Despite back-to-back dominant performances, LSU remains outside the top 10 in both major college football polls.
The 6-2 Tigers are ranked 15th in the AP poll and 13th in the coaches poll. But LSU’s statistical profile suggests Lane Kiffin’s team is playing like one of the best teams in the country.
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LSU ranks seventh nationally in scoring offense, averaging 40 points per game, and sixth in total offense at 510 yards per contest.
The Tigers have been just as impressive defensively, ranking fourth nationally in total defense while allowing only 258 yards per game. LSU is also second in the country with 34 sacks, led by edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen, who is tied for second nationally with nine.
Quarterback Sam Leavitt has been a major reason for the Tigers’ offensive success.
Leavitt ranks seventh nationally in passing yards with 2,172 and seventh in total offense, averaging 312 yards per game. His 25 total touchdowns rank fourth in the country.
Leavitt delivered one of his best performances of the season Saturday, throwing for a career-high 378 yards and three touchdowns in LSU’s 38-17 win over Auburn.
He’s also made history, becoming only the second quarterback in LSU history to record at least 30 completions in consecutive games. The other was Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow.
Leavitt has completed at least 70 percent of his passes in five consecutive games, a stretch that began with LSU’s September 26 game against Texas A&M.
But Leavitt says his progress has been about more than improving his accuracy. He began feeling more comfortable with his receivers’ ability to turn short passes into significant gains during the Kentucky game two weeks later.
“I would say Kentucky was the first game I played a lot better and more complete, getting to the check down, being able to see that and now coming into these games and knowing when we come down to the check down, we are going to make guys miss,” Leavitt said. “Open up things that stretches us laterally and opens up a lot of our crosser windows and things like that.”
Leavitt’s early-season struggles included turnovers, missed throws and passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. But context matters.
His last game at Arizona State came about a year ago, before he underwent foot surgery. The injury limited his participation in spring practice, and it took time for him to develop chemistry with his new LSU teammates.
Now, Leavitt is emerging as one of the nation’s most productive quarterbacks, and LSU’s offense is among the most explosive in college football.
The Tigers get a much-needed break this week after playing eight consecutive games. But the bye week also sets up a pivotal stretch that will determine whether LSU belongs in the College Football Playoff conversation.
LSU will host 10th-ranked Alabama and 11th-ranked Texas before traveling to face 16th-ranked Tennessee.
Kiffin believes the Tigers have the ability to compete with anyone when they avoid costly mistakes.
“When we don’t screw things up, we are really hard to beat,” Kiffin said.
