LSU defensive tackle Deuce Geralds (99) celebrates after a tackle against Mississippi State on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, at Tiger Stadium.
For one of the few times this season, LSU and its controversial coach Lane Kiffin weren’t the story in college football.
On this Saturday, that was a very good thing.
A week after suffering an excruciating one-point overtime loss at Kentucky, the Tigers spent their day holding Mississippi State at arm’s length while scrolling through the carnage engulfing the rest of the Associated Press top 25.
It took a lot of scrolling.
As the final notes of the LSU alma mater faded into the stiff October breeze following a 31-0 victory over the No. 16-ranked Bulldogs – the No. 22 Tigers’ first shutout in an SEC game since a 45-0 win at State in 2007 – the upsets started rolling in.
No. 1 Georgia fell at home to unranked Auburn 27-24.
No. 7 Texas lost at home to unranked Florida by the same score.
No. 5 Indiana had its 22-game winning streak ended by No. 4 Ohio State 19-15.
And No. 14 Tennessee took out No. 6 Alabama 26-10 before its fans stormed the field in Knoxville.
Um, hey Volunteers, did you not see the $500,000 check Kentucky had to write LSU after last week’s field storming?
It would be folly to try to predict the next upset, much less who will emerge from the Southeastern Conference’s current free-for-all to win the nation’s most balanced conference and advance to the College Football Playoff.
The best thing you can say for LSU on this particular Saturday was that the Tigers (5-2, 2-2 SEC) took care of business. Methodically, clinically and perhaps, compared to the wild results pouring in from precincts all across the college football landscape, perhaps a little boringly.
But after that loss to Kentucky, the Tigers’ second in their first six games, pushed LSU’s CFP hopes to the brink, they needed a nice, safe win. And they responded.
“I don’t every talk about playoffs,” Kiffin said. “That’s just outcome. I just talk about process. We just handed it (the Kentucky game) away. We showed them (LSU’s players) again and again how we should have won the game.
“But I’m human, too. I ended last night’s speech to the team saying we have to win tomorrow. There’s no other option but to win this game.”
The Tigers did just that. Taking advantage of a sneaky dangerous Mississippi State team that was without its top two offensive weapons because of injuries – quarterback Kamario Taylor and the delightfully nicknamed running back Fluff Boutwell – the Bulldogs faced LSU at a serious disadvantage. State started a redshirt freshman quarterback, Billy Puckett, who had thrown all of 14 passes this year.
Puckett didn’t play terribly (16 of 26 passing for 121 yards with an interception) but was no match for LSU’s Sam Leavitt. Despite re-aggravating a previous hamstring injury in practice, Leavitt was sharp. He completed 31 of 38 passes for 289 yards and an LSU-best four touchdowns.
Just as importantly, Leavitt didn’t throw an interception, the first time he’s done that as a Tiger.
“I feel like game-by-game he just keeps getting better and better,” said versatile LSU running back Dilin Jones, LSU’s leading rusher (18 carries, 84 yards) and receiver (nine catches, 58 yards) Saturday. “I expect him to play even better next game.”
That would be a good thing for the Tigers, because their game next week is at giant-killer Auburn. LSU is trying to snap an eight-game SEC road losing streak that goes back to 2024. It’s another must win if LSU is to stay in the SEC and CFP hunt.
But that’s next week’s concern. LSU got a win this week, and on a crazy college football Saturday, the Tigers can be grateful to have it.
#LSU #calming #win #crazy #college #football #Saturday #LSU
Source link
