Coaching changes often attempt to address program deficiencies.
LSU’s offense was broken in 2024 and 2025. The Tigers fielded the worst rushing attack in the SEC in both seasons and finished 103rd in scoring last year.
Head coach Lane Kiffin’s win-loss record at Ole Miss spoke loudest, but his offensive consistency played a huge role in that.
Consider that Kiffin’s Ole Miss offenses were held under 24 points just 12 times in 77 games (counting Charlie Weis Jr.’s three CFP games last season). That’s 16% of the time.
LSU was held under 24 in 13 of its last 26 games under the previous staff. That’s half.
Kiffin was twice as likely to surpass 40 points than be held under 24. He managed to do it 26 times in those 77 games, including 10 times versus SEC opponents.
It didn’t take long for Kiffin’s offense to get rolling in Oxford. Despite the disjointed spring and summer of 2020, Ole Miss was ready to score points when college football made its post-COVID return.
Against SEC opponents, Ole Miss averaged 39.2 points per game, trailing only SEC Championship Game participants Alabama and Florida.
In the first three games in conference play, the Rebs scored 35, 42 and 48 on Florida, Kentucky and Alabama, respectively.
They topped 50 on Vanderbilt and South Carolina and lost a 53-48 shootout against LSU when Kayshon Boutte set an SEC receiving record with more than 300 yards in the rain.
Plenty of questions surround Kiffin’s early time in Baton Rouge. His roster must come together quickly. Off the field issues have dominated headlines.
The schedule is daunting, and the future of college football is always cloudy these days.
What’s clear is that Kiffin will score at LSU. And that will probably start Saturday night.
