Brian Kelly’s nightmares are coming true. The LSU Tigers lost their second straight game, and their third loss this season, to the No.3 Texas A&M this Saturday. It was a must-win game for the No.20 LSU to remain in the AP poll ranking and keep its playoff chances alive. However, their devastating 25-49 loss at home made fans lose hope in Brian Kelly. LSU is now 5-3, and its playoff chances are swinging in the air. Seeing LSU suffer a similar fate for the past four seasons made football legends Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson urge LSU to fire Brian Kelly immediately.

On the October 25th episode of Nightcap, UNC and Ocho addressed LSU’s loss to Texas A&M and asked LSU to fire Brian Kelly. They addressed how Brian Kelly was unable to win a national championship with NFL first-round draft picks on the team in the previous years, mentioning QB Jayden Daniels in 2022, WR Brian Thomas Jr. in 2023, and WR Malik Nabers in 2022 & 2023. Sharpe questioned, “If you don’t win a national championship with those guys, what makes you think that was probably your best opportunity?” In the last three seasons, Kelly’s LSU has lost at least three matches and lost its chance to compete for the title and to the playoffs.

Shannon Sharpe believes that “it’s time” for LSU to make some changes, as they are nowhere close to reaching the national title. Seeing the other team progress, and LSU being struck in the same place, despite producing the first-round NFL draft picks year after year, he got disappointed. He said, “LSU is about they’re trying to win the national championship.” The last time LSU won an SEC championship and a national championship was back in 2019, under Ed Oregon.

Chad Johnson noted that the other coaches with the same 5-3 record are elated and happy, and at LSU, “the coach deserves to be fired.” Unc replied, “You can be ecstatic about being 5-3, but how close is that getting you to play for an SEC championship? How close is that to getting you to play for a college football championship? That ain’t close. That is not going to happen.”

He said that LSU wasted yet another year without a title. “LSU is not competing for an SEC title, and they’re not going to be in the college football playoffs.” In the four seasons with LSU, Kelly’s struggle against the ranked opponents is evident, as he holds a 5-11 record.

Taking a look at Brian Kelly’s annual pay, Shape noted, “Kelly is probably making $10 million a year,” and the OC and DC are making at least $1.5 million per year. If LSU spends another 4 or 5 million on the NILs, the program spends around $20M each year. But at what cost? Shape at least wanted Kelly to take LSU to the SEC championship game. “It doesn’t make sense to me to keep paying for something when I know it doesn’t work…  At some point in time, it’s just time to get me a new coach.” Kelly makes $10.175 million this season, and his contract includes a duty to mitigate clause and annual bonuses.

Fans Losing Hope & Brian Kelly’s Potential Buyout

On October 25, before the LSU vs Texas A&M game ended at the Tiger Stadium, fans started vacating the stadium. According to Jacques Doucet’s report on X, “LSU football fans emptying 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 are taking over the joint. Absolute nightmare. #LSU.” It is well-known how occupied the Tiger Stadium will be for the LSU game, although it has a capacity of over 100K occupancies. But it was heartbreaking to hear the news from the ground.

The fans are absolutely disappointed with the third-year coach, Brian Kelly, after seeing the home team suffer. If the program has to let go of its head coach, Kelly is owed $53 million from LSU, based on his deal. Kelly signed a 10-year contract with LSU for a whopping $95 million four years ago. He still has 6 years left with his contract, and if he gets fired, he will be paid 90% of his salary. Kelly would receive $740,185 every month until December 31, 2031, if fired at the end of the 2025 season. 

Will LSU be able to risk their money like Penn State let go of their coach, James Franklin, weeks ago? Or will Brian Kelly be given another chance to save his seat? We need to wait and watch.