LSU has had its fair share of ups and downs during Kiffin’s debut season, and the 31-13 defeat to Alabama was a particularly disappointing reality check. Kiffin isn’t shying away from it either, owning up to his team’s shortcomings while insisting there is more to this LSU squad than what the scoreboard showed.
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“If we’re just getting beat in matchups, then we have problems,” Kiffin said on his radio show on November 13 (as quoted by The Advocate’s Jon Blau), reiterating to his team that a 31-13 loss to Alabama was just a few plays. “That’s a top-5 team we played, and we should have beaten them. We showed them that.”
LSU entered the game ranked No. 14, while Alabama was ranked No. 5. The Tigers actually had a promising start and took a 13-10 lead in the third quarter for a brief second. LSU moved the ball better than Alabama but couldn’t convert that offensive advantage into points. LSU gained 457 total yards compared to Alabama’s 285 yards, but still lost.
However, things fell apart by the end of the third quarter, and Alabama took the lead once again. They scored 21 unanswered points and sealed their victory. During the radio show, a fan asked Kiffin what LSU fans could do better to support them, and Kiffin had a simple answer.
“That’s not a problem. Fans are good,” Kiffin said on the radio show. “It’s not a fan problem. It’s a red zone execution problem.” He added that he doesn’t need to coach LSU fans. “They’ve been doing this a long time here.”
The red zone execution problem is no joke, and it was exposed quite a lot by the Crimson Tide during the game. Alabama won almost every high-pressure situation. LSU entered the red zone four times but managed just 13 points from those trips.
“We didn’t make any. 0-for-4,” Kiffin said. “And we got in the red zone more than they did. And that’ll give you a problem on the scoreboard. You’ll get a lot of yards and not many points when that happens.”
The Tigers went 0-for-4 on fourth-down attempts. Three of those failed fourth-down attempts came in the fourth quarter, when LSU desperately needed to get back into the game. LSU also lost possession twice through turnovers.
LSU started the game with a promising offensive drive. They covered 70 yards in 14 plays. They reached Alabama’s red zone, but they couldn’t score a touchdown. Instead, kicker Scott Starzyk converted a 23-yard field goal, giving LSU just three points.
In the second quarter, another opportunity arose; LSU got into scoring position again. This time, they attempted a 56-yard field goal, but Starzyk missed it. With 3 minutes and 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter, LSU faced a crucial situation.
Instead of kicking a field goal, Kiffin decided to keep his offence on the field and attempt to convert the fourth down. They were at Alabama’s nine-yard line, and quarterback Sam Leavitt attempted to throw the ball to his receiver. However, Alabama defensive back Chuck McDonald III managed to get his hand on the pass and knock it down.
LSU got another opportunity to score before halftime. They managed to move into Alabama territory, reaching the Crimson Tide’s 36-yard line. However, Leavitt made a poor passing decision and threw an interception.
LSU still has two major opportunities to prove itself against ranked opponents with its upcoming matchups against Texas and Tennessee, before its last game against Arkansas on Nov. 28.