Lane Kiffin and LSU are undefeated at home but winless on the road. Can the Tigers finally end their struggles against a dangerous Auburn team?
Lane Kiffin’s first season at LSU has been a roller coaster, and one glaring issue continues to haunt the Tigers.
They simply cannot win on the road.
LSU enters Saturday’s matchup at Auburn with a 5-2 record, but the difference between its home and away performances has been absolutely ridiculous. The Tigers are a perfect 5-0 inside Death Valley but an embarrassing 0-2 away from Baton Rouge.
Both losses have come against SEC opponents, falling 32-24 to Ole Miss and 35-34 in overtime against Kentucky.
Meanwhile, LSU has looked like a legitimate national championship contender at home. The Tigers dismantled Clemson 51-10, dominated Texas A&M 35-6 and most recently shut out Mississippi State 31-0.
Quarterback Sam Leavitt was outstanding against Mississippi State, completing 31 of 38 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns. The defense was equally impressive, completely shutting down the Bulldogs.
But can LSU replicate that performance outside Death Valley?
That’s the million-dollar question.
Auburn certainly won’t make things easy. The Tigers are coming off one of the biggest upsets of the college football season, defeating No. 1 Georgia 27-24 in Athens. Now, they’ll return to Jordan-Hare Stadium with tremendous confidence and an opportunity to take down another ranked SEC opponent.
For Kiffin, this game is about much more than improving to 6-2.
LSU is still fighting for a College Football Playoff appearance, and another road loss could seriously damage those hopes. With difficult matchups against Alabama and Texas still remaining, the Tigers have almost no room for error.
The talent is clearly there. LSU has shown it can compete with almost anyone when playing in Baton Rouge.
But championship-caliber teams have to win away from home.
If Lane Kiffin can’t figure out how to win on the road, LSU’s promising first season under its new head coach could quickly turn into a massive disappointment.
