No. 10 LSU, which led 27-24 late in regulation, lost 35-34 in overtime to unranked Kentucky in Lexington on Saturday night.

LSU scored first in overtime on quarterback Sam Leavitt’s 15-yard run. Kentucky answered with running back CJ Baxter’s 1-yard touchdown, and Wildcats coach Will Stein went for the win, with quarterback Kenny Minchey running up the middle (untouched) for the two-point conversion.

LSU fell to 4-2. Kentucky improved to 5-1 a week after a 35-34 overtime win at South Carolina, the first time it has played overtime games in back-to-back weeks, according to KSR.

Adam Zouagui’s Late Field Goal Forces Overtime Against LSU

“Final,” LSU Football posted, keeping it to one word. Kentucky kicker Adam Zouagui missed two fourth-quarter field goals before his 33-yarder with 12 seconds left forced overtime.LSU went ahead 27-24 with under 10 minutes left on receiver Jackson Harris’ 41-yard touchdown pass to tight end Roman Mothershed off a double pass. Zouagui’s first miss came with about five minutes left, and his second followed Kentucky’s Jamarrion Harkless strip-sacking Leavitt, with Tavion Gadson recovering in the red zone with just over four minutes to go.

The fumble was one of LSU’s two turnovers to none for Kentucky. Leavitt went 14 of 18 for 162 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. His PFN Impact grade of 82.1 this season ranks 39th of 165 graded and qualified quarterbacks in the FBS.

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LSU punted with under two minutes left and Kentucky out of timeouts. Minchey then moved the Wildcats from their own 20 with completions to DJ Miller, Ja’Kayden Ferguson and Kenny Darby, setting up the tying kick.

One fan responding to the Tigers’ post put that punt on LSU coach Lane Kiffin. “I told my son that Lane lost game when he didn’t go for it on 4th and 1 with a 1:40 left.”

LSU converted its only fourth-down try of the night. The Tigers ran for 94 yards on 36 carries, 2.6 a carry, while Kentucky ran for 155 yards at 4.8 a carry. In overtime, Kiffin called a timeout when Kentucky lined up for two, and Stein answered with one of his own on the next formation before Minchey scored.

An LSU fan spread the blame wider. “Worst coaching and officiating I’ve seen in a long long time. Embarrassing.”

Officials flagged LSU seven times for 50 yards and Kentucky twice for 20.

Kiffin Says LSU Must Tackle Better After Kentucky’s Big Plays

“We’ve got to tackle better,” Kiffin said on ESPN at halftime, when Kentucky led 21-17 after running for 131 yards in the first half. “We’re tackling really poorly in the perimeter and in the secondary. And we’ve got to get better push at the line of scrimmage.”

Baxter broke a 77-yard run on Kentucky’s first offensive play and finished with 123 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, while Brock Coffman returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown. Baxter’s PFN Impact grade of 83.4 this season is tied for 35th of 369 graded and qualified running backs in the FBS.

“No one to blame but that pathetic defense,” another fan wrote, allowing that there were multiple mistakes.

Still, the defense made stops after halftime. LSU forced a turnover on downs right after Ty Bryant intercepted Leavitt early in the third quarter, and KSR counted five trips by Kentucky to the red zone in the second half that produced six points.

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Another LSU fan wrote that a lot of big moments were called Kentucky’s way. “Still should’ve stopped them before overtime I agree on that.”

Looking Ahead in Week 7 to Mississippi State

LSU hosts Mississippi State in next Saturday’s Week 7 game, then plays at Auburn on October 24. Alabama comes to Tiger Stadium on November 7 and Texas on November 14, before a trip to Tennessee on November 21.

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg wrote that with that slate, the Tigers may not be able to afford another loss and still make the 12-team field. As of October 10, 2026, Pro Football Network’s College Football Playoff Meter gave LSU a 75.5% chance to win at Kentucky and a 51.1% chance to make the playoff, and projected a loss would cut its playoff chance to 27%.

Another fan saw a path all the same.

“Have to win out, got Bama and Texas at home and both lost today so there’s still some hope. Kentucky is a sneaky SEC team however.”Both did lose on Saturday, with No. 2 Georgia winning 20-17 at No. 6 Alabama and Oklahoma beating No. 1 Texas 27-24 in Dallas, a week before the Sooners host Kentucky.