Looks like the fear just came true for Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers. Saturday, October 25, was the day of the ultimatum for the Tigers’ head coach. LSU fans still chose to be loyal to Kelly, filling the stands to witness the head coach crushing doubts and saving his seat. Like he has always done. However, look how the tables have turned. “Saturday night in Death Valley” is not just a phrase. At LSU, it’s an experience. But sadly, LSU fans thought going back home and sleeping early to be a better option than waiting and witnessing a heartbreak.

On October 25, while the game was yet to hit the final minute, Jacques Doucet came up with a heartbreaking update. “@LSUfootball fans emptying out of Tiger Stadium to start the fourth quarter of a do or die, SEC night game. Piped in music bouncing off emptiness. Aggie fans and their swaying taking over the joint. Absolute nightmare. #LSU,” wrote the analyst. 

Fourteen of the 28 members of The Athletic college football staff surveyed selected Tiger Stadium as their pick for the best venue in the nation. Death Valley’s USP lies in hosting loud and passionate fans, with a whopping 102,321 of them at capacity. Nearly every home game is a sellout. Unfortunately, it’s the same venue that became the site for one of the ugliest moments in LSU history. And college football just had a deja vu moment. 

Do you remember how 111k Penn State fans, huddled at the Beaver Stadium, filled the stands with ‘Fire James Franklin’ chants? Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks handed them a 24-30 loss at the Nittany Lions’ home ground. And the rest is history. Penn State has pulled the trigger on Franklin. Is the same going to happen for Kelly, too?

Mid-game, On3 posted a clip of the Tigers Stadium stands filled to the brink. While the LSU fans could expect the impending doom, they ensured to voice out their frustration. The ‘Fire Kelly’ chants got revved up. It was a do-or-die Saturday. Already, things were heated up in Baton Rouge after Kelly’s boys tasted a L from a cupcake program like Vanderbilt Commodores. 

After the loss, the LSU head coach told the media his players must clean up their game and keep their eyes on the prize: a shot at the SEC title. The Texas A&M face-off was their D-Day to whitewash their slate. And here they failed at it miserably, going home with a 25-49 loss. But what went wrong for Kelly and his boys? The frustration was evident in Kelly’s face, too. 

Halftime hope turns into Brian Kelly’s big frustration 

Do you know what’s more heartbreaking? Well, Kelly and his boys were filled with some hope to hand Elko’s Texas A&M the first loss of the season. LSU walked into halftime with an 18-14 lead. On third-and-7, Garrett Nussmeier connected with Kyle Parker for just three yards, but the quarterback took a brutal hit afterward. Clutching his midsection, he limped off the field as Kelly argued for a late-hit penalty that never came.

But what made the head coach lose his cool? KC Concepcion has been electric on offense with 45 yards and a TD, but his game-changing moment came on special teams. After DJ Hicks’ third-down sack, Concepcion took the punt back 79 yards for a touchdown, giving Texas A&M a two-score lead and full control in the third quarter.

LSU’s offensive coordinator, Joe Sloan, called a risky pass at a critical moment when LSU had no timeouts, making the team’s situation even more dangerous. Later, a clip of Kelly got viral, and lipreading his words, he said, “What are you doing, Joe? You can’t throw that with no f—ing time outs…”

While Kelly’s frustration came during the game, LSU fans have been playing with fire, not being able to keep their frustration under control. As Tony Catalina tweeted a clip with the caption, “Texas A&M football players entering Tiger Stadium with pleasantries being hurled at them by LSU students.” And we know how risky it is.

Colorado Buffaloes were held accountable as their fans filled the stands, hurling expletives against the BYU Cougars. The cost of it? $50k. We are yet to know whether the LSU Tigers will be charged the hefty amount or not. As of now, a feeling of disappointment has engulfed the LSU fandom. One of the fans shared how they pinned high hopes for Brian Kelly to fix things, “It is a disappointment. You know, because you came in with that portal class, and you really thought they were a top-five team and almost a lock for the playoffs. It is very disappointing.” Talk about a birthday blowup? Kelly just lived it.