BATON ROUGE, La. LSU piled up 457 yards against Alabama on Saturday, but its difficulty turning drives into points proved decisive in a 31-13 defeat. The No. 14 Tigers outgained the No. 5 Crimson Tide by 172 yards, yet finished with their third loss of the season after Alabama scored the game's final 21 points.
LSU failed on all four of its fourth-down attempts, the most such attempts without a conversion in coach Lane Kiffin's career. Four possessions reached the red zone, but those opportunities produced just one touchdown and one field goal. Kiffin described the result as "really disappointing" and said his frequent fourth-down decisions reflected his belief entering the game that field goals would not be enough to beat Alabama.
The individual offensive totals underscored LSU's missed opportunities. Sam Leavitt threw for 380 yards, Jackson Harris caught 11 passes for 166 yards, and Trey'Dez Green added 10 receptions for 85 yards. Kiffin pointed to those figures while discussing an offense that managed only 13 points, emphasizing that the Tigers needed to finish their red zone possessions with touchdowns.
For a brief stretch late in the third quarter, LSU appeared to have an opening after making a defensive stop and moving ahead. A subsequent 32-yard punt return by Ryan Coleman-Williams helped swing the game toward Alabama. On the next snap, second-year quarterback Keelon Russell connected with Cederian Morgan for a 25-yard touchdown as the Crimson Tide pulled away.
Special teams added to LSU's problems. The Tigers missed a 56-yard field goal attempt, and Kiffin also cited a dropped punt near the end of the game alongside Coleman-Williams' return. Those mistakes compounded the offense's inability to capitalize on its yardage advantage.
Russell finished with 206 passing yards and three touchdown passes, while gaining 25 yards on eight rushing attempts. Kiffin credited him with escaping pressure and running for important first downs even when LSU's pass coverage held up. The coach said Russell's ability to extend plays had been a concern throughout the week and remained difficult for the Tigers to contain.
The loss further weakened LSU's postseason position after it entered the season among the favorites to contend for a national championship. At 6-3, the Tigers could be outside the playoff race. Their probability of reaching the field dropped from 51% to 25%, according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor.
Kiffin acknowledged that he had not expected LSU to hold this record at this stage, but pointed to the upcoming home game against top-10 Texas as an opportunity to recover. With another nationally prominent matchup ahead, he said the Tigers needed to return to work rather than dwell on the Alabama defeat.
