LSU offense threatening to derail promising season after no-show at No. 13 Ole Miss

Another week, another flop from the LSU Tigers offense. Only this time, it cost them.

On Saturday, No. 4 LSU (4-1, 1-1 in SEC) fell in its first road SEC game of the season at No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels (5-0, 3-0 in SEC), 24-19. For the fourth time in as many games against FBS competition this season, the offense didn't do much, ending with 254 total yards of offense, compared to 480 from Ole Miss.

Offensive ineptitude has been a season-long problem

Everyone has had a hand in the dismal start to the season, which has seen LSU average 19.8 points per game against FBS opponents. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, a preseason Heisman contender, has regressed after throwing for 4,052 yards in 2024. His accuracy continues to be an issue, and it cost LSU a likely touchdown when he underthrew a pass to wideout Chris Hilton Jr. on a deep target in the third quarter. LSU picked up a pass interference penalty on the play, but ended the drive settling for a field goal.

The offensive line was a huge problem against the Rebels, consistently conceding pressure with three-man fronts, allowing Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding to drop eight in coverage to take away passing lanes. The unit also failed to open up running avenues for the rushing attack, with LSU averaging 2.6 yards per carry, gaining 57 yards on 22 attempts.

The lack of offensive production has followed LSU all season and could derail what until Saturday had been an excellent season from the defense. Ole Miss's 480 yards were the most allowed by the Tigers this year. The defense struggled against the Rebels' tempo, and the offense didn't help by failing to extend drives. Ole Miss ran 28 more plays than LSU, which finished 2-of-11 on third downs. Per Stat Broadcast, LSU averaged 8.1 yards to go on third down and was 0-of-4 on third downs of at least nine yards.

If the Tigers were able to play complementary football, they'd be able to salvage the season. After all, one loss is by no means a death sentence in today's college football. But nothing about LSU's offense suggests it's capable of withstanding the rigors of the upcoming SEC schedule, which includes games against No. 9 Texas A&M (4-0, 1-0 in SEC), No. 17 Alabama (2-1) and No. 7 Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0 in SEC). Even a Week 8 trip to No. 18 Vanderbilt (5-0, 1-0 in SEC) could be daunting considering how well it's looked on offense in recent weeks.

Unless LSU figures out a way to generate offense, it can once again be expected to wilt by November, much like last season when it lost three consecutive games during the second half of the year. That would be a brutal outcome for a team capable of so much more. But after a no-show at Ole Miss, it's fair to wonder if LSU's offense will ever arrive.