By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
If the LSU-Kentucky tackle football game Saturday night in Lexington had been touch football, Kentucky’s last two offensive plays for the 35-34 win in overtime would have both counted.
Because running back CJ Baxter was untouched on his 1-yard touchdown run off left guard in overtime to get Kentucky within 34-33. And quarterback Kenny Minchey was also untouched on his official 3-yard run – which was actually 10 yards because he dropped back to pass – for the two-point conversion and win.
Not one of LSU’s 11 defenders laid a hand or a finger on Baxter or Minchey, and they were two of the more basic plays in football – interior runs.
“They really had a pass play on, and the quarterback took off running,” LSU coach Lane Kiffin said Sunday afternoon.
Kentucky coach Will Stein had told Minchey to run it if he noticed a soft box after dropping back to pass, which is what he saw.
Meanwhile, Kiffin had told LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker right after LSU scored on the first possession of overtime for a 34-27 lead to get ready for a two-point try by Kentucky.
“I said, ‘Blake, obviously, I’d love for you to stop them, but if you don’t, you better have the best two-point call ready, because they’re going to go for two just like the week before,'” Kiffin said.
Kentucky made the same do-or-die, two-point gamble to beat South Carolina last week, 35-34.
The post Bluegrass Miracle reverse curse is now a trilogy of terror for the Tigers.
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 11, 2026
And Baker obviously did not have a very good two-point call ready.
“Yeah, not the best call,” Kiffin said. “But you know what? Hey, Blake’s made a lot of great calls this year. We’ve played great on defense for majority of the year. And, hey, you call enough plays, and some of them are really good, and some aren’t. So, he’d be the first one to tell you that he wishes he had that one back. But Blake’s put us in position a lot of times on things.”
Baker’s defense allowed 401 yards of offense, including 230 in the second half. But his unit did come into the game No. 2 in the nation in total defense with 220 yards allowed a game. And he did only give up six points in the second half of regulation to Kentucky after LSU trailed 21-17 at the half.
And Baker’s defense did stop a drive that started at the LSU 36-yard line in the third quarter after an interception by LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt. LSU stopped it on 4th-and-3 at the LSU 18-yard line when Minchey’s pass was incomplete. Then after Kentucky reached the LSU 18-yard line with 4:57 to play, the defense held Kentucky scoreless again when Adam Zouagui missed a 42-yard field goal against the wind. And the defense allowed no points after a Leavitt fumble set the Wildcats up at the LSU 13-yard line with 4:11 to go in regulation with LSU leading 27-24 as Zouagui missed a 26-yard field goal with 3:11 left in regulation against the wind.
And one LSU player did goof on the two-point conversion by Minchey that won the game.
“There is a thing that’s supposed to happen when they go to empty with our rush, where we communicate and the rush changes,” Kiffin explained. “Someone got the call, and one didn’t get the call. So, there was more to it than just the base call. There was an adjustment that didn’t get done that changes how they rush because of the ability for the quarterback to run vertically.”
Now, No. 22 LSU (4-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) hosts No. 16 Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1 SEC) at 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN.
KIFFIN SAYS OLD KIFFIN WOULD HAVE GONE FOR IT ON 4TH AND 1:
Kiffin agreed Sunday with what many said Saturday night – that the old Lane Kiffin would have gone for it when the Tigers faced a 4th and 1 at the LSU 43-yard line with 1:46 left in regulation and LSU up 27-24. Instead, Kiffin punted, Kentucky drove for the tying field goal and won it in OT.
“I said, ‘Had this been me five years ago or whatever, I would’ve went for it,” Kiffin said Sunday. “Now, obviously, we didn’t stop them, and so everyone says, ‘Man, I wish you would’ve went.’ Because I would’ve just acted more on emotions (five years ago). But when you understand analytics, and then you go above even what it says. Now, again, it didn’t work, so I get it. Everyone says, ‘Should’ve gone for it.’ I feel the same way, but there was a ton of thought into it and a ton of information into that. We took the wind in the fourth quarter on purpose, which helped us. So, we had the wind at our back for the punt.”
And that was a 44-yard punt by Grant Chadwick that pinned Kentucky at its 19 with 1:37 to play in regulation and down 27-24 with no timeouts.
“They missed their last two field goals against the wind,” Kiffin said. “So this was all going through my mind right at the time I came up with the decision to punt. And if we punt them deep, even if they go down, they’re going to play for the field goal. Even if that happens, you’re still going to overtime. So, fifty-fifty. All that went into that. Obviously, now, I wish I would’ve went for it, because it was 4th-and-1 to end it. But remember, if you don’t make it, it’s not the same thing as punting it to the 19. You don’t make it right there, there’s a good chance they score a touchdown. And you just lose in regulation. All that went into it.”
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