The No. 13 LSU Tigers entered Sunday night’s Week 1 opener as slight favorites over the No. 23 USC Trojans, but in a all too familiar fashion, LSU choked in the final quarter and allowed USC to put together a game-winning drive that resulted in the winning touchdown with just three seconds remaining on the game clock.
Since Kelly took over the LSU football program in 2022 after a long tenure at Notre Dame, the Tigers have lost the first game of the year, against a high-profile opponent, by one score or less.
In his first season in 2022, LSU opened the year against Florida State at the Super Dome in New Orleans and fell by just one point, 24-23. The Tigers finished the year with a 10-4 record ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll.
Last season, the LSU Tigers headed down to Orlando to kick off the new season once again against a revamped Florida State team under Mike Norvell. LSU got blown out 45-24 but managed to put together a solid season, finishing the year with a 10-3 record and the No. 12 ranking in the AP Poll.
On Sunday night, the Seminoles weren’t standing in their way — but instead — a USC team that made the move to the Big Ten this offseason and entered the matchup without Caleb Williams, who won the Heisman in 2022 and was the first overall pick in April’s NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Both teams had new quarterbacks under center, with LSU’s signal caller from last season, Jayden Daniels, going just after Williams as the No. 2 selection in the NFL Draft,
Despite both squads showcasing new signal callers, both offenses were impressive throughout the game and put up similar numbers. USC finished the game with 447 yards of total offense, while the LSU Tigers finished the game with 421 yards of offense.
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier was impressive, completing 29-of-38 passing attempts for 302 yards, two touchdowns and one interception,
But USC QB Miller Moss was just as impressive, finishing the game with 378 yards and one touchdown.
LSU Tigers Head Coach Brian Kelly Explodes In Press Conference After USC Loss
LSU looked in total control st the end of the third quarter, taking the lead when Nussmeier connected with Aaron Anderson for a touchdown pass to give the Tigers a 17-13 lead. But the LSU offense was stifled in the fourth quarter, and with just over five minutes remaining USC took the lead on a Moss touchdown pass to Ja’Kobi Lane.
Trailing 20-17, the LSU offense put together a solid drive with less than two minutes remaining but couldn’t punch it in the end zone, so the Tigers were forced to kick a field goal tying the game at 20-20 with 1:47 remaining.
But Moss wasn’t fazed by the moment and orchestrated a masterful final drive, connecting on a 20-yard completion to Kyron Hudson and a subsequent targeting penalty on LSU with 18 seconds to play set up the winning score by RB Woody Marks.
After yet another season opening loss to a high-profile opponent, the LSU Tigers head coach didn’t hold back his anger in the postgame press conference.
"I'm not doing a good enough job as a coach … it's unacceptable for us not to have found a way to win this football game."
Brian Kelly says he's "angry" with his team after the loss to USC. pic.twitter.com/vloYGyKDh2
— ESPN (@espn) September 2, 2024
We’re sitting here. We’re talking about the same, the same thing about not finishing when you have an opponent in a position to put them away. What we’re doing on the sideline is feeling like the games over. I’m so angry about it. I’m not doing a good job as a coach and I got a coach him better because it’s unacceptable for us not to found a way to win this football game. It’s ridiculous.
While LSU has a long season ahead, the Tigers are going to have to find a way to win close games in big moments if they are going to make it into the College Football Playoff.
1 Comment
He certainly has a right to be upset, but let’s face it. That is not the same USC team of last year. I’m not going to say PED, but they weren’t the speedy smaller version of past. O-line bigger/stronger, D-line bigeer/stronger. The whole team tougher! wr/rb in sync with QB. They balled, LSU players underestimated, there was a individual lax, that wasn’t a HC problem, it was a NIL and a position coach issue. There where 2 big unsportsmanlike calls, the players, should no remorse and not even addressed by position coach. USC hit harder,suprisingly,if they can stay healthy watch out ND.