When Lane Kiffin got off the bus for the Tiger Walk before the Alabama game, he was flanked by Shaquille O’Neal and Angel Reese. Kevin Costner — Kevin, fucking Costner! – walked behind him and shook his hand.
No one has brought more attention and hype to a college football program this year than Kiffin. He signed a seven-year contract worth $91 million, tied with two-time national champion Kirby Smart for second most in college football. According to 247Sports, his team is the most expensive in college football, approaching $50 million.
And then Alabama walked into the building. The Field of Dreams has turned into a nightmare.
No. 14 LSU collapsed under the weight of expectations against No. 5 Alabama, losing 31-13 in resounding fashion. After taking a 13-10 lead into the third quarter, the Tigers allowed 21 unanswered points for Kiffin’s sixth straight loss to the Crimson Tide.
With the loss, LSU stands at 6-3 and 0-3 against teams in the CFP rankings. Perhaps their most impressive performance was a one-point loss to No. 6 Kentucky on the road. While Kiffin raised the floor for LSU, putting unranked teams in the dirt, he didn’t show up against true national competition.
At every high-impact moment, Alabama was smoking LSU. The Tide held LSU to a field goal after first and goal. They forced a missed field goal, then staged a touchdown from great field position. LSU turned the ball over three times, including two in the fourth quarter, and turned the ball over twice.
And what makes matters worse is that Kiffin’s flagship offense has been completely overwhelmed by Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. Statistically, LSU managed to put up 457 yards, but the numbers run deeper. They finished in the 19th percentile for yards per play, 20th percentile for EPA per play and 1st percentile for explosive play rate, according to Game on Paper.
Essentially, LSU did nothing to really force the Alabama defense to adjust. It’s a tough pill to swallow when you’ve built your career on being an offensive savant.
Kiffin has had a great run at Ole Miss, elevating the program to new heights, including working with Grove Collective to improve its NIL operation. With his team left behind, Pete Golding led Ole Miss to the national semifinals last year. Kiffin has yet to coach a playoff game, a streak that will likely continue this year.
LSU still has two shots at No. 7 Texas and No. 13 Tennessee for ranked wins, but the Tigers’ team coming up against elite teams simply isn’t good enough to win both games. If they split the result, LSU would finish 8-4 with a 1-4 record against CFP Top 25 opponents.
After the season, most of the top players on the roster will join the NFL. Kiffin will have to start all over again, going through the transfer portal. For the first time since 2016, Louisiana’s top two recruits are leaving the state. Adding insult to injury, No. 3 quarterback Elijah Haven — a Baton Rouge native — chose Kalen DeBoer and the Tide over Kiffin.
Kiffin arrived in Baton Rouge with incredible hype, landing Vanity Fair covers and dominating the interview circuit. When he got the job, Louisiana Sen. John Kenny joked that all this nonsense was worth it, but he better win.
Well, Kiffin doesn’t win. And after yet another embarrassing loss to Alabama, he could be headed for a painful offseason.
Gn sports
