nearly $100 for Lane Kiffin's contract alone), no Tiger team or staff should be figuring it out 9 games into the season.
Is it simply a year too soon???
Looking forward, if LSU can retain Tigers holding remaining eligibility, as well as bolster Kiffin's roster with more depth in the offseason, than the trials of 2026 might not all be in vain...they could be potential 2018-esque lessons along the rocky road to the golden path.....
But right now, in the thick of it, all anyone can say is "once again, during a big game, against a top opponent, LSU choked & were blown off the field..."
Based on Saturday's evidence, there remains plenty of work left to be done by Lane Kiffin and his staff if they want to take LSU back to the apex of college football.
WATCH THE POSTGAME REACTION SHOW👇
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
©️ 2026 Uninterrupted Writings Inc
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