Kiffin Refused a Running Clock in LSU’s 63-14 Win Over McNeese

BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU coach Lane Kiffin refused a running clock against McNeese State on Saturday night and called timeout right after the second-half kickoff to make sure his team understood why. The Tigers led 35-0 at the time.

Officials had asked Kiffin as he came onto the field whether he wanted to run the clock in the third and fourth quarters. He said no. LSU went on to win 63-14 in front of 102,321 fans at Tiger Stadium.

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What Kiffin Told LSU During the Timeout

Kiffin said he does not believe in running the clock and wants the Tigers to decide a game by how they play. After Harlem Berry returned the kickoff to the LSU 19, Kiffin gathered the team and delivered the message pointing and yelling. He challenged first-, second- and third-team players to hold the same standard.

“You should make it a game that people don’t wanna schedule you,” Kiffin said.

Berry said the players heard it as a call to keep scoring and get everyone into the game. Kiffin also said his staff showed the team a list of 10 upsets in which FCS-level teams beat ranked opponents, and he does not buy the idea of easing off against that kind of opponent. A team can start well and come out flat in the third quarter, he said, and he liked how his players responded.

How LSU’s Second Half Played Out Without a Running Clock

LSU finished with more than 730 yards of offense. Of those, 384 came after halftime, including 196 of the Tigers’ 367 rushing yards. The Tigers ran a school-record 101 plays, recorded a program-record 39 first downs and scored six rushing touchdowns.

Quarterback Sam Leavitt played most of the first half through a hamstring injury, completing 18 of 23 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns before the backups took over.

Reserve running back Stacy Gage carried six times for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores came in the fourth quarter, on runs of 46 and 39 yards. Berry added 125 yards on 15 carries, giving LSU two 100-yard rushers.

McNeese’s Jamaal Levi scored both Cowboys touchdowns within 1:16 of each other late in the third quarter. McNeese finished with 196 total yards and went 1 of 12 on third down.

Why Louisiana Programs Keep Landing on LSU’s Schedule

Kiffin said he wants to schedule more opponents like McNeese State. LSU already plays nine SEC games every year, and he does not want to overload the nonconference slate. LSU still plays Houston from the Big 12 in 2027, and Kiffin has lined up UTSA that year as well.

LSU has also added four Louisiana opponents to future nonconference schedules. Northwestern State comes to Tiger Stadium on Aug. 28, 2027, followed by ULM on Aug. 26, 2028, Southern on Sept. 9, 2028 and Tulane on Aug. 31, 2030.

What Comes Next for LSU and McNeese

LSU improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the SEC, and the Tigers moved up one spot to No. 10 in the AP poll. They play at Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Kroger Field in Lexington, with a 6 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN.

McNeese dropped to 2-4 and wrapped up its nonconference schedule.