The morning after a loss is always the toughest to digest. Trying to figure out why some games go the way that they do. Of course, there is always the finger-pointing, who is at fault for this loss?
When a team loses in the manner in which LSU did, there isn’t a single reason for the outcome. Multiple factors were a part of the loss to the UCLA Bruins. Quite frankly, the home team looked more prepared for the Tigers than vice versa.
UCLA head coach got his first win against the LSU Tigers, while Ed Orgeron moved to 0-2 as a head coach against UCLA. The last time the Tigers started off the season with a nonconference loss to a Power Five team they finished 8-4. That year was 2016 and the team also made a change at head coach.
Back to the task at hand, we review the top five reasons for the LSU Tigers’ loss to UCLA in the season opener.
The offensive line got zero push
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Head coach Ed Orgeron preached about getting the run game going for this game. It never came as the team rushed for 1.9 yards per attempt. They totaled all of 48 yards on 25 rush attempts. Tyrion Davis-Price had one rush of eight yards, on his other 12 rushes he gained just 22 yards. There was no balance for the Tigers offense and it is much easier to defend when an offense is one sided.
The LSU defense couldn’t stop the run
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
One of the big keys to a win that we highlighted was stopping the run. The Tigers couldn’t slow it down as Zach Charbonnet and Brittain Brown ran the ball 28 times for 217 yards and two touchdowns. Overall they allowed 215 yards, which was a huge reason why they had so much success on offense.
The offense couldn’t sustain drives in the first half
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
In the first half against UCLA, LSU had the ball a total of seven times. Five of those possessions ended in punts. When they had a chance to put points on the board, they just couldn’t do it consistently. Prior to the field goal that came due to an interception from Eli Ricks, a penalty took a 52-yard field goal off the board from Cade York. Hard to beat a team when you beat yourself.
Possession Log:
QTR |
Field Position |
Plays |
Result |
1 |
LSU 44 |
6 |
Punt |
1 |
LSU 28 |
9 |
Punt |
1 |
LSU 37 |
8 |
TD |
2 |
LSU 25 |
3 |
Punt |
2 |
LSU 25 |
6 |
Punt |
2 |
UCLA 33 |
5 |
FG |
2 |
LSU 31 |
3 |
Punt |
3 |
LSU 25 |
7 |
INT |
3 |
LSU 25 |
4 |
TD |
3 |
LSU 25 |
12 |
FG |
4 |
LSU 30 |
3 |
Punt |
4 |
LSU 27 |
7 |
TD |
Too many chunk plays by the UCLA offense
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
It wasn’t so much that the LSU defense gave up over 450 yards on defense, it was the manner in which it occurred. The Bruins completed nine passes all game long but they were going for huge gains. Greg Dulcich caught a touchdown pass of 75 yards. Kyle Phillips had one reception for 45 yards, while Kazmeir Allen added one for 36 yards. Running back Zach Charbonnet had a run of 43 yards to go along with a reception of 35 yards. Of the 475 yards given up by the defense, 234 yards came on a total of five plays.
LSU had too many missed tackles
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
On the night, missed tackles seemed to be the theme of the night. LSU had a total of 13 missed tackles. Eli Ricks, Cordale Flott, Derek Stingley Jr, and Micah Baskerville each accounting for two apiece. Giving an explosive offense multiple opportunities is why they were able to get those chunk plays. Charbonnet accounted for seven missed tackles forced and 47 yards after contact.
1
1