Brian Kelly is already looking way far ahead as he projects when LSU Tigers need to be playing its best football of the season
The college football season is a long one, and a veteran coach like Brian Kelly knows this as well as anyone. With his LSU Tigers surging to No. 3 in polls after two big wins, Kelly is already looking ahead a little too early. The Tigers are in the driver’s seat to win the SEC […]
The college football season is a long one, and a veteran coach like Brian Kelly knows this as well as anyone. With his LSU Tigers surging to No. 3 in polls after two big wins, Kelly is already looking ahead a little too early. The Tigers are in the driver’s seat to win the SEC and make the College Football Playoff, but it’s not even October yet.
Nevertheless, Kelly spent part of his press conference this week talking about November. Not just late September or any of October, but the final month of the regular season. He wasn’t wrong, either, but it’s a bit tone deaf right now.
Here’s what Kelly had to say about LSU’s recent level of play and when they need to peak.
Brian Kelly Wants LSU to Peak In November
“Our guys want to improve & it’s our job as coaches to get them there. They are willing & work their tails off. We need to stay the course. I’m excited to go to work every day because these guys are into this & want to get better,” Kelly said.
This came on the heels of criticisms about LSU’s offense not matching their elite defense against Louisiana Tech and Florida. One day after LSU head coach Brian Kelly admitted that his offense needs to have higher standards, he went to bat for his offensive coordinator, Joe Sloan. In his fourth year at the school and second season as OC, Sloan is looking to maximize an incredibly talented unit. However, 2025 has been slow to get the fireworks going.
LSU managed to convert only four of 13 first downs while racking up 68 penalty yards and holding the ball for 22 minutes and 14 seconds. That’s not good enough, even if Florida was a tough defense to take on. Nussmeier and company haven’t been sharp, and that must change as the SEC schedule ramps up.
LSU’s Record in November Under Brian Kelly
Since Kelly took over as head coach of the LSU Tigers in December 2021, November has emerged as a pivotal—and often volatile—month on the schedule, blending thrilling triumphs with heartbreaking setbacks. In Kelly’s inaugural 2022 season, the Tigers kicked off November with a pair of signature victories that ignited hopes of a resurgence.
On November 5, LSU stunned No. 6 Alabama 32-31 in overtime at home, thanks to a game-winning 25-yard scramble by quarterback Jayden Daniels, marking a seismic shift in the storied Iron Bowl rivalry. The momentum carried into a gritty 13-10 road win over Arkansas on November 12, where the Tigers’ defense sealed a low-scoring affair with crucial stops.
However, the month soured with a comfortable 41-10 home blowout of UAB on November 19, only to end in disappointment with a 38-23 loss at Texas A&M on November 26, dropping LSU to 3-1 for the month and underscoring early growing pains under Kelly’s disciplined regime.
The 2023 campaign showcased November as LSU’s high-water mark under Kelly, with the Tigers going a perfect 4-0 and peaking as a national title contender. Facing No. 8 Alabama on November 4 in Tuscaloosa, LSU fell 42-28 in a high-octane shootout, but the loss only fueled a ferocious rebound. Back home on November 11, Daniels etched his name in history with a 52-35 demolition of Florida, becoming the first college player to rush for 200 yards and pass for 350 in the same game, a performance that propelled LSU into the top 15.
The Tigers then steamrolled Georgia State 56-14 on November 18 before capping the month with a 42-30 victory over Texas A&M on November 25, where Daniels tossed four touchdown passes in a revenge-fueled home finale. This flawless stretch not only clinched a 10-win season but highlighted Kelly’s offensive innovations, transforming LSU into an explosive, Heisman-caliber machine.
By contrast, November 2024 tested Kelly’s mettle amid mounting pressure, as the Tigers limped to a 2-2 record marred by defensive lapses and quarterback inconsistencies following Daniels’ departure. A 42-13 home rout by No. 11 Alabama on November 9 exposed vulnerabilities in the secondary during the rivalry clash. The skid continued with a 27-16 road defeat to Florida on November 16, where turnovers proved costly in the swamp.
Yet, LSU salvaged some pride with narrow home wins: a hard-fought 24-17 escape against Vanderbilt on November 23 and a decisive 37-17 thumping of Oklahoma on November 30 to close the regular season. These results, while underwhelming compared to prior years, kept playoff dreams flickering alive, though they amplified scrutiny on Kelly’s ability to sustain elite consistency.
Overall, LSU’s November ledger under Kelly stands at 9-5 across three seasons, a testament to the Tigers’ resilience in Death Valley’s glare and their knack for marquee moments, even if the path has been uneven. From overtime heroics and record-breaking explosions to late-season stumbles, the month encapsulates Kelly’s blueprint: a blend of tactical precision and raw athleticism that has elevated LSU back into SEC contention, albeit with room for November to evolve from a rollercoaster into a reliable launchpad for postseason glory.
