After enduring another disappointing season opener, LSU head coach Brian Kelly expressed his frustration following the team’s 27-20 loss to USC in the Vegas Kickoff Classic. During his postgame press conference, Kelly’s anger was evident as he forcefully pounded his fist on the table, almost toppling his water bottle.
“We’re sitting here again … we’re sitting here again,” Kelly said emphatically, “talking about the same things, about not finishing when you have an opponent in a position to put ’em away.”
Ranked No. 12 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, LSU held a four-point lead with under six minutes remaining but failed to prevent the No. 23 Trojans from making a decisive drive in the final two minutes, culminating in a game-winning touchdown.
Kelly reflected that this marked the first time in his three-year tenure at LSU that he felt this level of dissatisfaction. “I’m so angry about it that I’ve got to do something about it. I’m not doing a good enough job as a coach,” he stated. “I’ve got to coach ’em better because it’s unacceptable for us not to have found a way to win this football game. It’s ridiculous.”
This defeat continued a concerning trend for the Tigers, who have lost their opening game for five consecutive seasons. Adding to the frustration was a crucial 15-yard targeting penalty against safety Jardin Gilbert, which advanced the ball to LSU’s 13-yard line. Moments later, USC’s Woody Marks rushed the ball into the end zone, breaking a 20-20 tie and securing the victory for the Trojans.