The seven-year contract that Lane Kiffin signed at the end of 2025, worth $91 million, is already facing an early test. All because LSU struggled to turn its offensive production into points against Alabama. The defeat has prompted ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum to question how the coach’s first season in Baton Rouge could end.
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Finebaum has predicted a disappointing finish for Kiffin following the Tigers’ 31-13 Week 10 loss to Alabama. Speaking on The Matt Barrie Show, he called the defeat “bloody” for Kiffin and suggested that the head coach, who’s taking home $13 million annually, was more likely to finish the regular season with a 7-5 record than achieve a 9-3 finish.
“This was bloody for Lane Kiffin. I mean, for all the carnival acts, all the shenanigans,” Finebaum asserted. “All the deceit, all the lies of this guy, to get stuffed in a locker by Kayvon Thibodeaux and just thrown into a sewer-infested pond, that’s what really hurts. This is one of the most humiliating moments of Lane Kiffin’s coaching career, and that’s really saying something.”
Finebaum said Kiffin’s best chance to salvage the season is the home game against Texas, likely a Saturday night contest. If LSU won that game and then somehow beat Tennessee, he argued, much of the criticism surrounding Kiffin’s first season would fade. But Finebaum also added that this was unlikely, and that Kiffin had a better chance of finishing the regular season 7-5 than 9-3.
Kiffin’s appointment came after a successful six-year spell at Ole Miss, where he recorded 55 wins and guided the Rebels to four 10-win seasons. LSU turned to him after parting ways with Brian Kelly, expecting his offensive approach and recruiting record to help the Tigers compete for championships.
The seven-year, $91 million agreement reflected the scale of those expectations, making the results of his first season an important measure of the program’s direction.
The Alabama game offered a clear example of why the final score was not the only concern for LSU. The Tigers produced 457 total yards, well above Alabama’s 285, and recorded 27 first downs compared with the Crimson Tide’s 13.
Sam Leavitt completed 35 of 47 passes for 380 yards, while Jackson Harris contributed 166 receiving yards. Yet LSU failed to convert that offensive production into touchdowns through the passing game.
The biggest difference came in the red zone and on fourth down. LSU went 0-for-4 on fourth-down attempts, including a failed attempt when Leavitt’s pass was batted down near the goal line.
The Tigers also missed a 56-yard field goal in the second quarter and settled for field goals on two other scoring drives. Alabama, in contrast, scored touchdowns on all three of its red-zone opportunities. Those missed chances left LSU unable to build a lead that matched its yardage advantage.
Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell made the most of his opportunities, completing 17 of 24 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. His scoring passes went to Josh Ford, Cederian Morgan and Kaleb Edwards, helping Alabama pull away after LSU briefly moved ahead in the third quarter.
The Crimson Tide also avoided turnovers, while LSU gave the ball away twice. That efficiency proved more decisive than the difference in total offensive yards.
LSU’s postseason outlook also took a hit following the defeat. Although the Tigers have secured bowl eligibility with six wins, their College Football Playoff hopes have become considerably harder to sustain.
Ranked No. 14 in the committee’s initial rankings, the Tigers now have little room for another loss if they hope to remain in the national playoff conversation.
Alabama also responded immediately after LSU took a 13-10 lead in the third quarter. Russell connected with Josh Ford for a touchdown on the following possession, restoring the Crimson Tide’s advantage with just 36 seconds remaining in the period.
Finebaum’s 7-5 projection now gives LSU’s remaining schedule added significance. The Tigers are set to host No. 7 Texas on November 14 before travelling to face Tennessee on November 21.
They will then finish the regular season against Arkansas on November 28. With a 6-3 overall record and a 3-3 mark in SEC play, LSU needs a strong finish to move beyond the concerns raised by the Alabama loss.
With three games remaining, Kiffin still has a chance to finish the season on a stronger note. However, LSU’s performances against Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas will determine whether he can move beyond the 7-5 outcome Finebaum considers more likely.