LSU’s Overtime Defeat at Kentucky Leaves CFP Path Razor-Thin

LSU’s LSU CFP chances took a serious hit Saturday night in Lexington, where the Tigers fell 35-34 in overtime to Kentucky. The loss dropped LSU to 0-2 in SEC road games in 2026 and left Lane Kiffin’s team with almost no margin for error the rest of the way.

How the Game Slid Away

Kentucky led 21-17 at halftime before LSU grabbed a 27-24 advantage on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Sam Leavitt to Roman Mothershed with 9:42 remaining. The Tigers could not extend the lead. Adam Zougai missed field goals of 42 and 26 yards, and LSU punted with 1:37 left, giving Kentucky one more chance in regulation.

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Zougai made a 33-yard field goal to force overtime. LSU scored first in the extra period on a 15-yard Leavitt rushing touchdown, but Kentucky answered with a CJ Baxter rushing score. Will Stein called timeout before the two-point attempt, then sent Kenny Minchey back in; Minchey rushed for the winning conversion. The sequence capped a second straight one-point overtime win for Kentucky, which also beat South Carolina 35-34 the previous week. Kentucky is the first team to win consecutive overtime games by one point.

Kentucky’s Timing and Kiffin’s Frustration

Stein initially put Willie Rodriguez in for a direct snap before the timeout. Officials granted the timeout before a false start penalty, a decision that left Kiffin irate at the officials. Minchey’s re-entry and successful rush made the call stand as the decisive play.

Kentucky entered the game unranked at 4-1 and had already upset then-No. 9 Texas A&M. Its only loss is to Alabama, a 45-17 defeat in which Kentucky led at halftime. The Wildcats are now 5-1, with a growing case as a solid SEC team.

What It Means for LSU

LSU owns quality wins over Clemson and Texas A&M, but the road loss to then-No. 8 Ole Miss and now Kentucky leave the Tigers with two defeats, both in SEC road games. The College Football Playoff committee has not eliminated LSU, but another loss would likely be fatal to its hopes.

Kiffin was hired last December to reach the playoff quickly. He signed a seven-year, $91 million contract and is making $13 million in 2026, making him the third-highest paid coach in the country per On3Sports.

The remaining schedule offers little relief: Oct. 17 vs. No. 17 Mississippi State, Oct. 24 at Auburn, Nov. 7 vs. No. 6 Alabama, Nov. 14 vs. No. 1 Texas, Nov. 21 at No. 15 Tennessee and Nov. 28 at Arkansas. Five ranked opponents remain. LSU can still make the playoff, but it cannot afford another loss.