The season has taken a harsh turn for LSU football under Brian Kelly. After all, the Tigers suffered a shocking 31-24 loss at the hands of the Vanderbilt Commodores before plummeting ten spots in the latest AP Top 25 college football rankings. Indeed, a program with LSU’s expectations rarely experiences that kind of dive.
From start to finish, it was a nightmare weekend in Nashville. Vanderbilt football quarterback Diego Pavia torched the Tigers, passing for 160 yards and running for 86 more with three total touchdowns. He masterminded the upset that snapped Vanderbilt’s decades-long losing record to LSU. Meanwhile, LSU’s offense sputtered and their defense wilted under pressure.
Now, with the Tigers program sitting at 5-2 and 2-2 in the conference, the margin for error is vanishing. Kelly acknowledged the season remains alive but admitted his team had opportunities they failed to convert. It was, in many ways, the kind of public line you expect from a coach trying to steady the ship. Behind the scenes, however, questions are mounting about consistency and leadership.
At this point, the fall in the AP Top 25 is telling. LSU has long been viewed as a contender under Brian Kelly. Yet now, the team finds itself wrestling with expectations instead of building momentum. The Commodores’ victory against the Tigers wasn’t just a fluke. Rather, Vanderbilt executed with control and confidence, dominating time of possession and winning crucial red-zone battles.
For now, the path forward looks grim for LSU football. Kelly’s roster still has talent, but cohesion and discipline have been lacking. If anything, this weekend could mark the start of a downward slide rather than a wake-up call. The AP Top 25 drop represents more than a single bad game. In fact, it signals a loss of elite status, at least for now. With high-stakes SEC matchups looming, the next few weeks will show whether Brian Kelly and his Tigers can claw back or continue to fall.
