Three Observations From LSU Football's Week 8 Loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores

Brian Kelly and Co. fall in Nashville, social media swirling following the program's second loss in three games.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

In a loss that has social media swirling, Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers (5-2, 2-2 SEC) dropped a Week 8 matchup to the Vanderbilt Commodores 31-24 in Nashville.

Kelly and the No. 10 ranked Tigers entered the Top-20 showdown with an opportunity to reignite the program's College Football Playoff hopes, but it all unraveled at FirstBank Stadium.

From uncharacteristic play on defense to more questions than answers on offense, the Bayou Bengals are back to the drawing board with five regular season games to go.

“We needed to match scores for scores. And then we needed a couple of stops. Look, we can go back - and this game was about details. Their details were better - and we had a plan for Vanderbilt - didn't execute it to the highest level,” Kelly said on Saturday.

“Then, from an offensive standpoint, there were some good things there. But again, I think the thing that stands out is not scoring touchdowns when you have an opportunity.” 

Oct 18, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Louisiana State Tigers wide receiver Nic Anderson (4) stretches against the Vanderbilt Commodores during pre-game warmups at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Three Observations: Week 8 Edition

No. 1: Defense Comes Back Down to Earth

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia deserves his flowers. The sixth-year senior was timely while showcasing that "magic" he's has been known for during his time with the Commodores after making play after play for his program.

For Pavia, he was sensational against the Bayou Bengals on Saturday after totaling 160 yards through the air on 14-of-22 passing with a touchdown. On the ground, he logged 86 yards on 17 carries (5.1 yards per carry).

But a major takeaway is the LSU defense crumbling against a dual-threat signal-caller once again - which has become a common theme for the purple and gold.

Sure, the Tigers limited Cade Klubnik and Clemson in Week 1, but against a truely dynamic quarterback that relies solely on athleticism - it was another challenge for defensive coordinator Blake Baker's unit.

LSU was without linebacker Whit Weeks and defensive tackle Bernard Gooden with their absences certainly felt, but this one was much deeper than the pair of starters unable to give it a go.

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Vanderbilt's explosiveness and creativity gave the Bayou Bengals fits across all four quarters with Pavia and Co. shining in FirstBank Stadium once again.

The Commodores ended the day with 239 rushing yards - to LSU's 100 - in order to set the pace and pull off the upset in FirstBank Stadium.

No. 2: Bend, Don't Break Offense

At the end of the day, the LSU offense pieced together - arguably - its strongest showing of the season on Saturday in Nashville - even though it's hidden in a loss to Vanderbilt.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier ended the day going 19-for-28 through the air with 225 yards and two passing touchdowns, but the inefficient run-game once again plagued the offense.

Along with Nussmeier making plays, he found his weapons of Zavion Thomas and Trey'Dez Green for touchdown scores to keep the program afloat in the Volunteer State.

On the ground, it wasn't the prettiest performance, but there's light at the end of the tunnel for the running back room with five-star true freshman Harlem Berry emerging. He totaled 55 yards on 11 carries for the Tigers.

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Nussmeier bailed out a struggling, struggling offensive line with his awareness on display while Berry made the most of his touches despite limited holes to run through.

No. 3: The Big Picture - Unacceptable Loss for the Tigers

At the end of the day, the standard in Baton Rouge is not what's transpired in 2025. LSU has now suffered the program's first loss to Vanderbilt since 1990, the offense has been in disarray for most of the season, and the lack of complementary football has crushed the program.

When one unit is clicking, the other is struggling, and vice versa. There's a disconnect within the LSU Football program right now and a loss to the Commodores made that abundantly clear.

After losing to a Vanderbilt squad that didn't crack the Top-25 in the Transfer Portal Rankings while LSU hauled in the No. 1 class, alongside multiple five-stars on the field, the talent disparity was remarkable.

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Poor coaching, lack of execution, and struggles from a preparation perspective shined bright on the Bayou Bengals on Saturday in Nashville. The margin for error is now zero in Baton Rouge. It's win or go home across the last five games of the season.

No. 10 LSU will return to action in Week 9 for an SEC showdown against the Texas A&M Aggies at Tiger Stadium with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT.

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