GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Hopefully, for LSU’s sake, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin did not watch this game, because it might make him think twice about accepting the LSU head coaching job, considering the overhaul he may need to do should he accept the mission.
Then again, Florida – Kiffin’s other possible landing spot should he leave Ole Miss – fell by 31-11 to No. 20 Tennessee. And then again, one more time, maybe Kiffin can get a raise if he does take the LSU job, considering how bad the Tigers looked on Saturday night.
And maybe late in LSU’s lackluster, embarrassing 13-10 win over 22-point underdog Western Kentucky at Tiger Stadium, Kiffin heard the remaining LSU fans chanting, “We want Kiffin … We want Kiffin,” on his television.
LSU interim football coach Frank Wilson said early this week that his Tigers are “on the horizon right at a time of year when some are getting weary, but our football team is building steam.”
Really?
LSU, known for legendary Saturday night games in Tiger Stadium, looked more like the team that dreaded sundown in struggling to beat an outmanned team in a mostly empty Tiger Stadium.
The Tigers (7-4, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) looked “weary” and without “steam” throughout the night against a Conference-USA team that fell to 8-3. LSU managed just 13 points on Western Kentucky (8-3), which was allowing 23 a game for 55th in the nation and gave up 26 to 2-9 Middle Tennessee last week.
LSU rushed for only 126 yards with a 3.4-yard average against the Hilltoppers, who came to Tiger Stadium with the No. 108 rush defense in the nation at 175.7 yards a game. LSU’s offense totaled 328 yards against the No. 95 total defense that was giving up 399 a game.
This all brings up the question, can LSU hire an interim coach for an interim coach for the regular season finale next week? I mean it is trying to fire former coach Brian Kelly twice – once without cause and once with cause. At LSU these days, anything is possible.
So while LSU AD Verge Ausberry tries to negotiate Lane Kiffin into being LSU’s next football coach, LSU’s Board just decided to try to keep negotiating former coach’s $54 million contract down.https://t.co/3aHVOj9Ajh
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 21, 2025
Speaking of Brian Kelly, his whole family was at the game Saturday as his son Kenzel, a linebacker on the team for two seasons, was honored during Senior Night pre-game festivities along with the Weeks family and the Nussmeiers. The whole Kelly family – except Brian, that is.
The Weeks Brothers of LSU via Watkinsville, Georgia, will never forget Nov. 22, 2025. @andrechampagnee https://t.co/9fJkiJHiZb
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 23, 2025
Oh, and the Hilltoppers drew within 13-10 with 1:05 remaining on an embarrassing 71-yard fumble return by defensive back Dylan Flowers. Linebacker Jordan Donald popped the ball out of freshman running back Harlem Berry’s arm as the Tigers were trying to run out the clock. Berry did otherwise have a good game as he led all rushers with 80 yards on 18 carries.
Lane Train appears bound for LSU, but he’s not in the station just yet. Meanwhile, Ole Miss “deadline” for Kiffin’s decision extended.https://t.co/JVhoeTpHgF
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 21, 2025
“They gave us some issues for our offense. They changed up some things,” Wilson said of something that most teams do. “They shifted and moved and stemmed and showed one picture from a secondary perspective, only to camouflage it and be in something different.”
Uh, none of that is exactly earth shattering. Happens in almost every game nowadays.
“That was challenging at times for us, but I thought we did enough to find a way to win the football game,” he said.
Wilson added that his team lost two starting offensive linemen in the game – center Braelin Moore to a foot sprain and left tackle Ory Williams to a high ankle sprain. But LSU’s offensive line has battled injuries all season, and this was the worst defense LSU has played all season – or close to it.
Running back Caden Durham also left with a concussion after gaining 16 yards on six carries.
“You do the things that you can do with the personnel that you have,” Wilson said. “And sometimes it’s ugly.”
Meet the new boss … worse than the old boss?
“Our depth was tested tonight, and it limits the things that you can do,” Wilson said.
But this was Western Kentucky from Conference-USA, and he’s talking depth.
“When injuries start to occur, the playbook kind of condenses,” he said.
Particularly when there is not a real offensive coordinator on staff.
Then Wilson quoted former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, which will not help him with Kiffin, should Kiffin take the job and consider keeping Wilson. Davis fired Kiffin from his first head coaching job in 2008 when Kiffin was all of 33 after just four games into his second season after verbally berating him.
“The late Al Davis said, ‘Just win, baby,'” Wilson said. “It’s hard to win in November. But we’re 7-4. We won the game. I’m proud of our team.”
LSU’s run game was punchless again with 126 yards on 37 carries for a 3.4-yard average.
Leading tenuously at 7-3 in the third quarter after trailing most of the first half by 3-0, LSU could not even convert a 1st-and-goal at the Western Kentucky 4-yard line into a touchdown. The Tigers ran two plays at the Western Kentucky 1-yard line and could not get in the end zone.
New starting quarterback Michael Van Buren, who looked very much like a backup, gained three yards on first down, threw an incomplete pass, then fumbled on third down after being held to no gain. And the interim coach and backup quarterback – entities who usually enjoy instant fan popularity – were booed. Van Buren did recover his own fumble, and Damian Ramos kicked an 18-yard field goal for an embarrassing 10-3 lead.
Van Buren, who finished 25-of-42 passing for 202 yards with a touchdown and interception, started his second straight game the injured and opting out Nussmeier (abdomen). Nussmeier got a nice ovation during Senior Night, deservedly so, at Senior Night before the game. He will likely not play in the Tigers’ regular season finale at No. 8 Oklahoma (9-2, 5-2 SEC) on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC). The Sooners beat Missouri on Saturday, 17-6, and are a 10.5-point favorite over LSU. And it could get “ugly” again as Oklahoma has the No. 6 scoring defense in the nation with 14 points allowed a game and the No. 11 total defense with 280.5 yards given up a game.
The Tigers got into the red zone again in the fourth quarter, but Van Buren couldn’t finish the job like Nussmeier before him after a first down at the Hilltoppers’ 15-yard line. On 3rd-and-2 from the 7, another false start penalty made it 3rd-and-7. And Van Buren threw incomplete, bringing on Ramos for a 29-yard field goal and 13-3 lead with 11:15 to go.
LSU looked dead on arrival through most of the first half as well.
Lane Kiffin just asked LSU for a raise after watching 1st half of Western Kentucky at LSU. Hilltoppers lead 3-0 with 2:33 to go in 2nd quarter.
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 23, 2025
Meanwhile, Western Kentucky came out strong and took a 3-0 lead with the first possession of the game, driving 57 yards on nine plays and facing only one third down while garnering three first downs. John Cannon booted a 36-yard field goal with 11:45 to play in the opening period.
The Tigers proceeded to go three-and-out on its first possession and punted on its next possession as well before an interception by Van Buren and a failed fourth down pass at the Western Kentucky 42-yard line. LSU punted seven times, missed on two fourth downs and had two turnovers.
LSU finally got things going late in the second quarter with a 62-yard drive in eight plays to take a 7-3 lead on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Van Buren to tight end TreyDez Green with 1:32 before halftime. Van Buren finished the first half 13-of-23 passing for 121 yards with the touchdown and interception.
The second half was as hard to watch as the first.
“We’re youthful, especially up front on the offensive line,” Wilson said, “We are a work in progress.”
But going backwards fast.
Godspeed Lane Kiffin and 2026.
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