By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
You might say, LSU football coach Lane Kiffin has flipped the sunlight switch to on, as he suddenly sees the light as to playing by day in Tiger Stadium.
No. 15 LSU (6-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) hosts No. 9 Alabama (6-2, 4-2 SEC) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC in the first day game in the rivalry in Tiger Stadium since 2010, which – by the way – LSU won, 24-21. The Tigers have lost six of their seven home games against Alabama beginning in 2012 – all at night.
“I know there was stuff made of the game time last week for fans and stuff,” Kiffin said at his weekly press conference on Monday.
Uh, yeah, that is correct, by you.
“But, hey, LSU’s been great at this kickoff time,” Kiffin reported this Monday as he looked toward LSU football sports information director Michael Bonnette. “I don’t know. He’s got the stats.”
Bonnette then said LSU has won 16 of its last 17 games at the 2:30 p.m. time slot going back to the 2009 season. The only loss was 44-34 to Mississippi State in the 2020 season opener.
Over that same stretch, LSU has lost some memorable games at home at night – 21-17 to No. 1 Alabama in 2012, 34-29 to No. 20 Mississippi State in 2014, 31-14 to unranked Arkansas in 2015, 10-0 to No. 1 Alabama in 2016, 24-21 to unranked Troy in 2017, 29-0 to No. 1 Alabama in 2018, 55-17 to No. 1 Alabama in 2020, 24-19 to No. 22 Auburn in 2021, 16-13 to unranked Arkansas in overtime in 2021, 42-13 to No. 11 Alabama in 2024 and 49-25 to No. 3 Texas A&M last season.
And let’s not forget the 21-12 loss to Miami of Ohio in 1986 at night in Tiger Stadium, and LSU won the SEC that season. There was also a 17-14 loss to Colorado State at night at home in 1992, and of course, 58-3, to No. 5 Florida in Tiger Stadium in 1993.
So, day can be a good thing. One of LSU’s greatest wins in history was 17-10 over No. 7 Georgia on Sept. 20, 2003. It propelled the Tigers to their first national championship since 1958 and kicked off at 2:30 p.m. on CBS. LSU also beat Arkansas, 55-24, in a day game at home to finish that regular season at 11-1 – the best regular season since 10-0 in 1958.
Fans can be loud during the day, too.
Tennessee beat Alabama, 26-10, last Oct. 17 during the day at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, and set a noise record at 130.3 decibels for seven seconds as Tennessee’s Tyree Weathersby sacked Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell.
“Tennessee supposedly set the noise record against Alabama, which you could see affecting Alabama’s offense,” Kiffin said. “And that was a 2:30 kickoff.”
Tennessee sacked Russell five times that day, and he threw two interceptions. Tennessee also rushed for just 54 yards on 26 carries as Russell completed 19 of 29 passes for 147 yards.
“So, let’s break the record,” Kiffin said.
Then, bring on the night.
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