LSU coach Lane Kiffin waves to the crowd while walking down Victory Hill before the game against h Tech on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 at Tiger Stadium.
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
Sports columnist Scott Rabalais with his three takeaways from No. 8-ranked LSU’s 45-14 victory Saturday night against h Tech in Tiger Stadium:
1. REVERSAL OF FORTUNE
LSU’s offense was the picture of modern college football efficiency against Clemson, rolling for more than 300 yards both rushing and passing. In the first half against h Tech, LSU’s offense was the picture of a ’57 Plymouth belching oil smoke and struggling to shift gears. The Tigers had an incredible 278-0 edge in total offense at halftime but only a 10-7 lead because of four turnovers. LSU eventually pulled away, but it was a disturbing image for sure.
2. DEFENSE WITH A CAPITAL ‘D’
Meanwhile, LSU’s defense was beyond stellar. Tech didn’t even manage a non-penalty first down until there was 12:47 left in the game, its only scores coming on a pick-six and against Tiger backups. LSU’s defense spent the offseason in the shadow of the Lane Kiffin/Charlie Weis offense, but perhaps that should be the other way around. LSU was too fast, too stifling for a Tech team that hung 80 on Northwestern State a week earlier.
3. NOW WHAT?
The Tigers emerged from the Clemson game making an argument to be considered the nation’s best team. After a sputtering offensive showing for much of the game against Tech, the questions that LSU had going into the opener have been re-magnified with a game at You Know Where (Ole Miss) next Saturday. If this was LSU’s “blackout game” as Lane Kiffin calls them, perhaps no harm done. But clearly the Tigers need to up their game before heading to Oxford.