LSU head coach Brian Kelly exploded in frustration during a postgame press conference after the Tigers suffered a crushing 27-20 defeat to USC in the Vegas Kickoff Classic. Kelly, visibly furious, slammed his fist on the table and declared the performance “unacceptable,” as LSU’s streak of season-opening losses extended to five years.
After another season-opening heartbreak, LSU head coach Brian Kelly couldn’t hold back his anger. In a fiery postgame press conference following Sunday’s 27-20 defeat to USC in the Vegas Kickoff Classic, Kelly’s frustration boiled over as he slammed his fist on the table, nearly sending his water bottle flying.
“We’re sitting here again … we’re sitting here again,” Kelly fumed, punctuating his words with an emphatic table slam. “Talking about the same things, about not finishing when you have an opponent in a position to put ’em away.”
LSU, ranked No. 12 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, appeared to be in control late in the game, leading by four points with under six minutes to go. But the Tigers couldn’t stop No. 23 USC from marching down the field in the final moments, culminating in a game-winning touchdown that left Kelly and his team stunned.
For Kelly, who’s entering his third season as LSU’s head coach, this loss was particularly infuriating. “I’m so angry about it that I’ve got to do something about it,” he vented. “I’m not doing a good enough job as a coach. I’ve got to coach ’em better because it’s unacceptable for us not to have found a way to win this football game. It’s ridiculous.”
The defeat continues an unwanted trend for LSU, marking their fifth consecutive season-opening loss. What made this one especially painful was the manner in which it happened. A 15-yard targeting penalty on Tigers safety Jardin Gilbert set up USC’s game-winning score. Just one play later, USC’s Woody Marks dashed 13 yards into the end zone, breaking a 20-20 tie and sealing the Trojans’ victory.
Kelly’s explosive reaction underscores the mounting pressure on LSU to shake off these early-season struggles. With expectations high and the clock ticking, the Tigers’ head coach knows his team must find a way to finish strong—or face even more frustrating moments ahead.
