LSU’s Comeback Falls Short as No. 8 Ole Miss Tops No. 7 Tigers, 32–24
Photo By: Bayou State Media Staff: Nicholas Castillo
OXFORD, Miss. — LSU found itself in a difficult position Saturday night in Oxford, but the Tigers showed plenty of fight before ultimately coming up short in one of the season’s biggest early SEC matchups.
No. 7 LSU fell to No. 8 Ole Miss, 32–24, at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the latest chapter of the Magnolia Bowl rivalry.
The Tigers trailed 24–7 at halftime before scoring 17 unanswered points to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss responded with a late touchdown and two-point conversion, and LSU’s final drive ended on a tipped pass that was intercepted in the end zone.
The loss moves LSU to 2–1 overall and 0–1 in SEC play, while Ole Miss improves to 3–0 and 1–0 in conference play.
The matchup carried plenty of attention before kickoff. It was the 115th meeting between LSU and Ole Miss and the first matchup between the programs since 1962 in which both entered ranked inside the AP Top 10.
It also marked LSU head coach Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford after leaving Ole Miss for LSU following the 2025 season. ESPN’s College GameDay was also in Oxford for the matchup.
Ole Miss Builds an Early Lead
LSU entered Saturday after opening its season with wins over Clemson and Louisiana Tech, but its first road trip of the year presented a different challenge.
Ole Miss struck first with a 37-yard Lucas Carneiro field goal before Kewan Lacy scored on a five-yard run, giving the Rebels a 10–0 advantage in the first quarter.
The Tigers had trouble finding an offensive rhythm early, while Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was able to move the ball effectively through the air.
Chambliss connected with Traylon Ray for a 21-yard touchdown in the second quarter, extending the Ole Miss advantage to 17–0.
LSU answered before halftime.
Dilin Jones finished a Tigers scoring drive with a two-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 17–7 with two minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Ole Miss, however, was able to respond before the break.
Chambliss connected with Deuce Alexander for a 20-yard touchdown with 11 seconds remaining, sending LSU into halftime trailing 24–7.
It was a difficult opening half for the Tigers, but the game changed considerably after halftime.
Tigers Come Out Swinging in the Second Half
LSU looked like a different team coming out of the locker room.
The Tigers began finding success on the ground, the defense started creating opportunities and LSU gradually worked its way back into the game.
Quarterback Sam Leavitt finished LSU’s first touchdown drive of the second half himself, scoring from four yards out to make it 24–14.
The Tigers' defense followed by keeping Ole Miss off the scoreboard and giving the offense another opportunity.
Later in the third quarter, Leavitt connected with Winston Watkins Jr. for a 26-yard touchdown.
Just like that, LSU had turned a 24–7 halftime deficit into a 24–21 game.
The Tigers entered the fourth quarter within three points.
Then came the completion of the comeback.
Seth Starzyk connected on a 23-yard field goal with 11:23 remaining to tie the game at 24–24.
LSU had scored 17 consecutive points.
After a first half in which very little seemed to go the Tigers’ way, LSU had completely reset the game with more than 11 minutes remaining.
Regardless of the final result, the response showed something important about this LSU team. On the road, against a Top-10 SEC opponent and facing a 17-point halftime deficit, the Tigers continued fighting and gave themselves an opportunity late.
Ole Miss Responds Late
With the game tied, Ole Miss answered on its next scoring opportunity
.
Chambliss kept the football and scored on a 14-yard run with 6:20 remaining, putting the Rebels back in front.
Ole Miss then went for two, and JT Lindsey converted on the ground to extend the lead to 32–24.
Chambliss finished the game 33-of-48 passing for 363 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while also scoring the late rushing touchdown.
The Ole Miss quarterback was the biggest challenge for LSU’s defense Saturday, particularly through the air.
Traylon Ray finished with seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, Caleb Odom recorded five receptions for 88 yards, and Deuce Alexander added seven receptions for 60 yards and a score.
Ole Miss finished with 426 yards of total offense, with 363 of those yards coming through the passing game.
LSU Gets One More Chance
Even after Ole Miss regained the lead, LSU was not finished.
Trailing 32–24, Leavitt and the Tigers put together one final drive and moved deep into Ole Miss territory.
LSU eventually reached the Ole Miss 5-yard line with fewer than two minutes remaining, leaving the Tigers a touchdown and two-point conversion away from potentially sending the game to overtime.
That final opportunity ended with 1:03 remaining.
On fourth down, Leavitt attempted a pass into the end zone. An Ole Miss defender got a hand on the football, tipping it into the air before defensive back Jaylon Braxton secured the interception.
That distinction matters.
It was not a clean pass thrown directly into Braxton’s hands. The ball was altered at the catch point, and Braxton was in position to capitalize on the deflection.
Ole Miss then took possession and was able to run out the remaining clock.
For LSU, the ending was difficult because of how far the Tigers had come.
A game that looked in danger of getting away from LSU at halftime ultimately came down to a fourth-down play near the Ole Miss goal line.
