LAS VEGAS – Here’s a suggestion for LSU coach Brian Kelly.
Quit talking about what your Tigers may do to the opponent before season openers. Because I noticed that the No. 23-ranked USC Trojans kept their pants on from kickoff right through the end of their 27-20 victory over No. 13 LSU on Sunday night here.
In fact, USC’s belt buckles didn’t even get loosened, as LSU quarterback Y.A. Tittle’s did when he lost his trousers in a 20-18 loss to Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium in 1947. Tittle was playing defensive back at the time, as it was in those days. After intercepting a pass and breaking a tackle, a Rebel defender got a hand on his buckle and accidently popped it. Tittle tried to hold them up while he ran, but when he stiff-armed a tackler with his other hand, his pants fell down and he tripped on them.
Something similar happened to LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, too, in the 2019 season. A Mississippi State defender player grabbed at Burrow in the pocket and inadvertently caught the back of his pants and pulled them down for a few seconds, exposing Burrow’s butt to the world briefly. He pulled them back up quickly in a 36-13 win.
On Sunday in Vegas, though, it was LSU that USC stripped virtually naked in the fourth quarter by outscoring the Tigers 14-3 for the win.
“We had a great foundation (in camp) – really three weeks of great work that puts us in a great position now to go beat the pants off of USC,” Kelly said last Thursday on his weekly radio show.
“We’re going to beat the heck out of Florida State,” Kelly said last year on his opening radio show before losing that season opener to the Seminoles, 45-24.
And here’s another suggestion for BK. Ask or tell LSU deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry to stop scheduling high quality non-conference teams in season openers. That’s great for week two or in other spots during the season, but not the first game. OK?
Because Kelly has obviously shown he struggles to get his team ready for quality competition in season openers. And since both of his previous LSU teams have improved significantly as the season has gone on, it would be best for a slow starter to start off with slower competition.
And even Clemson next year may be too much, as sloppy as Kelly’s teams have played in openers at LSU. Clemson, which fell 34-3 to No. 1 Georgia on Saturday, has been in decline since NIL and the NCAA Transfer Portal started in the 2021 season. NIL- and Portal-hating coach Dabo Swinney has had three or more losses in his last three seasons after just two are fewer from 2015-20 with two national titles (2016 and ’18 seasons) and four appearances in national championship games.
LSU hosts Clemson on Sept. 5, 2026, in the earliest scheduled game at the moment for that season. And in 2027, LSU has Houston scheduled for a Labor Day weekend Texas Kickoff game in NRG Stadium in Houston on ESPN.
College football fans and media love great, non-conference match-ups in the opening weeks of a season, or any week. Such openers get the juices flowing early. It’s great. But obviously Kelly and LSU can’t get it together quick enough, so it’s time to cut bait as “Tiger Bait” cheers have rung hollow at unranked UCLA in 2021 (38-27 loss), against unranked Florida State in New Orleans in 2022 (24-23), against No. 8 Florida State in 2023 and this year. LSU also lost its 2020 opener, but that was SEC foe Mississippi State.
Instead of ripping USC coach Lincoln Riley for months over his desire not to play LSU, perhaps LSU fans and media should realize Riley has the right idea, particularly for Kelly.
How about Nicholls State as a future opening opponent? The Colonels will be in Tiger Stadium this Saturday for a 6:30 p.m. game. LSU could have gotten the rust and the penalties (10 for 99 yards vs. USC) out of its system in that game first, then play USC, if the schedule had flip-flopped those two.
“Ten is too many,” Kelly said of the penalties after the game. “Let’s put it that way.”
Particularly the unsportsmanlike conduct and targeting calls that proved costly on the scoreboard in addition to the lost yardage.
“That they both led to scores is unacceptable,” Kelly said.
LSU’s execution on offense overall and with new starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier fell apart at critical times. Some of that can be attributed to the fact that it was the first game
To alleviate such things, LSU needs to schedule like Alabama does now. Over the last three seasons, the Crimson Tide’s openers have allowed it to warm up against the likes of Utah State (55-0) in 2022, Middle Tennessee (56-7) in 2023 and Western Kentucky (63-0) on Saturday.
Judging from how poorly Alabama played in its 17-3 win over South Florida in week three last year, Alabama likely would have lost an opener last season against a higher-level program as it had been playing in previous seasons. That means it could have been 0-2 to start the season after losing to Texas in week two. Alabama regrouped and finished strong after a slow start to reach the playoffs. Without a light opener, that would not have happened.
Ausberry should be on the phone with the Utah States, Middle Tennessees and Western Kentuckys and other such-caliber teams now for next season after he calls Clemson to see about moving those next two games back. The way Clemson played Saturday, perhaps Swinney would be interested in a warm-up opponent before LSU as well.
Still, despite the loss, LSU showed enough strengths that bode well for the rest of the season. And I’m sticking with my 9-3 pick, even though I had the Tigers beating USC in the opener by 38-14. (USC did have only 13 points until the final minutes of the fourth.)
It was an excellent debut for new defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who held Riley’s USC offense down for most of the game. The Tigers pressured quarterback Miller Moss well throughout the game as defensive end Sai’vion Jones collected two sacks. The Trojans also only rushed for 69 yards and a 3.0 average.
“I thought our defense took a step forward from last year,” Kelly said.
And LSU’s defense did not get help from its offense in the second half when it counted.
Nussmeier did not finish strong, but he completed 30 of 39 passes on the night for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, that was an excellent opener in just the second start of his career. Like the defense, he’ll only get better.
LSU’s running game looked very good in spots, gaining 117 yards with a 4.5 average.
“We ran the ball well enough to win this game,” Kelly said. “We ran the ball well enough to set up everything else that we wanted to do.”
The red zone offense obviously needs to improve, but LSU put up 421 yards.
With an improving defense and an offense that won’t be as great as last year’s but still very good, the Tigers will be 4-1 going into Ole Miss on Oct. 12 at Tiger Stadium with wins over Nicholls State, at South Carolina and over UCLA and South Alabama at home.
If Baker can work some magic, now I think LSU could get by the Rebels. Texas A&M looks more beatable to me now as it is still having offensive issues. I had that as an LSU loss going in. Probably not now. I still see LSU wins at Florida and at home against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.
Alabama does not look like it is rebuilding. The only people I’ve heard say that are LSU fans. So, that is still a loss. The key now is the Ole Miss game. The secondary needs to improve, but because of Baker, I see that as more winnable now than before the USC game.
Teams improve from week one to week two more than in any other week, which is one more reason LSU should schedule lighter fare in openers.
But looking at the big picture, LSU fans, get off the bridge and the Twitter. This could still be a great season with a playoff entry.
Particularly if Kelly stops making predictions and keeps up the anger. Loved that.
Be the first to comment