LSU Has One Offensive Problem It Must Fix Before Facing Ole Miss

As the LSU Tigers square off against the Ole Miss Rebels this weekend, one critical area needs to be fixed to avoid a loss

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during warmups before the game against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Tiger Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The LSU Tigers are 2-0 and, after being the storyline of the off-season, will once again be the focal point of college football entering week three.

With conference play beginning, the Tigers will travel to Oxford, Mississippi, to take on the Ole Miss Rebels in a top-10 showdown that also marks a return for head coach Lane Kiffin, for the first time since his dramatic departure at the end of the 2025 season.

For the Tigers, if they want to return to Baton Rouge still undefeated, fixing red zone issues and finishing drives will be the difference between remaining undefeated and starting conference play without a win.

Stats Are Cool, Touchdowns are Better

LSU Tigers take on the LA Tech Bulldogs. September 12, 2026; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kiffin is known for being the mastermind behind one of the best offenses in college football, and has been able to reproduce that success rate at every stop along his way throughout his career.

Through his first two games in Baton Rouge, that experience has been no different, even with new quarterback Sam Leavitt at the helm in 2026. After a 2-0 start, the Tigers have the No. 4 offense in the country in terms of yardage per game, averaging 588 yards per game.

However, the red zone struggles cause some concern heading into week three, converting red zone trips into scores just 85.71 percent of the time. While the overall number isn't staggering, it ranks 74th in FBS, a far cry from the top ranking in yards per game.

That number is identical to the team's "OSV" rate as well, which is measured in drive success rate of an offense in regulation, non-garbage-time scenarios for drives that reach an opponent's 40-yard line. What that number tells is that the offense is driving, yet isn't finishing, leaving points on the board that they should otherwise walk away with.

Through the first two games of the season, the issue isn't as glaring, having handily taken down the Clemson Tigers and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. However, with conference play beginning, walking off the field empty-handed won't be feasible for the long-term success of the offense.

Part of the answer for that is using more Trey'Dez Green, the elite tight end for the Tigers who causes nightmare matchups in the red zone. Focusing on him and allowing his skill set to be used in the most important part of the field will be a big change for the rest of the year.

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