Lane Kiffin's $50 million LSU roster faces College Football Playoff elimination

Lane Kiffin's million LSU roster faces College Football Playoff elimination

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Lane Kiffin's million LSU roster faces College Football Playoff elimination

Lane Kiffin's $50 million LSU roster faces College Football Playoff elimination originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Lane Kiffin's first season with the LSU Tigers is quickly turning into a nightmare. The latest loss to Kentucky has placed their College Football Playoff hopes in serious jeopardy.

Despite assembling a roster reportedly valued at $50 million and bringing in over 50 new players during the offseason, LSU is struggling with the same problems that plagued the program under Brian Kelly. So where does this leave Kiffin, who made the jump from Ole Miss?

The overtime defeat against Kentucky dropped the Tigers to two losses on the season. This means there's no margin for error with six games remaining.

For a program that invested heavily in its roster and coaching staff, the possibility of missing the playoffs would represent a significant disappointment. Not to mention, Kiffin came to Baton Rouge with the promise of competing at the highest level. So far, that's not the case.

LSU's biggest concerns remain its performance on the road. Also, the defense's inability to prevent explosive plays has been a struggle. The Tigers are now 0-2 away from Tiger Stadium, raising questions about whether Kiffin's new regime can deliver. If they want to compete for a national championship, changes need to be made.

Against Kentucky, LSU surrendered 10 explosive plays for 245 yards. Those struggles followed similar defensive breakdowns against Texas A&M and Ole Miss. With two more top-10 opponents on the schedule, the Tigers must improve quickly to keep their postseason ambitions alive. However, a trip to the College Football Playoff is not likely at this point.

LSU would have to take the same route Notre Dame did last year and win out after two early losses. But, despite their best efforts, the Irish didn't make the Playoff.

Kiffin acknowledged that his team missed opportunities to secure the victory against Kentucky. "We're one yard away from the game being over," Kiffin said after the game.

LSU's frustrating start shows even spending the most on a roster doesn't equal wins. There are questions mounting about whether the new coaching staff can correct the team's fundamental mistakes. For Kiffin and his expensive roster, the pressure to perform has definitely intensified.

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