For the second time in three trips to Lexington, LSU suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss to Kentucky. The Wildcats rallied for a 35-34 victory Saturday night, handing the Tigers their second loss of the season and extending their SEC road losing streak to eight games.
LSU lost a triple-overtime thriller to Kentucky in 2007. This time, the Tigers fell on a two-point conversion in overtime.
Kentucky became the first team in college football history to win consecutive games by one point in overtime.
LSU drops to 4-2 overall and will have little margin for error the rest of the way.
How It Went Down in Overtime
Kentucky kicker Adam Zouagui missed two field goals in the fourth quarter, but he came through when it mattered most. His 33-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining tied the game and forced overtime.
Kentucky won the overtime coin toss and elected to play defense first. LSU needed just two plays to find the end zone, taking a 34-27 lead on Sam Leavitt’s 15-yard touchdown run.
The Wildcats answered with a drive of their own. On third-and-eight, Kenny Minchey connected with Kenny Darby for a 22-yard gain to the one-yard line. Two plays later, CJ Baxter punched it in to pull Kentucky even.
Just as he did last week in a come from behind victory over South Carolina, Kentucky head coach Will Stein opted to go for two and the win.
The Wildcats spread the field, and Minchey ran virtually untouched up the middle for the decisive conversion. The play, designed by Stein and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, LSU’s former offensive coordinator, caught the Tigers completely off guard.
Trick-Play Touchdowns
Two of LSU’s touchdowns came on trick plays.
Trailing 7-3 in the first quarter, the Tigers executed a flea-flicker featuring two handoffs. Leavitt found a wide-open Zach Grace for a 22-yard touchdown. It was the first career reception for Grace, who is in his third season of college football.
LSU also scored on a double pass. Leavitt threw a backward lateral to Jackson Harris, who delivered a perfect pass to tight end Roman Mothershed inside the 10-yard line. Mothershed took it the rest of the way for a touchdown.
Despite the creativity, LSU came up one point short.
Sam Leavitt turns it over twice
Leavitt threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns and he had a rushing touchdown. But he also had two turnovers.
The Tigers quarterback threw an interception on LSU’s opening possession of the third quarter and lost a fumble in the fourth. However, the Wildcats came away empty-handed after both mistakes.
Zouagui missed a 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and then pushed a 26-yarder wide after Leavitt’s fumble.
LSU’s Running Game Disappears
LSU entered the game averaging 238 rushing yards per contest. Kentucky held the Tigers to just 94 yards on the ground, an average of 2.6 yards per carry.
Dillon Jones led LSU with 56 yards on 16 carries, while Leavitt added 39 yards on 15 attempts.
The lack of a consistent running game made it difficult for the Tigers to control the game on the ground, and LSU ultimately fell short in a contest that went down to the final play.
Former LSU Commitment Makes His Mark
Kenny Darby was relatively quiet for much of the night, but the freshman from Bossier City delivered when Kentucky needed him most.
Darby finished with four catches for 79 yards, leading the Wildcats in receiving. His biggest reception came in overtime, when he hauled in Minchey’s 22-yard pass to set up Baxter’s touchdown.
Darby had originally committed to LSU, but after Lane Kiffin took over as head coach, the Tigers rescinded his scholarship offer. Darby subsequently followed Sloan to Kentucky.
His biggest play of the night helped put LSU on the brink of defeat.
Too Many Mistakes on the Road
LSU made too many mistakes to escape Lexington with a victory.
The Tigers committed seven penalties, including five in the first quarter, as they once again struggled to settle in away from home.
Kentucky also struck immediately on its first offensive play, when Baxter broke loose for a 77-yard run. LSU additionally surrendered a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown and committed two turnovers.
A key for LSU in this game was to make sure they did not allow Kentucky to hang around. The Wildcats are a confident group and LSU had chances to close the game out and failed to do so.
The Tigers got the ball with 3:11 left in regulation. But couldn’t run the clock out. LSU faced 4-and-1 at its own 43-yard line.
Kiffin said he talked himself out of going for it. The Tigers punted, and Kentucky went 9-plays, 67 yards for the game tying field goal.
What It Means for LSU
At 4-2, LSU has little room for error. A third loss would significantly damage the Tigers’ College Football Playoff hopes, especially with a difficult stretch of games still ahead.
The schedule offers little relief. Before Saturday’s game, ESPN’s College Football Power Index ranked LSU’s remaining schedule as the second-toughest in the country.
The Tigers now face an uphill climb. After another frustrating SEC road loss, LSU must find a way to clean up its mistakes and start winning away from home if it hopes to remain in the playoff conversation.
