Lane Kiffin reminded Charlie Weis Jr. at halftime to stay patient against Louisiana Tech's zones. LSU then used Sam Leavitt's running, a direct snap to Trey'Dez Green and explosive completions to pull away in a 45-14 win. Kiffin said Leavitt had been trying to do too much. The coaches found a workable response; LSU fans should want that restraint before halftime in Oxford.
LSU visits Ole Miss on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC. Kiffin returns after six seasons coaching the Rebels, just three games into his LSU tenure. That leaves little settling-in time before a particularly personal SEC opener.
Fan Watch gives LSU a 32% chance to win. The playoff stakes justify the attention. LSU's chances are 45.4% with a victory versus 28.6% with a loss. Its SEC title-game chances are 23.9% in the winning branch and 5.9% in the losing branch. This is a substantial opportunity for a road underdog.
Leavitt's career-high 344 passing yards against Louisiana Tech came with three interceptions and five sacks. In Oxford, he needs to keep possessions alive without forcing the next explosive play.
Weis is coordinating an offense imported with much of Kiffin's staff. Eight of LSU's 11 initial assistant additions followed him from Ole Miss. Blake Baker, meanwhile, stayed for his third season running LSU's defense. That continuity matters while the offensive staff works through how to get dependable decisions from Leavitt.
Ole Miss offers specific openings. After the Charlotte game, Pete Golding identified eye-control mistakes, bad pursuit angles, poor gap control and penalties that prolonged drives. He also said the Rebels had yet to find five defensive backs executing correctly together. LSU should make those defenders sustain their assignments. Take available gains, keep the next down manageable and let a missed assignment create the big play.
Baker has players who can buy the offense another possession. Against Louisiana Tech, TJ Dottery forced two fumbles and Princewill Umanmielen made four tackles for loss, including three sacks. Both transferred from Ole Miss; now LSU needs them to pressure their former team into sacks and turnovers.
The rotation still deserves attention. In the opener, Clemson drove 71 yards for its only touchdown after LSU substituted extensively. Kiffin warned that reserves would eventually need to make consequential stops alongside the starters. Watch whether LSU can substitute without giving away the defensive control its leading players provide.
The smaller outside interests are below; the interactive guide and methodology have the full model context. All kickoff times are Central.
Georgia at Arkansas: root for Arkansas
Saturday, 11 a.m. CT, ABC. Arkansas has an 11% chance to win, so enjoy the upset possibility without depending on it. A Georgia conference loss helps LSU in the SEC race. LSU's title-game chances are 14% if Arkansas wins versus 11.3% if Georgia wins, a 2.7-percentage-point advantage. This is the lunchtime game worth checking if the Razorbacks keep it close.
Florida at Auburn: root for Auburn
Saturday, 6 p.m. CT, ESPN. Auburn has a 63% chance to win. Handing Florida a conference loss is the helpful result, with LSU's playoff chances at 34.4% if Auburn wins versus 33.1% if Florida wins, a 1.3-percentage-point advantage. A modest bonus, and easy to check before LSU kicks off.
Kennesaw State at Tennessee: root for Tennessee
Saturday, 6:45 p.m. CT, SEC Network. Tennessee has a 94% chance to win. LSU visits the Volunteers in Week 12, so the benefit comes through preserving a future opponent's strength; this nonconference game awards no SEC win. LSU's playoff chances are 34.1% with a Tennessee victory versus 31.2% with a defeat, a 2.9-percentage-point advantage. Let the expected result take care of itself while LSU plays.
Back in Oxford, LSU must get its improvement from the players already available. The season's locked roster excludes Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris; neither can arrive later to ease the depth demands. The current reserves have to handle meaningful snaps.