LSU football lost to Kentucky on Saturday night, falling 35-34 in overtime. Kentucky sealed the win on a go-ahead two-point conversion.
With the loss, LSU fell to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in SEC play. With two losses at the midway point, LSU's playoff hopes are growing slim. Given the difficulty of LSU's November schedule, LSU needed to run the table in October. LSU slipped in the rankings, too, falling to No. 21 in the US LBM Coaches Poll after ranking No. 10 last week.
Both sides of the ball had multiple chances to put the game away, but didn't. It was a rough night for the defense, which got off to a bad start when LSU surrendered a 77-yard run on its first play.
The defense eventually settled in, but entered another lull at the end of regulation,
allowing Kentucky to drive down the field and tie the game. In overtime, Kentucky needed just a few plays to tie the game, and Minchey scored on an untouched two-point conversion.
Here are five takeaways from LSU football's loss at Kentucky.
Missed opportunities doom LSU
As noted, the LSU offense and defense each had multiple chances to win, but LSU couldn't finish. Let's start at the end of the fourth quarter when LSU had the ball with just under five minutes. LSU led by three, and a long drive would have milked the clock and essentially ended the game. Instead, Sam Leavitt fumbled, and LSU turned it over.
Kentucky gave LSU a gift, missing a field goal after recovering the fumble, and LSU got the ball back again, with a chance to put the game on ice. LSU passed up a chance to go for it on fourth and one, which would have clinched the win, and punted it back to Kentucky.
Then LSU's defense had a chance to stop the Wildcats and win in regulation, but Kentucky marched down the field and kicked a game-tying field goal.
LSU's offense had a decent night, but the Tigers settled for field goals twice in goal-to-go situations. Marching all the way down the field, only to settle for three, hurts. If LSU converts either of those drives into touchdowns, we'd probably be talking about a different result.
LSU's pass rush was not effective enough
LSU's pass rush was the hallmark of its defense through five weeks, when the Tigers got after the QB better than anyone in the country. That pass rush wasn't as impactful on Saturday. DE Jordan Ross and DT Deuce Geralds went a combined 0/59 in their pass-rush matchups, per PFF. LSU finished the game with just one sack.
LSU logged the occasional pressure, but for the most part, Kentucky blocked LSU when the Tigers only rushed four. Minchey was comfortable, which gave him time to make some throws vs. the LSU secondary.
LSU is used to generating pressure with just four rushers. LSU DC Blake Baker is aggressive, but he hasn't had to rely on blitzes this year. LSU's plan vs. Kentucky likely rested on the defensive line's ability to pressure with four rushers—LSU couldn't do that.
Sam Leavitt is not to blame
Despite two turnovers, this blame doesn't fall on LSU QB Sam Leavitt. Kentucky didn't score any points off either of the giveaways, thanks to the LSU defense, and for the most part, Leavitt had a productive game.
Leavitt completed 73.5% of his passes for 275 yards and two scores. He looked comfortable in the pocket, working through his progressions. Leavitt's hamstring looked better, and he ran when he needed to, but he was a pass-first QB on Saturday. That's what LSU has wanted to see from him after Leavitt played panicked vs. Ole Miss. He continues to trend in the right direction.
Leavitt was especially efficient when he was kept clean, going 17/20 and averaging 9.0 yards per attempt. Adjusting for sack yardage, Leavitt ran for 56 yards on the ground.
LSU misses its injured stars
LSU's dealt with some bad injuries in 2026. STAR Da'Shawn Spears tore his ACL and is out for the year. Tight end Trey'Dez Green and linebacker Whit Weeks are both out, too, and won't return before November. Spears, Green, and Weeks are impact players. It's easy to imagine this game going differently if they were out there.
Spears was a dynamic piece for the LSU defense, playing safety, nickel back, and linebacker. LSU doesn't have another player like him on the roster.
As for Weeks, LSU trusts Davhon Keys in Weeks' place, but Keys struggles in coverage, and Kentucky took advantage of that in Week 6.
Green's absence continues to be felt. The 6-foot-7 tight end is LSU's go-to in critical situations, and LSU missed him in the red zone and on the critical drives late in the fourth quarter.
LSU's playoff hopes take a hit
LSU's playoff hopes aren't looking good. Already with two losses, the path to the postseason isn't easy. Per FanDuel, LSU's win total is now 7.5. To make the playoffs and feel comfortable about it, LSU needs to run the table and win games. At 9-3, LSU would have an outside chance, but not a great one.
That win total of 7.5 signals the market doesn't believe LSU is a team capable of going 10-2. That prediction is probably right given what we've seen from LSU when it's faced quality competition.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: 5 takeaways from LSU football's overtime loss at Kentucky