Leavitt Helps Lead the Comeback
Leavitt finished 16-of-27 for 158 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The final interception will appear on his stat line, but it does not tell the full story of his second half.
Leavitt's mobility played an important role in LSU’s comeback. He rushed 17 times for 63 yards and a touchdown, repeatedly extending plays and giving LSU another option on the ground.
He also helped lead three consecutive second-half scoring possessions that turned a 24–7 deficit into a 24–24 tie.
It was not LSU’s most productive passing performance, but Leavitt continued competing through a difficult road environment and helped give the Tigers a legitimate chance to win late.
Dilin Jones Gives LSU a Strong Night on the Ground
One of the biggest positives for LSU was the performance of Dilin Jones.
Jones carried the ball 23 times for 106 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
Along with Leavitt’s 63 rushing yards, LSU finished with 172 yards on the ground.
That rushing production played a significant role in the second-half turnaround. LSU was able to sustain drives more effectively, take some pressure off Leavitt and prevent Ole Miss from controlling the game in the same way it had during the opening half.
Jones reaching the 100-yard mark against a Top-10 SEC opponent is an encouraging development for an LSU offense that should continue leaning on its ground game as conference play progresses.
Green Leads LSU Receivers Before Leaving the Game
Tight end Trey’Dez Green led LSU with four receptions for 60 yards.
Green was helped from the field during the fourth quarter after suffering an apparent leg injury. His status was not immediately clear following the game.
His absence late was significant for an LSU offense attempting to complete the comeback.
Watkins finished with three receptions for 54 yards, highlighted by his 26-yard touchdown during LSU’s third-quarter surge.
LSU’s Defense Creates a Key Turnover
Although Ole Miss produced 426 total yards, LSU's defense made several important plays that helped the Tigers get back into the game.
One of the biggest came during the second half when Ty Benefield pressured Chambliss and forced an errant throw that was intercepted by Ja’Keem Jackson.
LSU capitalized on the short field, with Leavitt eventually scoring on the ground.
Benefield saw increased action following an injury to safety Dashawn Spears, who left the game during the second quarter.
That sequence helped spark LSU’s comeback and represented the type of complementary football the Tigers needed after halftime — the defense created an opportunity, and the offense turned it into points.
Breaking Down the Numbers
Ole Miss finished with a 426–330 advantage in total offense and averaged 5.8 yards per play, compared with LSU’s 4.7.
The Tigers, however, held an advantage on the ground.
LSU rushed for 172 yards, led by Jones' 106 and Leavitt's 63.
Time of possession was almost perfectly balanced. LSU possessed the ball for 30:15, compared with 29:45 for Ole Miss.
Each team committed one turnover.
LSU was also penalized seven times for 34 yards, while Ole Miss finished with eight penalties for 77 yards.
The biggest statistical difference came through the air, where Ole Miss finished with 363 passing yards compared with LSU's 158.
That difference helped Ole Miss build its early lead, but the numbers also show how effectively LSU changed the game after halftime despite trailing by three possessions.
A Loss, But Also a Response
There is no need to dress up a loss.
LSU went to Oxford hoping to leave with a Top-10 road victory and instead returns to Baton Rouge at 2–1.
But there is also no reason to ignore what the Tigers showed in the second half.
LSU could have allowed a 24–7 halftime deficit to turn into a much larger loss.
Instead, the Tigers responded.
They scored 17 unanswered points.
They tied the game in the fourth quarter.
They created a defensive turnover.
They established a 100-yard rusher.
And after Ole Miss went back ahead, LSU drove all the way inside the Rebels' 10-yard line with an opportunity to tie the game again.
Ole Miss deserves credit for making the plays it needed to make, particularly during the first half and on the go-ahead fourth-quarter drive.
For LSU, though, this game should not be defined solely by the final score.
It was the Tigers' first road test of the season and their first SEC game under Kiffin. LSU experienced nearly every kind of adversity it could have faced Saturday night and still had an opportunity in the final minute.
There are areas LSU will want to clean up, particularly the slow start and the explosive passing plays allowed in the first half.
But those are corrections to make moving forward, not reasons to discount what the Tigers showed during their comeback.
What Comes Next
LSU leaves Oxford with its first loss of the season, but there is still plenty of football ahead.
The Tigers now have a real SEC game to evaluate — one that showed both what can hurt LSU and what this team is capable of when it settles into a rhythm.
The result will sting.
The response should give LSU something to build on.
Saturday night was not the ending the Tigers wanted, but after trailing by 17 at halftime, LSU made Ole Miss earn every bit of its 32–24 victory.
Final: No. 8 Ole Miss 32, No. 7 LSU 24
LSU Statistical Leaders
Sam Leavitt: 16-of-27, 158 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 1 INT; 63 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD
Dilin Jones: 23 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD
Trey’Dez Green: 4 receptions, 60 yards
Winston Watkins Jr.: 3 receptions, 54 yards, 1 TD
LSU team totals: 330 total yards, 172 rushing yards, 158 passing yards, 4.7 yards per play, 1 turnover
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