By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Kevin Costner hasn’t taken this much flack since his “Waterworld” movie flop in 1995 that he acted in and produced at far over budget and lost more than $100 million. Similarly, LSU football coach Lane Kiffin’s $40 million-plus roster has not answered at the box office so far at 6-3 on the season and 3-3 in the Southeastern Conference.
But there they were marching toward Tiger Stadium on Saturday afternoon with more LSU-connected stars Shaquille O’Neal, Paul Skenes, Livvy Dunne and Angel Reese before the Tigers hosted Alabama, which basically submerged LSU under water in a 31-13 victory, including 21 unanswered points from late in the third quarter and into the fourth.
So what was Costner’s connection to LSU? Why Costner, the star of “Field of Dreams” and “Bull Durham” and “JFK” and “The Untouchables” and other successful movies that didn’t drown like “Waterworld?”
Kiffin met Kostner and got to know him during Kiffin’s time at USC (head coach from 2010-13, assistant from 2001-06).
“We stayed in contact, and he said he wanted to come out for a game,” Kiffin said Monday at his weekly press conference. “I hooked him up.”
Since the Tigers’ monumental loss to Alabama, which came in as a touchdown underdog, everything about the Kiffin program in its first year at LSU is being questioned, particularly the accroutements.
“Here it comes,” Kiffin said Monday. “This is going to be the ‘Everything We Do Is Wrong’ noise, especially with the final score looking the way that it did. This is what happens when you lose.”
And when you likely fall out of the College Football Playoff after Kiffin entered with so much fan fervor and hype amid LSU spending money on him ($90 million for seven years) and on the roster.
“And that basketball hoop’s stupid,” Kiffin said, imitating fans, about the basketball goal he has on the sidelines for players to dunk after big plays.
Running back Dilin Jones slammed one home after his 5-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter gave LSU its first and last lead at 13-10. That lasted just over two minutes. It was LSU’s only touchdown after a myriad of trips deep inside Alabama territory – aka the red zone.
“And they shouldn’t have a little kid on the smoke machine,” Kiffin said of another one of his Hollywood sideline scenes. “I just know all that’s what comes when you lose. And when you win, it’s all cool.”
He’s right there. Few complained of the “Dancing With The Stars” style of Kiffin while the Tigers were winning their first five home games in high style with big scores. Musical stars Lil Wayne and Boosie walked with Kiffin before the Louisiana Tech game on Sept. 12 along with former Tiger defensive back star Tyrann Mathieu.
And Kiffin is not considering toning down the pregame festivities in light of the Alabama debacle and the criticism as he hosts No. 7 Texas (7-2, 4-2 SEC) on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC). A loss there, and LSU is definitely out of the playoffs.
“No, I don’t consider not doing it,” he said. “I don’t consider doubling down either. Who walks in doesn’t have to do with winning or losing games. We had won every game at home (before Saturday). Who walked in wasn’t the reason we didn’t execute in the red zone.”
The star gazing is about recruiting, Kiffin explained.
“That’s much more from a stanpoint of visual, from a program standpoint, from a recruiting standpoint,” he said. “Obviously, it (recruiting) is the number one part of the whole thing.”
Say hello to Hollywood.
“You create a program that when people watch from far away and not just 12th graders (recruits), but eighth and ninth graders,” Kiffin said. “They see that and say, ‘That place is cool. I want to go there.’ So, there’s a lot that goes into that.”
“It got kind of ugly there in the end.” … Lane Kiffin on getting outscored 21-0 late as LSU signed off on annual series with Bama early. Updated gamer w/quotes:
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 8, 2026
In the meantime, Kiffin needs to try to make Tiger Stadium less “cool” for Alabama, which has won seven of its last eight games in Tiger Stadium, aka the “Bama Breeze.” That includes wins such as, 29-0 in 2018, 55-17 in 2020, 42-13 in 2024 and now 31-13 in 2026. Kiffin, meanwhile, is 0-for-6 against Alabama as a head coach with a loss while Tennessee’s head coach in 2009 and 0-4 as Ole Miss’ coach. He is 0-1 with Costner at LSU.
“It does not have to do with winning or losing the game,” Kiffin said. “We played great at home for years (at Ole Miss) and done the same thing.”
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